Network Features

The improved network-management features in Oracle Database 10g eliminate the manual steps required to configure the Oracle networking environment. Oracle automatically configures many of the shared server parameters. You can connect to a database from a client machine without creating the client configuration files. You can also switch back and forth between dedicated and shared server mode while you remain connected.

Another important feature enables you to back up directory naming entries into a local tnsnames.ora file. Using this feature, database clients can use the local copies of the saved file when a directory server is unavailable or when not upgraded to use directory naming.

The dynamic Connection Manager (CMAN) allows you to easily change the Connection Manager parameters without shutting down the CMAN process. The easy connect naming method enables a database connection without configuring a net service name at the client. This also helps to connect to different databases or instances running on the same server. You can also create access rules for Connection Manager to filter traffic for CMAN based on subnet mask, timeout, idle timeout, and other rule-level controls.

With Oracle Database 10g LDAP, a client Oracle home does not require the directory usage configuration file (ldap.ora) to use the directory. Only the Oracle internet Directory (OiD) Server needs to be registered with the Domain Name System (DNS) for clients to automatically connect to the directory server. If the ldap.ora file is configured, it will supercede the auto-discovery mechanism.

Oracle Database 10g includes protocol support for the Sockets Direct Protocol (SDP) for Infiniband high-speed networks. This is a new protocol for a high-speed communication for better performance of client/server and server/server connections. Currently, SDP is not available on all platforms. Refer to your platform-specific Oracle manual for more details.

The Demise of Oracle Name Server

Oracle Database 10g has finally laid the Oracle Name Server to rest. Clients based on Oracle Database 10g cannot use Oracle Name Services; you will have to use local naming methods (tnsnames.ora) or implement Oracle internet Directory (OiD). Note that this affects even the Oracle Database 10g client software installed on desktop PCs. Keep this in mind before rolling out updated client versions, even if these clients connect to databases that are still in lower versions.

New Features in Oracle Database 10g Release 2

In Oracle Database 10g Release 2, you can simplify client configuration by using the easy connect naming method with TCP/IP environments as well. The easy connect naming method eliminates the need for service name lookup in the tnsnames.ora files for TCP/IP environments and provides instant TCP/IP connectivity to databases. Clients can connect to a database server with an optional port and service name along with the host name of the database as shown here:

 CONNECT username/password@[//]host[:port][/service_name] 

// specifies an optional URL, while host specifies the host name or IP address of the database server. The listening port (port) is optional, while the default is 1521. The service_name of the database is also optional. If the host name does not match the database service name, then enter a valid service name value rather than accepting the default. A typical service name description will be as follows:

 (DESCRIPTION=   (ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)(HOST=host)(PORT=port))   (CONNECT_DATA=     (SERVICE_NAME=service_name))) 

The following example gives a database CONNECT string and its corresponding tnsnames.ora entry:

 CONNECT user/password@QLAB10G:1521/QLAB10G.US.ACME.COM (DESCRIPTION=   (ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)(HOST=QLAB10G)(PORT=1521))   (CONNECT_DATA=     (SERVICE_NAME=QLAB10G.US.ACME.COM))) 

If you wish to make URL or JDBC connections to the database, prefix the connect identifier with a double-slash (//) like so:

 CONNECT user/password@[//][host][:port][/service_name] 

In Oracle Database 10g Release 2, the DISPATCHERS parameter need not be specified to enable shared servers. If the DISPATCHERS parameter is not configured and the shared server is configured, then a dispatcher listening on TCP/IP port 1521 is started automatically. Configuration of the DISPATCHERS parameter is required for dispatchers that do not listen on the TCP/IP protocol.

This type of connection specification is reminiscent of SQL*Net Version 1 that was available in Oracle V5 and V6.