Confusion about password file

From: Lisa Lewis <lmg_at_isdsa.pgh.wec.com>
Date: 1997/11/12
Message-ID: <64d0uc$1l2o@sccat.pgh.wec.com>#1/1

Hi,

Can someone please help me understand the use of a password file. I am running Oracle 7.3.3 under NT. Is the purpose of the password file so that one can do remote administration? Right now I have an Oracle instance running with REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE=EXCLUSIVE. I have not created a password file on the server. However, I was able to remotely login to the instance and issue a 'shutdown normal' command. I am confused as to how I was able to do this remotely since I do not have a password file on the server to authenticate the user. Should the password file reside on the server or the client?

Thanks!

Lisa
P.S. I did not explicitly set up any OS authentication Received on Wed Nov 12 1997 - 00:00:00 CST