Directory Naming Overview

Directory naming is one of the primary naming methods used to resolve a connect identifier (net service name or the actual name of the service) to a connect descriptor that the client uses to connect to a database or service. Directory naming stores connect identifiers and their connect descriptors in an LDAP-compliant directory server. The connect identifiers are stored under an Oracle Context, a subtree in the directory that contains Oracle entries.

An end user enters a connect string that includes a connect identifier:

CONNECT username/password@connect_identifier

For example:

CONNECT scott/tiger@sales

The net service name, sales, is then looked up in the directory. The connect descriptor returned to the client includes the:

The client uses the protocol address information to connect to a listener. The listener, configured with the same address information, receives the request. If the listener is listening for requests to the same database service as specified in the connect descriptor, a connection is granted.

The next figure depicts a client resolving a connect identifier through a directory.

  1. The client contacts the directory to resolve a connect identifiers to a connect descriptor.

  2. The directory resolves the connect identifier to a connect descriptor.

  3. The client forwards the request to the listener address specified in the connect descriptor.

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For directory naming to happen, a directory server must be configured for Net8 and clients must be configured to access the directory.

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See Also: Directory Naming Requirements for the Net8 Assistant

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For More Information: See Chapter 2, Net8 Concepts, in the Net8 Administrator's Guide.