The ORA-01597 error is triggered when an attempt is made to bring the system rollback segment online or offline manually.
Description
Rollback segments are used to store old values of data that have been changed during a transaction. This allows for rollback of transactions if necessary. The system rollback segment is a special rollback segment that is automatically managed by Oracle and should not be manually altered.
Cause
This error occurs when a user tries to manually alter the state of the system rollback segment, which is not allowed because it is crucial for instance recovery and is managed by the Oracle system itself.
Example of the Error
-- Attempt to manually offline the system rollback segment ALTER ROLLBACK SEGMENT SYSTEM OFFLINE;
Executing the above command will result in an ORA-01597 error because the system rollback segment cannot be altered manually.
Solution
To resolve this error, no action is usually required because the system rollback segment should remain online under normal circumstances. If this error occurs, it suggests that an inappropriate attempt was made to modify the system rollback segment, which should not be done.
Precautions
- Do not attempt to alter the system rollback segment state manually.
- Always ensure that any changes to rollback segments are consistent with Oracle's best practices and guidelines.
- Modifications to rollback segments should only be done by experienced DBAs.
- If you need to manage other non-system rollback segments, make sure you understand the implications and have a valid reason for bringing them online or offline.