This is more like a shot in the dark than something concise, but I was wondering if a tnsnames file is necessary inclusion on a bobj server for a universe to function off an Oracle database.
It is obvious that I haven’t done this in a while but for some reason recently, I thought that it was not essential.
Thinking out aloud about this however causes me to believe that it may be necessary after all. Following the universe connection wizard, I presume that a provider is needed and for the provider to present, one needs to install the Oracle client. But what if I didn’t want to install the client on a bobj server? Would it be feasible?
Er, maybe? You might be able to get away with a generic ODBC connection to the database. Or come up with some wacky workaround.
Out of curiosity, why? That’s a lot like asking if you can run a marathon barefoot. Yes, technically it can be done. But it’s going to cause you a lot of pain, and you are going to performing much more poorly than otherwise.
How would you connect normally from a PC to the database to query an Oracle database? Would you use Oracle client software and a tnsnames.ora file? Of course you would. Use the correct middleware and correct process for connecting. What’s stopping you?
You don’t need to (even shouldn’t?) use tnsnames.ora on servers. Most large IT installations use ONS or OID, or an LDAP server. Similarly you can set your corporate infrastructure so that all desktops also use some kind of Oracle nameserver, thus removing the maintenance/distribution/security overhead with tnsnames.ora files.
Whatever method you use, the BObj Application Server must have some way to resolve the Oracle SID that you put in the universe connection to the address of an Oracle server. So you’ve gotta either have tnsnames.ora or one of the nameserver methods mentioned above.
And that’s what I thought. I remember seeing a post about that on this forum a few years ago (at least) but was wondering how it all works together.
There are apparently very few organisations using ONS and OID but I would really appreciate hearing from those who have set up such directory based functionality, especially in terms of BO; how complex? what advantages? under what circumstances?, maybe a matrix defining business case scenario, etc.
If anyone is prepared to discuss this (and I am aware that it would be more appropriate to engage on an Oracle forum as opposed to BOB) - but - perhaps we could start here and then move on to ITtoolbox or something).
(BOB member since 2004-05-21)
(BOB member since 2004-04-13)
(BOB member since 2004-05-21)