Net8 Getting Started 
Release 8.0.5 for Windows NT and Windows 95/98 
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Glossary

Note the following special terms when using this guide:

client

A client is a system that runs an Oracle-supported application and connects to the shared database(s) on an Oracle8 Server.

connect descriptor

A connect descriptor is a specially formatted description of the destination for a network connection. Connect descriptors are constructed using a set of keywords and values mapped to service names. For example, an Oracle Tool would use a service name representing a connect descriptor to initiate a TNS connection with an Oracle8 Server. Each connect descriptor is assigned a service name in the network definition and stored in the TNSNAMES.ORA network configuration file, in an Oracle Names database, or in a native naming service.

DNS

Domain Name System is a machine used to translate the host name specified in the TNSNAMES.ORA file into the host internet address (IP).

External Naming

External naming refers to service name resolution by using a supported third-party naming service.

external procedure

Function or procedure written in a third-generation language (3GL) that can be called from PL/SQL code. Only C is supported for Oracle8 external procedures.

global database name

The global database name specifies the name by which the network listener registers the database instance with an Oracle Names Server and the name by which the Oracle Names Server identifies a database. You can use any alias, but Oracle Corporation recommends setting the global database name to the value of the INITSID.ORA's DB_NAME and DB_DOMAIN parameters. The default global database name is ORACLE.WORLD. DB_DOMAIN can be overwritten by the NAMES.DEFAULT_DOMAIN parameter in SQLNET.ORA file.

HOME_NAME

Represents the Oracle home name if you use multiple Oracle homes. This convention is not applicable for the first Oracle home. The home name can be up to sixteen alphanumeric characters. The only special character allowed in the home name is the underscore.

HOMEID

Represents a unique registry subkey for each Oracle home directory in which you install products. A new HOMEID is created and incremented each time you install products to a different Oracle home directory on one machine. Each HOMEID contains its own configuration parameter settings for installed Oracle products.

Host Naming

Resolves service names through a TCP/IP network's Domain Name System (DNS) or in the /ETC/HOSTS file. This method is recommended for simple TCP/IP environments.

instance

Combination of processes and threads that begins each time a database is started. Identified with a unique SID. A default SID, ORCx, is installed during installation of the Oracle8 database.

When you install Oracle8 database for the first time on a machine, your SID is typically ORCL. For each subsequent Oracle8 database installation into a different Oracle home on the same computer, ORCL is automatically incremented by one (that is, for a second Oracle8 database installation, the SID is ORC1, for a third Oracle8 database installation, the SID is ORC2, etc.).

The background threads and memory areas required to access an Oracle8 database. A database system requires one instance and one database. Every Oracle8 instance has a single system global area (SGA); a multiple-user instance also requires several background threads.

listener

A listener enables an Oracle8 Server to accept connections from client machines over Net8. Also, referred to as network listener.

Local Naming

Resolves service names to network addresses by using information configured and stored on each individual client. Local Naming is most appropriate for simple distributed networks with a small number of services that change infrequently.

loopback

A loopback uses Net8 to go from the server right back to itself.

 MIB

Management Information Base. The collection of variables that can be queried to describe attributes of an object, such as the use, performance, and initialization parameters of a database server, for example.

Net8

The Oracle client/server communication software that offers transparent operation to Oracle tools or databases over any type of network protocol and operating system.

network listener

An executable program that enables an Oracle8 server to accept connections from client machines over Net8.

Oracle8 Database

Known formally as either Oracle8 Enterprise Edition or Oracle8, the Oracle8 database is an Object Relational Database Management System (ORDBMS).

Oracle8 Server

See server.

Oracle Names

Oracle Names stores names and addresses of all database services on a network on a Names Server. Connection requests are routed through the Names Server, which resolves the service name to a network address. The information is then returned to the client

Oracle Names Server

A server that uses Oracle Names to store a service's network address along with its simple name sot that client applications can request connection with simple names, rather than lengthy addresses.

OracleSNMPPeerMasterAgent

The OracleSNMPPeerMasterAgent is the process on a managed node that accepts queries from the management framework and communicates with the subagents to answer the query.

OracleSNMPPeerEncapsulator

The OracleSNMPPeerEncapsulator allows you to encapsulate the Microsoft master agent so that all SNMP requests from a Network Management Station (NMS) are sent to OracleSNMPPeerMasterAgent.

Oracle Protocol Adapters

A set of products which map Net8 functionality to industry-standard protocols used in client/server connections.

ORANT

Default Oracle home directory where Oracle Installer installs the Oracle8 database on Windows NT.

ORAWIN95

Default Oracle home directory where Oracle Installer installs the Oracle8 database on Windows 95/98.

region

A collection of Names Servers which share a common service registry.

server

A server is a host system that runs a multi-user Oracle8 Object Relational Database Management System (ORDBMS) and maintains at least one database that can be shared by remote clients. Server refers to the ORDBMS that is using Net8 and is capable of serving any Oracle client.

service name

A service name is a short, convenient name mapped to a network address contained in a TNS connect descriptor. Users need only know the appropriate service name to make a TNS connection. Service names are created with the Oracle Net8 Easy Config or Oracle Net8 Assistant.

SID

A unique name for an Oracle database instance. To switch between Oracle databases, users must specify the desired SID. The SID is included in the CONNECT DATA parts of the connect descriptors in a TNSNAMES.ORA file, and in the definition of the network listener in the LISTENER.ORA file. Also known as system ID.

SQL

SQL is Structured Query Language--the internationally accepted standard for defining and manipulating relational databases.

SQL*Net

SQL*Net is the Oracle7 client/server communication software that offers transparent operation to Oracle tools or databases over any type of network protocol and operating system.

system ID

A synonym for instance identifier. Often abbreviated to SID.

TNS

Transparent Network Substrate (TNS) is the Oracle networking technology that provides a single application interface to all industry-standard networking protocols.

TNS-based application

A TNS-based application uses the common functions of the TNS interface to transmit data across one or more networks. Net8 is a TNS-based application.

well-known address

Address for Names Server(s) hardcoded into the Names Server and related clients. Names Server(s) become available at this well-known address(es), eliminating need for specification of address in configuration files.



 
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