Unable to audit.

Question

10g
RHEL 4
Howdy all. I am attempting to audit when people run ALTER TABLE statements and having a tough time. From reading docs and a book, it would appear that I would need to "alter system set audit_trail = db" before I can audit. However, when I try to run that I get "specified initialization paramter cannot be modified". I see this message when googling, but no clear resolution. I also see in a book that I should perhaps run "audit table" and then bounce the system. I do that, but then run "select * from dba_audit_trail" and it returns no records even though I've changed a table.
Can someone please assist?
TIA, cfr

Answer 1

CFR,
Before you turn on auditing of SQL statements such as ALTER TABLE, you need to have your audit_trail parameter set to db (other than none). For set this parameter, you need to bounce the database. You have attempted to modify the parameter dynamically...which is not allow. You can either set SCOPE=SPFILE (if using SPFILE) or set audit_trail=db in your init.ora file and bounce the database. After than you can set AUDIT, by running any of the AUDIT statements such as AUDIT TABLE.....so on. After which you would be able to view audit records by checking various AUDIT TRAIL tables, such dba_audit_trail.
HTH
Thanks
Chandra Pabba