Transferring files using the Oracle server

in Oracle 10G you can transport files over SQLNet and let the database manage the filetransfer. with this new feature, its possible to copy files on the local host and to put and get files from and to remote databases (transferring between databases). Source and target directories (as Oracle objects) has to exist and you use them with the filename as actual parameters for the plsql packe DBMS_FILE_TRANSFER to do the job.

connecting to Oracle without using the tnsnames or host method

new to te Oracle 10G SQLNet network is the possibility to connect directly to a database. An Entry in tnsnames.ora or sqlnet.ora is not needed. Syntax for this connect string is:

user/password@//host/servicename

You can use this with sqlplus or even when creating a database link within a database:

create ... database link .... using 'user/password@//host/servicename'

it works only for sqlnet over tcp/ip and with a listener on the default port. when using nondefault ports use ....@//host:port/servicename