Problem setting up user ids to use the Oracle password file.

Question

I want to set up my database users so that a password file is used for connecting to the database.  I have completed these steps successfully.
  BTW - DB is 11.2.0.3 on AIX power 64
1.  Created the password file for the database using the orapwd command.  Allowing 20 entries.  Confirmed the file was created in the $ORACLE_HOME/dbs directory
2.  Created a database user, sbrower
CREATE USER SBROWER IDENTIFIED BY <password> DEFAULT TABLESPACE USERS TEMPORARY TABLESPACE TEMP PROFILE DEFAULT ACCOUNT UNLOCK ;
GRANT DBA TO SBROWER;
ALTER USER SBROWER DEFAULT ROLE ALL;
GRANT UNLIMITED TABLESPACE TO SBROWER;
ALTER USER SBROWER QUOTA UNLIMITED ON USERS;
3.  Connected to the database as SYS and granted sysoper to SBROWER
4.  Using putty, ssh'ed into the server where the database resides.
5.  Set the oracle variables (ORACLE_HOME, ORACLE_BASE, etc.) and PATH
6.  Was able to connect to the database using sqlplus / as syoper
THE PROBLEM
  For another user, EA_RDX_ORACLE1, I follow the same steps (2-6) bu when I execute step 6, it does not allow the connection
ERROR:
ORA-01031: insufficient privileges
   but, if I use sqlplus ea_rdx_oracle1/thepassword as sysoper it works
Looking at v$pwfile_users on the database:
USERNAME SYSDBA   SYSOPER      SYSASM
SYS      TRUE      TRUE      FALSE
SBROWER  FALSE     TRUE      FALSE
EA_RDX_ORACLE1 FALSE TRUE FALSE
3 rows selected.
There is one thing that is different for the ea_rdx_oracle1 id's:
- The users who use this id, use a took called CyberVault to check out the id.  The password for the id changes each time the id is checked out; however, the way the id is set up on the DB servers, us user does not have to enter the password when they log in (ssh).
I have sent an email to our unix admin asking his how the id was set up so that it can ssh into the server.  It is not included in the list of users in any group in the /etc/ogroup file and it is not included in the /etc/opassword file.

Answer 1

The OS authentication ( sqlplus / as sysdba ) does not require the password file.
The problem may be related to the OS user you are connecting to that server - it is not a member of OSDBA group ( usually DBA ).