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Introducing Net8 Products

This chapter describes Net8 components and features.

Specific topics discussed are:

• Net8 Products
• Supported Protocol Stack Vendors
• Oracle Advanced Networking Option Products
• Net8 Features

Net8 Products

The table below lists each component of Oracle Networking Products and the platform on which it can be installed.

Net8 Products	NT as Oracle Server	NT as Oracle Client	95/98 as Oracle Client	Separately Installable?
Net8 Client1	yes	yes	yes	yes
Net8 Server	yes	no	no	yes
Oracle Protocol Adapters
TCP/IP Protocol Adapter	yes	yes	yes	yes
SPX Protocol Adapter	yes	yes	yes	yes
Named Pipes Protocol Adapter	yes	yes	yes	yes
Logical Unit Type 6.2 (LU6.2) Protocol Adapter2	yes	yes	no	yes
Bequeath Protocol Adapter3	yes	yes	yes4	no
Configuration Tools
Net8 Easy Configuration Tool	yes	yes	yes5	no
Oracle Net8 Assistant	yes	yes	yes5	yes
Oracle Names Server	yes	no	no	yes
Oracle Connection Manager6	yes	no	no	yes
Oracle SNMP Agent	yes	no	no	yes
NetWare Directory Services (NDS) Native Naming Adapter	no	yes	yes7	no
Authentication Adapters
NDS Authentication Adapter	no	yes	yes7	no
Windows NT Native Authentication Adapter	yes	yes	yes	no
Oracle Advanced Networking Option Products8
Network Security and Single Sign-On	yes	yes	yes	yes
CyberSAFE Authentication Adapter	yes	yes	yes	yes
Identix (Biometric) Authentication Adapter	yes	yes	yes	yes
Kerberos Authentication Adapter	yes	yes	yes	yes
SecurID Authentication Adapter	yes	yes	yes	yes
DCE Integration	yes	yes	yes	yes

 

1 If you choose to install only the Net8 Client software, Oracle Net8 Assistant and Oracle Net8 Easy Config configuration tools will not be installed on your system. To install these configuration tools, choose Custom Install, and select Oracle Net8 Assistant from the Available Products list in Oracle Installer.  2 Microsoft SNA Server version 3.0 is required for LU6.2 on Windows NT.  3 The local, non-network Bequeath Protocol Adapter is automatically installed with Net8 on Windows NT and is available for 32 bit applications, allowing client applications to communicate with a database server running on the same machine.  4 Bequeath only works on Windows 95/98 for connections to a Personal Oracle8 database.  5 We were not able to qualify these Java based products on Windows 98 for this release, as an officially supported version of Java is not yet available for Windows 98. No problems were found using these tools on Windows 98 during testing.  6 Oracle Connection Manager is only available in the Oracle8 Enterprise Edition CD-ROM.  7 NDS Authentication and Naming Adapters are not supported for Windows 98 in this release.  8 The Advanced Networking Option is packaged separately from Net8.

The Net8 products are described below:

Product	Description
Net8 Client	Provides products that allow client connection to databases across a network. A client-side application sends a request to Net8 to be transported across the network to the server.
Net8 Server	Provides products that allow the network listener, through an Oracle Protocol Adapter, to accept connections from client applications on the network.
Oracle Protocol Adapters	The following Oracle Protocol Adapters are available:
TCP/IP Protocol Adapter	Enables client/server conversation over a network using TCP/IP and Net8. This combination of Oracle products enables an Oracle application on a client to communicate with remote Oracle databases through TCP/IP (if the Oracle database is running on a host system that supports network communication using TCP/IP).
SPX Protocol Adapter	Enables client/server conversation over a network using SPX and Net8. This combination of Oracle products enables an Oracle application on a client to communicate with remote Oracle databases through SPX (if the Oracle database is running on a host system that supports network communication using SPX). This protocol is predominantly used in Novell Netware environments.
Named Pipes Protocol Adapter	Enables client/server conversation over a network using Named Pipes and Net8. This combination of Oracle products enables an Oracle application on a client to communicate with remote Oracle databases through Named Pipes (if the Oracle database is running on a host system that supports network communication using Named Pipes).   The Named Pipes Protocol Adapter is a high-level interface providing interprocess communications between clients and servers (distributed applications). One process (the server side of the application) creates the pipe, and the other process (the client side) opens it by name. What one side writes, the other can read, and vice versa. Named Pipes is specifically designed for PC LAN environments.
Logical Unit Type 6.2 (LU6.2) Protocol Adapter	The adapter is part of the IBM Advanced Program-to-Program Communication (APPC) architecture.   APPC is the IBM peer-to-peer (program-to-program) protocol for a System Network Architecture (SNA) network. SNA is an IBM reference model similar to the Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) model of the International Standards Organization (ISO).   APPC architecture lets the client and host communicate over an SNA network without forcing the client to emulate a terminal (as in terminal-to-host protocols). APPC architecture allows peer-to-peer communication; the client can initiate communication with the server.   An SNA network with the LU6.2 and Physical Unit Type 2.1 (PU2.1) protocols provides APPC. The LU6.2 protocol defines a session between two application programs; LU6.2 is a product-independent LU-type.   The LU6.2 Protocol Adapter enables an Oracle application on a PC to communicate with an Oracle database. This communication occurs over an SNA network with the Oracle database on a host system that supports APPC.
Bequeath Protocol Adapter	Enables clients to retrieve information from the database without using the network listener. The Bequeath Adapter internally spawns a server thread for each client application. In a sense, it does the same operation that a remote network listener does for your connection, yet locally.   The Bequeath Protocol Adapter:  does not use a network listener (therefore, no network listener configuration is required)  is used for local connections where an Oracle client application (such as SQL*Plus) communicates with an Oracle server running on the same machine  only works in Dedicated Server mode. It cannot be used in a Multi-Threaded Server (MTS) mode.  is supported on Windows NT for 32-bit applications. It also works on Windows 95/98 for connections to a Personal Oracle8 database for 32-bit applications.  is installed by default with Net8 Client
Configuration Tools	Net8 has a number of new features that simplify configuration and administration of the Oracle network:
Net8 Easy Configuration Tool	This Java-based tool enables you to set up service names in the TNSNAMES.ORA file. Use this tool for configuring simple networks and testing the configuration.   For more information, see "Using the Local Naming Method" in Chapter 6, "Configuring the Network"
Oracle Net8 Assistant	Oracle Net8 Assistant helps you to configure and administer:  Service Names -- The tool enables the user to create or edit the local naming file (TNSNAMES.ORA).  Profile -- The tool enables the user to create or edit the local configuration file (SQLNET.ORA) on the local machine.  Network Listeners -- The tool enables the user to create or edit the local configuration file (LISTENER.ORA) on the local machine.  Oracle Names Servers -- The tool enables the user to configure and control a Names Server from the local machine, and to control other Names Servers on remote machines.  For more information, see:  "Using the Local Naming Method" in Chapter 6, "Configuring the Network"  Oracle Net8 Administrator's Guide
Oracle Names Server	Oracle Names is a distributed naming service developed for Oracle environments to help simplify the setup and administration of global, client/server computing networks. Oracle Names does this by establishing and maintaining an integrated system of Names Servers. Names Servers work like a directory service storing addresses for all the database services on a network and making them available to clients wishing to make a connection.   For more information, see "Using the Oracle Names Method" in Chapter 6, "Configuring the Network".
Oracle Connection Manager	The Oracle Connection Manager provides three capabilities for Oracle8:
Connection Concentration	Allows you to multiplex multiple logical client sessions through a single transport connection to an Oracle server destination. This permits large numbers of users to access a single database which is running in Multi-Threaded Server (MTS) mode, and thus increases the server's scalability. To enable connection concentrations, add the following parameter to the INTISID.ORA configuration file for that server:   MTS_DISPATCHERS = (MULT=ON)   For more information, see:  Configuring Oracle Connection Manager in Chapter 6, "Configuring the Network"  Oracle Net8 Administrator's Guide
Network Access Control (also known as firewall support)	Provides a proxy for denying or allowing access to a database server. This feature, implemented only over the TCP/IP protocol, provides network filtering similar to that offered with a firewall.   For more information, see:  Configuring Oracle Connection Manager in Chapter 6, "Configuring the Network".  Oracle Net8 Administrator's Guide
Multi-Protocol Support	Replaces the Multi-Protocol Interchange. Allows client and database servers operating on different protocol stacks to communicate with each other. For more information, see:  For more information, see Configuring Oracle Connection Manager in Chapter 6, "Configuring the Network".  Oracle Net8 Administrator's Guide
Oracle SNMP Agent	Oracle SNMP Agent enables Oracle products running anywhere on an enterprise's network to be located, identified, and monitored by a management station running at one or more centrally located nodes.   For more information, see Chapter 9, "Using the Oracle SNMP Agent".
NetWare Directory Services (NDS) Native Naming Adapter	Enables you to integrate Oracle service names (or database aliases) and addresses into your existing non-Oracle name services. This feature allows users from multiple points to use a single login to access a multi-server and multi-database network, and view the entire network under a single directory tree.   The NDS Native Naming Adapter uses the NDS naming environment to store service names and addresses of Oracle8 Server for NetWare databases. This environment allows users to connect to Oracle8 databases on NetWare servers whose server name is defined as an NDS object name.   To use the NDS Naming Adapter, you must configure your Windows client machine to a Novell NetWare 4.x Workstation.
Authentication Adapters	Net8 offers the following authentication adapters:
NDS Authentication Adapter	Allows a single login access a multi-server and multi-database network and view the entire network under a single NDS directory tree.
Windows NT Native Authentication Adapter	Allows operating system authentication to be performed between a client and an Oracle server on Windows NT.
Oracle Advanced Networking Option	See "Oracle Advanced Networking Option Products" in this chapter.

 

Supported Protocol Stack Vendors

The table below lists the supported protocol vendor for each Oracle Protocol Adapter.

Oracle Protocol Adapter	Platform	Supported Vendor
TCP/IP Protocol Adapter	Windows NT and Windows 95/98	Microsoft TCP/IP
SPX Protocol Adapter	Windows NT and Windows 95/98	Microsoft NW Link   Novell NetWare Client 32 version 4.1   Novell IntranetWare Client version 4.1 for Windows NT   Novell IntranetWare Client version 2.2 for Windows 95   Note: For Microsoft NW Link, Client Service for NetWare must be installed.
Named Pipes Protocol Adapter	Windows NT and Windows 95/98	Microsoft NETBEUI
LU6.2 Protocol Adapter	Windows NT	Microsoft SNA Server version 3.0
Host Naming Adapter	Windows NT	Microsoft TCP/IP
NDS Native Naming Adapter	Windows NT and Windows 95	Novell NetWare Client 32 version 4.1   Novell IntranetWare Client version 4.1 for Windows NT   Novell IntranetWare Client version 2.2 for Windows 95/98   Note: An Oracle7 Server release 7.2.2 or above for Netware release 4.1 is required.
NDS Authentication Adapter	Windows NT and Windows 95	Novell NetWare Client 32 version 4.1   Novell IntranetWare Client version 4.1 for Windows NT   Novell IntranetWare Client version 2.2 for Windows 95/98   Note: An Oracle7 Server release 7.2.2 or above for Netware release 4.1 is required.
Windows NT Native Authentication Adapter	Windows NT and Windows 95/98	Microsoft
ANO CyberSAFE Authentication Adapter	Windows NT and Windows 95/98	CyberSafe Application Security Toolkit version 1.0.4a
ANO Identix (Biometric) Authentication Adapter	Window NT and Windows 95/98	Identix hardware and driver on an Oracle8 client.
ANO Kerberos Authentication Adapter	Windows NT and Windows 95/98	No vendor software requirements on an Oracle8 client or server
ANO SecurID Authentication Adapter	Windows NT and Windows 95/98	No vendor software requirements on an Oracle8 client or server, but a SecurID card is needed
ANO DCE Integration	Windows NT and Windows 95/98	Gradient PC-DCE/32 Runtime Services Kit version 2.0

 

Oracle Advanced Networking Option Products

The Advanced Networking Option (ANO) is an optional product that provides enhanced functionality to Net8. Its set of features provides enhanced security and authentication to your network, and enables integration with a Distributed Computing Environment (DCE).

ANO includes the following components
:

Component	Description
Network Security	This Oracle network data encryption and checksumming service ensures secure transmission of data over networks. Network Security uses encryption and authentication engines from RSA Data Security, Incorporated.   The following algorithms are supported:   Encryption  RC4_40 (US, Export & Upgrade versions of ANO)  RC4_56 (US only)  RC4_128 (US only)  DES_56 (US & Upgrade)  DES_40 (US, Export & Upgrade)  Checksumming  MD5 (US, Export & Upgrade)
Single Sign-On	Allows users to access multiple accounts and applications with a single password. This feature eliminates the need for multiple passwords for users and simplifies management of user accounts and passwords for system administrators.   Centralized, secure authentication services allow you to have high confidence in the identity of users, clients, and servers in distributed environments. Network authentication services can also provide the benefit of single sign-on for users.   The following adapters are supported:  CyberSAFE Authentication Adapter  Identix (Biometric) Authentication Adapter  Kerberos Authentication Adapter  SecurID Authentication Adapter
DCE Integration	Distributed Computing Environment (DCE) Integration enables users to transparently use Oracle tools and applications to access Oracle8 databases in a DCE environment. The Oracle DCE Integration product consists of two major components:  DCE Communications/Security Adapter  DCE CDS (Cell Directory Service) Naming Adapter

 

Additional Information:   See the Oracle Advanced Networking Option Administrator's Guide.

   

Net8 Features

Net8 supports very large scale mission-critical environments, offers a state-of-the-art security server and simplifies administration and configuration of all environments, large and small. The major enhancements in Net8 can be grouped into these areas:

• Manageability
• Naming Methods
• Scalability
• Security
• Enhancements for Developers




Feature	Description
Manageability	Net8 has a number of features that simplify configuration and administration of the Oracle network:
Net8 Easy Configuration Tool	This Java-based tool enables you to graphically set up service names. This tool succeeds the previously available tool called SQL*Net Easy Configuration (SQL*Net Version 2.x).   For more information, see "Using the Local Naming Method" in Chapter 6, "Configuring the Network".
Oracle Net8 Assistant	This Java-based graphical configuration and management tool succeeds Oracle Network Manager, included in previous SQL*Net Version 2.x releases. Oracle Net8 Assistant helps you to configure and administer complex networks.   For more information, see:  "Using the Local Naming Method" in Chapter 6, "Configuring the Network"  Oracle Net8 Administrator's Guide
Trace Assistant	Formats level 16 (SUPPORT) traces into paragraphs that are easier to read than unformatted trace files.   For more information, see:  Enabling Tracing in Chapter 10, "Performing Administration Tasks"  "Trace Assistant" in Appendix D, "Troubleshooting"
Naming Methods	Net8 clients communicate with Oracle8 servers through service names, which are easy to remember aliases for database addresses. Net8 resolves service names using the following naming methods:
Host Naming	Resolves Oracle service names via the existing name resolution service in a TCP/IP network. This name resolution service might be Domain Name System (DNS) or simply a centrally-maintained set of /ETC/HOSTS files. Host naming allows users to connect to an Oracle server simply by using the host's network name. No client configuration is required to take advantage of this feature.   For more information, see "Using the Host Naming Method" in Chapter 6, "Configuring the Network".
Local Naming	Resolves service names using a local TNSNAMES.ORA configuration file.   For more information, see "Using the Local Naming Method" in Chapter 6, "Configuring the Network"
Oracle Names	Resolves service names using Oracle Names Servers.   Oracle Names is a distributed naming service for Oracle networks. Oracle Names helps administrators manage large numbers of clients and servers in their environments.   For more information, see "Using the Oracle Names Method" in Chapter 6, "Configuring the Network".
External Naming	Resolves service names using a supported third-party naming service. External naming is implemented with the NetWare Directory Services (NDS) Native Naming Adapter.   For more information, see "Using the External Naming Method" in Chapter 8, "Performing Advanced Configuration"
Scalability	Scalability refers to the ability to support simultaneous network access by a large number of clients to a single server. With Net8, this is accomplished by optimizing the usage of network resources by reducing the number of physical network connections a server must maintain.
Oracle Connection Manager's Connection Concentration	The Oracle Connection Manager uses multiplexing to combine the network traffic from several clients onto a single physical connection to the server, therefore conserving server resources. Unlike connection pooling, client connections to the server are maintained continually. This makes it ideal for applications requiring continuous connectivity (such as process control or a stock ticker). This functionality is supported by Multi-Threaded Server (MTS) configurations.   For more information, see:  "Configuring Oracle Connection Manager" in Chapter 6, "Configuring the Network".  Oracle Net8 Administrator's Guide
Connection Pooling	Connection pooling is a feature implemented with Net8 clients and dispatchers for Multi-Threaded Server (MTS) configurations. It allows a limited number of (physical) transport connections to be shared among a large number of (logical) network sessions. This is achieved by using a time-out mechanism to temporarily release an idle transport connection while maintaining its network session. The transport connection is released only if it has been idle for the specified time-out period, all the transport connections in the pool are busy, and an active network session needs a transport connection. Use of connection pooling optimizes network resource utilization and increases the number of client-server sessions possible across a fixed number of physical server ports. It is ideal when many clients run interactive, "high idle/search time" applications, such as messaging or OLAP.   Connection pooling is enabled by setting the MTS_DISPATCHERS parameter to the INTISID.ORA initialization file in ORACLE_HOME\DATABASE.   Note: Connection pooling is only available with MTS on TCP/IP networks.   For more information, see:  Oracle8 Reference  Oracle Net8 Administrator's Guide  your Getting Started guide
Listener Load Balancing	Distributes the number of incoming sessions over multiple network listeners for a single database or for two or more equivalent databases. This feature is configured by defining multiple network listeners for each database. To enable multiple network listeners for Multi-Threaded Server (MTS), add the MTS_MULTIPLE_LISTENERS=TRUE parameter to the INTISID.ORA initialization file in ORACLE_HOME\DATABASE.   For more information, see:  Oracle Net8 Administrator's Guide  your Getting Started guide
Multi-Threaded Server Support (MTS)	Net8 supports the MTS in TCP/IP network environments.   For more information, see:  your Getting Started guide  Oracle8 Concepts
WINSOCK2 Support	This release of Net8 supports both the WINSOCK 1.1 and WINSOCK2 socket interface. Net8 automatically detects WINSOCK2 on Windows NT and uses it if it is available.   WINSOCK2 is a standard feature of Windows NT 4.0. Oracle uses these WINSOCK2 features in Net8:  overlapped I/O with events  shared sockets (can be enabled as an optional feature), as described in Appendix B, "Modifying and Adding Configuration Parameters"  WINSOCK2 support enables Net8 features such as:  Multi-Threaded Server (MTS) support  Oracle Connection Manager  connection pooling
Security	Net8 offers the following security features:
Oracle Security Server	Supports authentication and authorization in an Oracle network environment using public-key cryptography. The Oracle Security Server is a separate product bundled with Oracle8 and Net8.   For more information see the Oracle Security Server Guide.
Oracle Connection Manager's Network Access Control	Incorporates a Net8 application proxy for implementing firewall-like functionality.   For more information, see "Configuring Oracle Connection Manager" in Chapter 6, "Configuring the Network".
Enhancements for Developers	Net8 offers the following enhancement for developers:
Net8 OPEN	Net8 OPEN is an application programming interface (API) that allows users to write applications that use Net8 for connectivity. Net8 OPEN:  enables developers to develop both database and non-database applications that use the Net8 network already deployed in their environment  enables developers to deploy an application developed on one machine to another without needing to modify their calls to the network interface  provides developers with a single common interface to all industry standard network protocols  For more information, see Oracle Net8 Administrator's Guide.

   

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