Forcing Log Switches

A log switch occurs when LGWR stops writing to one redo log group and starts writing to another. By default, a log switch occurs automatically when the current redo log file group fills.

You can force a log switch to make the currently active group inactive and available for redo log maintenance operations. For example, you want to drop the currently active group, but are not able to do so until the group is inactive. You may also want to force a log switch if the currently active group must be archived at a specific time before the members of the group are completely filled. This option is useful in configurations with large redo log files that take a long time to fill.

To force a log switch, you must have the ALTER SYSTEM privilege. Use the ALTER SYSTEM statement with the SWITCH LOGFILE clause.

The following statement forces a log switch:

ALTER SYSTEM SWITCH LOGFILE;