A logical representation of a database is called a service, or a service name, which is the way a database is presented to clients. A database can be presented as multiple services and a service can be implemented as multiple database instances.

A user identifies a service through a net service name. A net service name is a network description of a service name. routes to the service, including any number of Net8 components, such as listeners and Oracle Connection Managers. When an end user connect to a service, a connect string that identifies the service through a net service name is used:

connect username/password@net_service_name

Depending on your needs, net service names can be stored in a variety of places, including:

• an existing name resolution service an IP address translation mechanism, such as DNS, or a centrally maintained TCP/IP hosts file

• a local configuration file called TNSNAMES.ORA on each client

• an Oracle Names server

• an external naming service such as NIS or DCE CDS

During client installation, the Net8 Configuration Assistant should have prompted you for the creation of net service names in the TNSNAMES.ORA file. If net service names were not created with the Net8 Configuration Assistant, you can create them with the Net8 Assistant, as described in Creating Net Service Names in TNSNAMES.ORA Files.

See Also: Net8 Administrator’s Guide to configure net service names using other methods.