What Are Control Files?

The control file is a binary file that defines the current state of the physical database. The control file is one of the core files at the heart of the Oracle database. Together, this means that the Oracle instance itself is the only means by which the contents of the control file should ever be modified. The DBA should only modify it indirectly by means of altering the database. Loss or corruption of the control file requires a database recovery.

The control file is read at the mount stage of database startup and is required for the database to be functional. Each control file is linked to a single database. Before the database is opened, Oracle reads the control file to determine whether the database is in a valid state ...

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