Oracle11 bug: EZCONNECT adapter doesn't populate service name

I have Oracle11 database for testing purposes and I noticed that I cannot use EZCONNECT adapter to connect to it:

Version 10.2 tnsping works OK, service name is populated.

mg> tnsping dibidus

TNS Ping Utility for Linux: Version 10.2.0.3.0 - Production on 13- MAR-2008 11:34:29 Copyright (c) 1997, 2006, Oracle. All rights reserved.

Used parameter files:
/oracle/product/10.2.0/network/admin/sqlnet.ora

Used EZCONNECT adapter to resolve the alias Attempting to contact (DESCRIPTION=(CONNECT_DATA=
(SERVICE_NAME=dibidus.world))(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=10.2.10.19)
(PORT=1521)))

OK (0 msec)

Version 11.1 client fails to performs tnsping but doesn't connect:

TNS Ping Utility for Linux: Version 11.1.0.6.0 - Production on 13- MAR-2008 11:37:38 Copyright (c) 1997, 2007, Oracle. All rights reserved.

Used parameter files:
/oracle/product/11.1.0/network/admin/sqlnet.ora

Used EZCONNECT adapter to resolve the alias Attempting to contact (DESCRIPTION=(CONNECT_DATA=(SERVICE_NAME=))(ADDRESS=
(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=10.2.10.19)(PORT=1521))(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)
(HOST=10.2.10.19)(PORT=1521))(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=10.2.10.19)
(PORT=1521)))

OK (0 msec)

Notice that SERVICE_NAME is not populated here. I believe that this is a bug. Version 10.2 sqlplus connects flawlessly:

mg> sqlplus scott/tiger_at_dibidus

SQL*Plus: Release 10.2.0.3.0 - Production on Thu Mar 13 11:43:05 2008

Copyright (c) 1982, 2006, Oracle. All Rights Reserved.

Connected to:
Oracle Database 11g Enterprise Edition Release 11.1.0.6.0 - Production With the Partitioning, OLAP, Data Mining and Real Application Testing options

SQL> Version 11.1 sqlplus fails to connect to the same database: [oracle_at_dibidus ~]$ sqlplus scott/tiger_at_dibidus

SQL*Plus: Release 11.1.0.6.0 - Production on Thu Mar 13 11:45:09 2008

Copyright (c) 1982, 2007, Oracle. All rights reserved.

ERROR:
ORA-12504: TNS:listener was not given the SERVICE_NAME in CONNECT_DATA

Enter user-name:

This is a bad bug which really messed up some of my scripts. I ended up adding TNS descriptors with hostnames to tnsnames.ora.

-- 
Mladen Gogala
http://mgogala.freehostia.com