Few hours back I installed Oracle Database 11g(Though still DB is yet to be created), so I started playing with the ASM instance. First thing I did was to check ASM alert.log. I used ADRCI (11g) to see it
adrci> show incident ADR Home = /u03/app/oracle/diag/asm/+asm/+ASM: ********************************************************* 0 rows fetched adrci> show alert ADR Home = /u03/app/oracle/diag/asm/+asm/+ASM: ********************************************************** Output the results to file: /tmp/alert_9572_1_+ASM_1.ado "/tmp/alert_9572_1_+ASM_1.ado" 48 lines, 1964 characters PMON started with pid=2, OS id=3672 DIAG started with pid=4, OS id=3678 <strong>VKTM started with pid=3, OS id=3674 VKTM running at (100ms) precision</strong> 2008-06-24 15:24:12.425000 +05:30 PSP0 started with pid=5, OS id=3680 <strong>DSKM started with pid=6, OS id=3682</strong> <strong>DIA0 started with pid=7, OS id=3684</strong> MMAN started with pid=6, OS id=3686 DBW0 started with pid=8, OS id=3689 LGWR started with pid=9, OS id=3691 CKPT started with pid=10, OS id=3694 SMON started with pid=11, OS id=3700 RBAL started with pid=12, OS id=3702 GMON started with pid=13, OS id=3705 ORACLE_BASE from environment = /u03/app/oracle <strong>Spfile /u03/app/oracle/product/11.1.0/db_1/dbs/spfile+ASM.ora is in old pre-11 format and compatible >= 11.0.0; converting to new H.A.R.D. compliant format.</strong>
I have highlighted the things which were not present in 10g. According to Docs
DIA0 (diagnosability process 0) (only 0 is currently being used) is responsible for hang detection and deadlock resolution.
VKTM (virtual keeper of time) is responsible for providing a wall-clock time (updated every second) and reference-time counter (updated every 20 ms and available only when running at elevated priority)
These were the definitions from docs. Oracle should have been more generous and also documented following
DIA0 – Does that mean we will have auto SystemState/Hanganalyze generated during hang? Will ORA-60 be handled by this process?
VKTM – What does this mean to us? Will this timer be used in 10046 timing information? Will it ensure Oracle Scheduler run jobs on time 
DSKM – This is still not documented.
Last message kind of indicates that spfile is also made H.A.R.D complaint. So it should take care of corruptions.
I have created more confusion rather than explaining what these processes actually do Anyways if you have any information, then it will be really nice if it can be shared…Thanks for Reading !!
