B Upgrade Considerations for Oracle Net Services

This appendix describes coexistence and upgrade issues for Oracle Net Services. This appendix covers the following topics:

Migrating a Non-default Listener to Oracle Database 11g Release 2 (11.2)
Removing the Listener Password
Client and Database Coexistence Issues

Migrating a Non-default Listener to Oracle Database 11g Release 2 (11.2)

When migrating Oracle Database 11g Release 11.1.0.7 to Oracle Database 11g Release 2 (11.2) in an Oracle Real Application Clusters environment, non-default listeners are not migrated by Oracle Net Services Configuration Assistant. To migrate the non-default listeners, use the following procedure:

Use Oracle Database 11g Release 11.1.0.7 Oracle Net Services Configuration Assistant to remove the non-default listeners.
Use Oracle Database 11g Release 2 (11.2) Oracle Net Services Configuration Assistant to create the non-default listeners.

Removing the Listener Password

In Oracle Database 11g Release 2 (11.2), the password feature is being deprecated. This does not cause a loss of security because authentication is enforced through local operating system authentication. To migrate a listener that has a set password, do the following:

Remove all PASSWORDS_listener_name entries from the listener.ora file.
Reload the listener using the following command:
```
lsnrctl reload listener_name
```

If remote administration of a listener is required, then use one of the following methods to connect to and administer the listener.

Connect to the host where listener is running using SSH or other secure method, and then perform local administration. Local administration is enforced by the operating system authentication.
Use Oracle Enterprise Manager to administer the listener. Oracle Enterprise Manager uses HTTPS, which ensures security.

Client and Database Coexistence Issues

Clients and database servers require compatible releases of Oracle Net Services. For example, an Oracle9i client requires an installation of Oracle Net Services, and an Oracle9i database requires an installation of Oracle Net Services with the Oracle Net Listener.

Consider the following client-to-database connection issues before you decide if upgrading is appropriate for your environment:

Oracle9i Database Connections
Oracle Names

Oracle9i Database Connections

Connect descriptors, created for connections to an Oracle9i database, identify a database by its service name with the SERVICE_NAME parameter.

A connect descriptor to an Oracle9i or Oracle8 database uses the parameter SERVICE_NAME, as shown in the following example:

sales= 
(DESCRIPTION= 
  (ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)(HOST=sales-server)(PORT=1521))
  (CONNECT_DATA=
     (SERVICE_NAME=sales.us.example.com)))

Connect descriptors that are currently configured with the SID parameter can remain. However, to take advantage of new features, such as client load balancing and connect-time failover, Oracle recommends replacing SID with SERVICE_NAME.

To modify a connect descriptor to use SERVICE_NAME, use the Oracle Net Manager's compatibility mode.

Oracle Names

Oracle Names is not supported as a centralized naming method. Because no new enhancements are being added to Oracle Names, consider using directory naming or upgrading an existing Oracle Names configuration to directory naming, as described in the Oracle Database Net Services Administrator's Guide.