Hi Vincent,
I would forget about using oracle name -- it's terminal release is Oracle 9!
"Oracle9i is the terminal release of Oracle Names. LDAP Directory Naming is
the direction for Oracle
databases network management and configuration."
Taken from:
Note:123179.1
Subject: NDA External Naming, SPX/IPX Protocol, Net8 Open & Oracle Names
Advisory Notice
Oracle Support Services
Product Obsolescence Advisory
October 2000
Product: NDS External Naming, SPX/IPX Protocol, Net8 Open and Oracle
Names
Platform: All Platforms
Advisory Announcement:
Oracle Corporation announces the end of error correction for NDS External
Naming, SPX/IPX Protocol and Net8 Open on all platforms, upon the effective
obsolescence of Oracle8i, v8.1.7. Oracle8i v8.1.7 will be the terminal
release for these features.
Oracle Corporation announces the end of error correction for Oracle Names
on all platforms. The desupport date of Oracle Names is dependent on the
schedule of Oracle9i. Oracle9i (v8.2) will be the terminal release of
Oracle Names.
The following is from the Oracle LDAP Faq:
NET 8 - LDAP FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
15-FEB-2001
Introduction :
Oracle9i is the terminal release of Oracle Names.
LDAP Directory Naming is the direction for Oracle
databases network management and configuration.
References : [NOTE:74621.1] Product Desupport Matrix
CONTENTS
- How does Net8 relate to LDAP ?
- What is directory naming ?
- How can an existing client use Net8 directory naming if an LDAP
directory
has already been deployed?
- Can directory naming be employed along with other naming methods such
as
Oracle Names?
- Which LDAP directories does Oracle certify for Net8 directory naming ?
- How can migration from Oracle Names be handled ?
- How can migration from a TNSNAMES.ora file be handled ?
- Can I migrate aliases for Net8 services in the directory ?
- How does OID handle failover for Net8 clients ?
- Can I cache service names in the LDAP server's memory if the repository
database goes down ?
- Can SQLNET V2 clients resolve service names through LDAP ?
- What is the LDAP Proxy server ?
- Do I need to license OID when deploying the directory for NET8 ?
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
- How does Net8 relate to LDAP ?
Answer
Net8 supports a centralized, LDAP-compliant enterprise directory-service
solution for management of network resources. The support for directory
services such as the Oracle Internet Directory provides a centralized
vehicle
for managing and configuring a distributed, heterogeneous network.
The network directory will become the central repository for all data on
databases, network components, and user and corporate policies and
preferences,
replacing client-side and server-side localized files. Administrators can
centrally manage these objects and all systems on the heterogeneous network
can refer to the directory for information.
2. What is directory naming ?
Answer
Directory naming is the process of resolving an alias using an
LDAP-compliant
directory service. For LDAP naming to happen, an LDAP compliant directory
service must be available in the network and the client machine must be
configured to use the directory service.
3. How can an existing client use Net8 directory naming if an LDAP
directory
has already been deployed?
Answer
In order to use Net8 directory naming, customer must have Net8 supportive
directory services available, such as Oracle Internet Directory (OID) or
Microsoft Active Directory (AD)services.
Net8 clients that want to use an LDAP directory must configure their
machines
for LDAP usage. This can be done by using the Net8 Configuration Assistant.
Similarly, Oracle server machines that want to use an LDAP directory must
configure their machines for LDAP usage. This can be done by using the Net8
Configuration Assistant.
References : Net8 Administrator's Guide
4. Can directory naming be employed along with other naming methods for
example
Oracle Names?
Answer
Directory naming can certainly be employed along with existing local, host,
external and Oracle Names methods. A client can choose to employ any
combination
of these naming methods to resolve service names.
LDAP is the recommended migration path from Oracle Names which will be
desupported.
References : [NOTE:74621.1] Product Desupport Matrix
5. Which LDAP directories does Oracle certify for Net8 directory naming ?
Answer
Until 8.1.7.0.0 :
-> Oracle Internet Directory
-> Active Directory
-> Netware Directory Services
Until further notice 9i only supports :
-> Oracle Internet Directory
-> Active Directory
References : [NOTE:74621.1] Product Desupport Matrix
6. How can I export data from Oracle Names to LDAP ?
Answer
Database services and net service names stored in an Oracle Names server
can be
exported to a directory server or to an LDAP Data Interchange Format (LDIF)
file.
Data is exported from a specified domain. If the domain has authority for
subdomains, then the data from the delegated domains can also be exported.
Oracle Names provides a command line utility "DUMP_LDAP" for this purpose.
References : Net8 Administrator's Guide
Note:120723.1 Net*8 LDAP Naming: Adding TNS Service Names from Oracle Names
7. How can migration from a TNSNAMES.ora file be handled ?
Answer
Oracle provides a migration wizard in Net8 Assistant. The migration wizard
provides an one-time migration of all or a subset of names from all or a
subset
of domains detected in the TNSNAMES.ORA file.
References : Net8 Administrator's Guide
Note:120717.1 Net*8 LDAP Naming: Adding TNS Service Names to an OID
8. Can I migrate aliases for Net8 services in the directory ?
Answer
An alias is a pointer to another entry in the DIT.
The ONAMES-LDAP migration functionality was intended to work for
all LDAPs, and LDAP version 2 was current when this tool was built.
LDAP version 2 did not provide a standard convention for object
alias data types so the alias migration was not included.
9. How does OID handle failover for Net8 clients ?
Answer
The typical way to deal with high availability in a customer environment is
to deploy two or more LDAP servers and have failover between them.
Net8 allows you to identify multiple LDAP servers on the client side in the
ldap.ora file. If one isn't responding, the client automatically tries
another
server.
- Can I cache service names in the LDAP server's memory if the repository
database goes down ?
Answer
For the moment this is not possible but is planned for a future release.
You can
enable caching on the client side (NT service caching) which should prevent
the
client having to go to the ldap server.
- Which SQLNET clients are able to resolve service names through LDAP ?
Answer
Starting from Oracle8i release 2 (or 8.1.6), Net8 supports Lightweight
Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) compliant directory naming.
Pre-Oracle8i clients can continue to use existing mechanisms
such as Oracle Names or TNSNAMES.
- What is the LDAP Proxy server ?
Answer
The Oracle Names LDAP Proxy server allows a smooth migration from ONAMES to
LDAP.
It is configured upon Oracle Names version 9i and is uses as a proxy to the
directory. When it starts up the proxy obtains all the network information
from
the directory server. This avoids maintaining data in the Names Server and
the
directory simutaneously.
- Do I need to license OID when deploying the directory for NET8 ?
Answer
No, deploying OID for NET8 is free of charge.
So -- It is free if you use it for NET8 (ONames /Tnsnames Replacement)
Plus you can avoid the problems associated with Regional Settings...
dB
"Vincent Ventrone" <vav_at_brandeis.edu> wrote in message
news:9kbpte$sl3$1_at_new-news.cc.brandeis.edu...
> We have been running an Oracle Names server (version 8.1.6) for some
months
> now *without* a Region DB & using the Dynamic Discovery Option for (8i)
> database services to register with it. It works pretty well. However, we
> have had some problems w/ it (for ex., getting the Names Server to
"forget"
> obsolete service entries.) Oracle's usual response to my TARs on these
> issues has been to set up the server to use a Region DB, which I am now in
> process of doing.
>
> Question: does anyone have any experience with a Names Server with &
> without a Region DB they could share? I'm asking because so far I have
> found things I do not like about the "with DB" configuration -- and I
really
> the DDO feature that we are currently using.
>
> Thanks
>
> --
> Vincent Ventrone
> DBA
> Information Technology Services
> Brandeis University
> MS 017
> Waltham, MA 02454
> vav_at_brandeis.edu
> 781 736-4517
>
>
Received on Fri Aug 03 2001 - 20:18:27 CDT
