Sort_area_size usage

SORT_AREA_SIZE is one of the deferred Oracle Server Parameters which is set in init.ora. Its value as bytes (integer) sets the size of in-memory sort work area. The default is 64K and the maximum value that can be set is system dependent. Since the SORT_AREA_SIZE is the value of memory allocated from the UGA cursor work heap for a sort and the sorting and merging operations are performed in this area, the performance of sorting operation will be affected by SORT_AREA_SIZE value and when the allocated sort area of the memory gets filled up, the system will automatically write to temporary tablespace segments.