Oracle 10g Database Shutdown

• shutdown normal: Default type of shutdown that Oracle performs if no shutdown options are provided. No new Oracle connections are allowed from the time the SHUTDOWN NORMAL command is issued. Database will wait until all users are disconnected to proceed with the shutdown process. Also called “clean” shutdown because no recovery is necessary.
  

• shutdown transactional: No new Oracle connections are allowed, No new transactions are allowed to start from the time this command is issued. Once all active transactions on the database have completed, all client connections are disconnected. Also called “clean” shutdown because no recovery is necessary.
  

• shutdown immediate: No new Oracle connections are allowed, Any uncommitted transactions are rolled out i.e. a user in the middle of a transaction will lose all the uncommitted work. Oracle does not wait for clients to disconnect. Any unfinished transactions are rolled back and their database connections are terminated. Also called “clean” shutdown because no recovery is necessary.
  

• shutdown abort: No new Oracle connections are allowed, Any SQL statements currently in progress are terminated, Uncommitted work is not rolled back, Disconnects all client connections immediately. Not a clean shutdown and requires recovery when the database is subsequently started.