Application Service Guide > Connecting to Databases from Windows > Connecting to an Oracle Database from Windows

Connecting to an Oracle Database from Windows

For native connectivity, install the version of Oracle client appropriate for the Oracle database server version. To ensure compatibility between Informatica and databases, use the appropriate database client libraries.

You must install compatible versions of the Oracle client and Oracle database server. You must also install the same version of the Oracle client on all machines that require it. To verify compatibility, contact Oracle.

Configuring Native Connectivity

You can configure native connectivity to an Oracle database to increase performance.

The following steps provide a guideline for configuring native connectivity using Oracle Net Services or Net8. For specific connectivity instructions, see the database documentation.

1. Verify that the Oracle home directory is set.

For example:

ORACLE_HOME=C:\Oracle

2. Verify that the PATH environment variable includes the Oracle bin directory.

For example, if you install Net8, the path might include the following entry:

PATH=C:\ORANT\BIN;

3. Configure the Oracle client to connect to the database that you want to access.

Launch SQL*Net Easy Configuration Utility or edit an existing tnsnames.ora file to the home directory and modify it.

Note: By default, the tnsnames.ora file is stored in the following directory: <OracleInstallationDir>\network\admin.

Enter the correct syntax for the Oracle connect string, typically databasename.world. Make sure the SID entered here matches the database server instance ID defined on the Oracle server.

Here is a sample tnsnames.ora file. Enter the information for the database.

mydatabase.world =
   (DESCRIPTION
   (ADDRESS_LIST =
        (ADDRESS =
           (COMMUNITY = mycompany.world
           (PROTOCOL = TCP)
           (Host = mymachine)
           (Port = 1521)
        )
   )
   (CONNECT_DATA =
      (SID = MYORA7)
      (GLOBAL_NAMES = mydatabase.world)

4. Set the NLS_LANG environment variable to the locale, including language, territory, and character set, you want the database client and server to use with the login.

The value of this variable depends on the configuration. For example, if the value is american_america.UTF8, you must set the variable as follows:

NLS_LANG=american_america.UTF8;

To determine the value of this variable, contact the database administrator.

5. To set the default session time zone when the Data Integration Service reads or writes the Timestamp with Local Time Zone data, specify the ORA_SDTZ environment variable.

You can set the ORA_SDTZ environment variable to any of the following values:

- Operating system local time zone ('OS_TZ')
- Database time zone ('DB_TZ')
- Absolute offset from UTC (for example, '-05:00')
- Time zone region name (for example, 'America/Los_Angeles')

You can set the environment variable at the machine where Informatica server runs.

6. If the tnsnames.ora file is not in the same location as the Oracle client installation location, set the TNS_ADMIN environment variable to the directory where the tnsnames.ora file resides.

For example, if the tnsnames.ora file is in the C:\oracle\files directory, set the variable as follows:

TNS_ADMIN= C:\oracle\files

7. Verify that you can connect to the Oracle database.

To connect to the database, launch SQL*Plus and enter the connectivity information. If you fail to connect to the database, verify that you correctly entered all of the connectivity information.

Use the connect string as defined in the tnsnames.ora file.