Understanding SQL*Net

**Moving from SQL*Net Release 2.0 to a Later Release**

SQL*Net release 2.3 is designed to be backward compatible with previous SQL*Net 2.x releases. The network may include nodes running SQL*Net release 2.0, 2.1 or 2.2. If you have a SQL*Net release 2.0 network up and running at your site, the configuration files you have distributed will continue to be valid after release 2.3 is installed. However, you will not be able to take advantage of some of the new features of release 2.3 without recreating the files using Oracle Network Manager release 3.1, which is included with SQL*Net release 2.3. Specifically, you must create new files to use listener load balancing, and to use Network Manager in conjunction with Oracle Names release 2.0 and the Dynamic Discovery option.

For information on configuring Oracle Native Naming Adapters see your operating system-specific documentation. See the Secure Network Services Administrator's Guide for information on configuring Secure Network Services. See Chapter 6, "Configuring Oracle SNMP Support" in this guide for information on configuring the SNMP Support feature and the Oracle SNMP Support Reference Guide. For information on SQL*Net/DCE, see the SQL*Net/DCE Administrator's Guide.

The Network Manager includes a utility, NETCONV, to make the migration from version 2.0 to release 2.1 or later easy. See Appendix C in the Oracle Network Manager Administrator's Guide for further information. If you are upgrading your network from release 2.1 or 2.2 to 2.3, you will not need to use NETCONV--Network Manager will convert the network definition automatically for you.

Attention: When you use Oracle Network Manager, the default is to encrypt the passwords in LISTENER.ORA. If your network includes some nodes that are running SQL*Net release 2.0, be careful that the passwords for those listeners are not encrypted. Encrypted passwords are not recognized by SQL*Net release 2.0.

Note: For information about using Oracle Names release 2.0 with the Dynamic Discovery option in a network that includes various versions of SQL*Net, see Chapter 5 in the Oracle Names Administrator's Guide.