What does it mean by "Idle Instance"

Hi All,

When we start SQLPLUS and connect SYS as SYSDBA, it says "Connected to an Idle Instance".

What is this Idle Instance? Is it the Oracle(.exe) Program/Service? Authentication is done based on passwords in Password File. But what program is Authentating the user SYS? Also how does this happen in Unix?

Any help would be great.

Thanks

idle means doing nothing, not active
idle instance means instance not started

Thanks for the reply.

Where does this Idle "Instance" reside? It is a process that is doing nothing? If it is, how do I see this process in Unix. Does it take up any memory?

Hope this question is not dumb.

Do you know what is an oracle instance? It's SGA plus the background processes, if the instance is idle, i.e not started then there is nothing

Connected to an idle instance.
here is what I understand when Oracle says connected to an idle instance
==============================================================
Microsoft Windows 2000 [Version 5.00.2195]
(C) Copyright 1985-2000 Microsoft Corp.


D:\>set oracle_sid=sridevi
-- at this stage there is neither service handler (Oracle executable)
-- nor an instance nor a database
D:\>sqlplus /nolog
SQL*Plus: Release 9.2.0.5.0 - Production on Wed Jul 21 22:44:16 2004

Copyright (c) 1982, 2002, Oracle Corporation. All rights reserved.

SQL> connect sys/sys as sysdba
ERROR:
ORA-12560: TNS : protocol adapter error

-- ora-12560 was spit as there was no service handler
-- listener is up and running.
-- in the absence of service hadler or connect string no check can be done
-- to connect to oracle instance

SQL> connect sys/sys@sridevi as sysdba
ERROR:
ORA-12500: TNS:listener failed to start a dedicated server process

-- even though the connect string has the tns alias which is identifiable
-- as a service for service by listener.
-- The process of starting up a dedicated server process failed.
-- The executable could not be found or
-- the environment may be set up incorrectly
-- in this case the executable is not found as the service handler is not started.
SQL>
-- I started the service for the oracle instance and set the environment and connected
SQL> connect sys/sys@sridevi as sysdba
Connected to an idle instance.
-- So I am connected to Oracle executable which is ready to serve a instance through a dedicated
-- service. but no instance is there
SQL> startup
ORACLE instance started.


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