Server and Initialization parameter files,”PFILEs and SPFILEs have information about how your running database is configured. This is where you configure the following settings:Memory sizeDatabase and instance nameArchiving parametersProcessesOver 1,900 other parametersWhenever you start your database
the very first file read is the parameter file. It sets up all your memory and process settings and tells the instance where the control files are located. It also has information about your archiving status.”