Oracle Net8 Administrator's Guide Release 8.0 A58230-01 |
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Glossary

## A

##### access control

See network access control

##### address

A unique network location used to identify a network object, such as a database server, client, or Names Server. Addresses have a specific format and must be unique. See also well known address.

##### administrative region

An organizational entity for administering Net8 network components. Each administrative region includes:

- one or more domains
- one or more Oracle Names Servers
- one or more databases, listeners and clients

##### alias

An alternative name for an existing network object. Once an alias is created, it is resolved to the same name as the initial network object.

##### API

See Net8 Open.

##### ASCII character set

Stands for American Standard Code for Information Interchange character set, a convention for representing alphanumeric information using digital data. The collation sequence used by most computers with the exception of IBM and IBM-compatible computers. Contrast with EBCDIC character set.

## C

##### cache

Memory that stores recently-accessed data to so that subsequent requests to access the same data can be processed quickly.

##### CDS

Cell Directory Service

##### central administration

A Net8 network where network management consists of one administrative region for the entire network. With central administration, all Names Servers know about one another and about all the services in the network. Contrast with delegated administration.

##### client

A user, software application, or computer that requests the services, data, or processing of another application or computer. In a two-task environment, the client is the user process. In a network environment, the client is the local user process and the server may be local or remote.

##### client profile

The properties of a client, often shared by many clients. May include the protocols used and preferred Names Servers.

##### client-server architecture

Software architecture based on a separation of processing between two CPUs, one acting as the client in the transaction, requesting and receiving services, and the other as the server that provides services in a transaction.

##### concentration

Consolidating multiple connection requests from clients to establish a single connection to a server in order to conserve server resources.

##### configuration files

Files that are used to identify and characterize the components of a network. Configuration is largely a process of naming network components and identifying relationships among those components.

##### CONNECT DATA

A portion of the connect descriptor, introduced by the keyword CONNECT DATA, that specifies the application to which the connection is to be made. The CONNECT DATA section of the connect descriptor includes the system identifier (SID).

##### connect descriptor

A specially formatted description of the destination for a network connection. Connect descriptors are constructed using a set of keywords and values. They are mapped to service names to provide more convenient reference.

##### connection

An interaction between two processes on a network. Connections are originated by an initiator (client), who requests a connection with a destination (server).

##### connection request

A notification sent by an initiator and received by a listener that indicates that the initiator wants to start a connection.

## D

##### data packet

See packet.

##### database administrator (DBA)

(1) A person responsible for operating and maintaining an Oracle Server or a database application. (2) An Oracle username that has been given DBA privileges and can perform database administration functions. Usually the two meanings coincide. Many sites have multiple DBAs.

##### database link

A network object stored in the local database or in the network definition that identifies a remote database, a communication path to that database, and optionally, a username and password. Once defined, the database link is used to access the remote database. Also called DB link.

  A public or private database link from one database to another is created on the local database by a DBA or user.

  A global database link is created automatically from each database to every other database in a network with Oracle Names. Global database links are stored in the network definition.

See also global database link, private database link, and public database link.

##### database service name

See service name.

##### decentralized administration

See delegated administration.

##### dedicated server

A server that requires its own dedicated server process for each user process. Contrast with multi-threaded server.

##### default domain

The domain within which most client requests take place. It could be the domain where the client resides, or it could be a domain from which the client requests network services often. Default domain is also the client configuration parameter that determines what domain should be appended to unqualified network name requests. A name request is unqualified if it does not have a "." character within it.

##### delegated administration

A Net8 network where network management is delegated to one or more administrative regions below the root administrative region. Also referred to as distributed or decentralized administration. Contrast with central administration.

##### delegated administrative region

A region hierarchically below the root administrative region. Any region other than the root administrative region.

##### destination

The client that is the endpoint of a connection. The initiator of the connection requires some data or service of the destination.

##### distributed administration

See delegated administration.

##### distributed processing

Division of front-end and back-end processing to different computers. Net8 supports distributed processing by transparently connecting applications to remote databases.

##### domain

A grouping of network objects, such as databases, that simplifies the naming of network services. Within a domain, all the names must be unique.

##### domestic domains

The set of domains that are managed within a given administrative region. Domains are only domestic relative to a region; they are never domestic in any absolute sense. Also referred to as local domains.

## E

##### error message

A message from a computer program informing you of a potential problem or condition preventing program or command execution.

## F

##### firewall support

See network access control.

##### flat naming model

An Oracle Names infrastructure in which there is only one domain. All names must be unique within that domain.

##### foreign domains

The set of domains not managed within a given administrative region. Domains are only foreign relative to a region; they are not foreign in any absolute sense. A network administrator typically defines foreign domains relative to a particular region to optimize Names Server caching performance.

## G

##### global database link

A database link that links each database in a network to all other databases. This enables any user of any database in the network to specify a global object name in a SQL statement or object definition. (The global object name for the Debunk must be the same as the database service name.) See also database link, private database link, and public database link.

##### global database name

A unique name that identifies a database in a network. It consists of a database name and its network domain name. For example, HR.US.ORACLE.COM is comprised of a database name component HR and a network domain component US.ORACLE.COM.

## H

##### hierarchical naming model

An Oracle Names infrastructure in which names are divided into multiple hierarchically-related domains. You can use the hierarchical naming model with either central or delegated administration.

## I

##### initiator

The client that starts a connection by sending a connection request. The initiator of the connection requires some data or service of the destination.

##### IPC

Interprocess Communication

## K

##### keyword-value pair

The combination of a keyword and a value, used as the standard unit of information in connect descriptors and many configuration files. Keyword-value pairs may be nested; that is, a keyword may have another keyword-value pair as its value.

## L

##### listener process

The server process that listens for and accepts incoming connection requests from client applications. Oracle listener processes start up Oracle database processes to handle subsequent communications with the client.

##### listener

An agent on a server that listens for connection requests for one or more databases on one or more protocols.

##### LISTENER.ORA file

A configuration file that describes one or more listeners on a server.

##### Listener Control Utility (LSNRCTL)

A utility included with Net8 to control various functions, such as to start, stop, and get the status of the listener.

##### location transparency

A distributed database characteristic that allows applications to access data tables without knowing where they reside. All data tables appear to be in a single database, and the system determines the actual data location based on the table name. The user can reference data on multiple nodes in a single statement, and the system automatically and transparently routes (parts of) SQL statements to remote nodes for execution if needed. The data can move among nodes with no impact on the user or application.

##### logging

A feature in which errors, service activity, and statistics are written to a log file. See also tracing.

## M

##### multi-threaded server

A server that is configured to allow many user processes to share very few server processes so the number of users that can be supported is increased. Contrast with dedicated server.

##### multiplexing

Combining multiple sessions for transmission over a single transport connection in order to conserve the operating system's resources.

## N

##### Names Server

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

##### naming model

The set and structure of domains within which names can be allocated.

In a flat naming model, there is a single domain.

In a hierarchical naming model, the highest level is the root domain, and all other domains are hierarchically related.

##### Native Naming Adapters

An Oracle product that, when installed with Net8, enables you to connect to Oracle services while continuing to use existing industry-standard name services, such as Network Information Services (NIS), Distributed Computing Environment Cell Directory Service (DCE CDS), Banyan StreetTalk, and Novell's NetWare Directory Services (NDS).

##### Net8

Oracle's remote data access software that enables both client-server and server-server communications across any network. Net8 supports distributed processing and distributed database capability. Net8 runs over and interconnects many communications protocols. Net8 is backward compatible with SQL*Net version 2.

##### Net8 Open

The application program interface (API) to Net8 that enables programmers to develop both database and non-database applications that make use of the Net8 network already deployed in their environment. Net8 Open provides applications a single common interface to all industry standard network protocols.

##### netBIOS

Stands for Network Basic Input/Output System, a process-to-process communications protocol designed to provide virtual links between machines on a network.

##### netWare

A network operating system produced by Novell.

##### network

A group of two or more computers linked together through hardware and software to allow the sharing of data and/or peripherals.

##### network access control

A feature of Oracle Connection Manager that sets rules for denying or allowing certain clients to access designated servers. Also known as firewall support.

##### network administrator

The person who performs network management tasks such as installing, configuring, and testing network components. The administrator typically maintains the configuration files, connect descriptors and service names, aliases, and public and global database links.

##### network character set

As defined by Oracle, the set of characters acceptable for use as values in keyword-value pairs (that is, in connect descriptors and configuration files). The set includes alphanumeric upper- and lowercase, and some special characters.

##### network listener

See listener.

##### network object

Any service that can be directly addressed on a network; for example, a listener or a Names Server.

##### network objects

The types of network names stored in an Oracle Names Server. These include database service names, global database links, and aliases.

##### network protocol

A set of rules that defines how data is transported across networks. There are several industry standard transport protocols, such as TCP/IP and SPX.

##### network service

In an Oracle application network, a service performs tasks for its service consumers; for example, a Names Server provides name resolution services for clients.

##### NI

Network Interface

##### NL

Network Library

##### NN

Network Naming (Oracle Names)

##### node

A computer or terminal that is part of a network.

##### NPI

Network Program Interface

##### NR

Network Routing

##### NS

Network Session

##### NT

Network Transport

## O

##### OPI

Open Program Interface

##### ORACLE_HOME

An alternate name for the top directory in the Oracle directory hierarchy on some directory-based operating systems.

##### Oracle Names

A directory service made up of a system of Oracle Names Servers (called Names Servers) that provide name-to-address resolution for each Net8 service on the network.

##### Oracle Names infrastructure

A set of initial decisions and policies that govern how names are allocated, and how Oracle Names operates. The infrastructure defines how users and administrators interact with the Oracle Names system.

##### Oracle Names Server

See Names Server.

##### Oracle Protocol Adapters

A set of products which map Net8 functionality to industry-standard protocols used in client-server connections. These adapters are installed separately from Net8.

## P

##### packet

A block of information sent over the network each time a connection or data transfer is requested. The information contained in packets depends on the type of packet: connect, accept, redirect, data, etc. Packet information can be useful in troubleshooting.

##### parameter

Information passed to a program, command, or function, such as a file specification, a keyword, or a constant value.

##### password

A string (word or phrase) used for data security and known only to its owner. Passwords are entered in conjunction with an operating system login ID, Oracle username, or account name, in order to connect to an operating system or software application (such as the Oracle database). Whereas the username or ID is public, the secret password ensures that only the owner of the username can use that name, or access that data.

##### preferred Names Server

The Names Server(s) preferred by a client for names resolution; usually the Names Server that is physically closest to the client, or available over the least expensive network link.

##### prestarted or prespawned dedicated server process

Prespawned dedicated server processes are prestarted by the Net8 listener before any incoming connection request. They improve the time it takes to establish a connection on servers where the multi-threaded server is not used or not supported on a given machine. They also use allocated memory and system resources better by recycling server processes for use by other connections with shutting down and recreating a server. The ability to prespawn dedicated servers requires Oracle7 Server release 7.1 and SQL*Net release 2.1 or later.

##### private database link

A database link created by one user for his or her exclusive use. See also public database link, database link, and global database link.

##### protocol

See network protocol.

##### protocol adapter

See Oracle Protocol Adapters.

##### public database link

A database link created by a DBA on a local database which is accessible to all users on that database. See also public database link, database link, and global database link.

## R

##### RDBMS

Relational Database Management System

##### root administrative region

The highest level administrative region in a distributed installation. The root administrative region contains the root domain.

##### root domain

The highest level domain in a hierarchical naming model.

##### RPC

Remote Procedure Call

## S

##### service name

A name for a connect descriptor that is easy to use and remember. End users need only know the appropriate service name to make a connection. Each connect descriptor is assigned a service name in the network definition.

##### service replication

A process that fully replicates a directory system on the network. New services need to register with only one Names Server. The service replication process automatically distributes the new registration to all other active Names Servers on the network.

##### SID

See system identifier.

##### SPX

Sequenced Packet Exchange, a network protocol known for high performance and acceptance among many major network management systems, in particular, Novell Advanced NetWare.

##### SQL*Net

Net8's precursor. An Oracle product that works with the Oracle Server and enables two or more computers that run the Oracle RDBMS or Oracle tools such as SQL*Forms to exchange data through a network. SQL*Net supports distributed processing and distributed database capability. SQL*Net runs over and interconnects many communications protocols.

##### system identifier (SID)

A unique name for a database instance. To switch between 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. If you choose the default configuration, the SID defaults to "*".

##### system or topology data

Data used by the Names Server to control regular functioning or communicate with other Names Servers. Includes Interchanges, root region's Names Servers, and any delegated regions' Names Servers.

## T

##### TNS

See Transparent Network Substrate.

##### TNSNAMES.ORA file

A file that contains connect descriptors mapped to service names. The file may be maintained centrally or locally, for use by all or individual clients.

##### tracing

A facility that writes detailed information about an operation to an output file. The trace facility produces a detailed sequence of statements that describe the events of an operation as they are executed. Administrators use the trace facility for diagnosing an abnormal condition; it is not normally turned on. See also logging.

##### Transparent Network Substrate (TNS)

A foundation technology, built into Net8, Oracle Connection Manager, and Oracle Names, that works with any standard network transport protocol.

## U

##### username

The name by which a user is known to the Oracle Server and to other users. Every username is associated with a password, and both must be entered to connect to an Oracle database.

##### UPI

User Program Interface

## W

##### well-known address

Addresses for one or more Names Servers are hardcoded into both the Names Server and its clients. Names Servers then become available at these well known addresses, so that clients do not need to be told, by way of configuration files, where to find the server.

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