Oracle Database Link Won't work

Hi,
I'm absolutely new to Oracle and I'm no DBA also, so my apologies if the questions will sound stupid.
I'm trying to create a link from DATABASE1.mycompany.com to DATABASE2.mycompany.com (i.e. I want to connect from Database1 to Database2)
Both databases run 1.7.X version (X I think differs from one to another)

I understand that on a SERVER that runs database1 (the one I want to connect FROM) I need to modify TNSNAMES.ORA file.

I added the following to TNSNAMES.ORA on database1:

Database2.mycompany.COM =
  (DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS_LIST =

      (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = 10.20.30.40)(PORT = 1521))     )
(CONNECT_DATA =

      (SERVICE_NAME = NAME.mycompany.COM)     )
  )

Then, I created a link on database1 as follows:

create database link Database2.mycompany.COM   connect to SOMETHING identified by SOMETHING   using 'Database2.mycompany.COM;

Should I have done:
create database link Database2.mycompany.COM   connect to SOMETHING identified by SOMETHING using 'NAME.mycompany.COM'

(the difference is in "using")

I also created a synonym:
create synonym my_DATA
  for SOMETHING.DATA_at_Database2.mycompany.COM;

When I select form my_DATA I get the following error: TNS: could not resolve service name.

Can you help?
This is very confusing for me so please elaborate in your explanations.

Thanks in advance
NK Received on Thu May 12 2005 - 15:46:24 CDT