SQLNet solution/ORACLE Support comments

Eureka! ORACLE support finally did something right.

I had been having trouble getting SQLNet to work, at all. I finally got an analyst on the phone and discovered that the server definition file they use at their site looks nothing like the ones I got as samples with my 7.0.16 release!

He faxed me the correct file, and now everything works.

Bad marks, though, because he had no explanation as to why they are distributing a file that doesn't work, or where I am supposed to find details on the "Operating System Specific Keywords" for my LISTENER.ORA file mentioned in the documentation, or why the listener was trying to start a dedicated server even though I had dispatchers running, etc, etc.

As usual, I found that the analysts have gotten their own system to work by as much trial and error as I have

But at least I can use the *&(*$&( product now.

By the way, the fix was...

In LISTENER.ORA, for a DECNET connection, you need a PROGRAM='xxxxx' keyword, where xxxx is the name of a command file that first, invokes the command file from your ORA_DB directory that declares all your instance logicals, and then invokes the oracle server, SRV.EXE. The file should look like:

$ _at_ORA_DB:whatever your command file name is that defines the logicals
$ orasrv := $SYS$ORACLE:SRV.EXE
$ orasrv "(LOCAL=NO)"

That's it... I asked him where on Earth in the manuals is the info on invoking orasrv, or what its arguments are... as you might guess, they have no idea and no answer.

They also GIVE you some "sample" files that are supposed to do the above. They are called ORASRV.COM and ORASRV2.COM, for SQLNet V1 or V2. Neither one is right according to the analyst, (and neither one worked, according to ME).

Oh well...

-- 
Max Magliaro
MMM_at_ICF.HRB.COM
Philipsburg, Pennsylvania

"He may look like an idiot, and he may sound like an idiot, but don't
 let him fool you.  He really is an idiot." --- Groucho Marx