Oracle Log on Notes

(last updated August 12,  2020)

Authentication Procedures:

The Department of Information Technology Oracle Server authenticates users in one of two ways:

  1. Oracle password authentication
  2. Oracle Operating System authentication using Windows Domain accounts.

Individual students accounts use the first method.   All ITEC students will have an Oracle account with the same name as their RU Network account.  However, a Student's oracle password will not be the same as their RU network password.  Students and faculty can set their Oracle account password by going to the following web site:

https://itecAdmin.asp.radford.edu/orapwmaint.htm

Once your Oracle account password is set you can start Oracle from an RU lab computer by going to START-> All Programs-> Oracle -> Application Development -> sqlplus.   An easier way to start Oracle is to paste a copy of  the SQLPlus shortcut from the menu system to your home directory.  You can then change the "start in" property of the the shortcut to point to whatever folder you want your SQL scripts stored to (e.g. H:\ITEC340).  SQL Developer is also available on some lab machines in the same path. If you are on a lab machine that does not SQLPLUS installed please use RUCS as outlined later in this document.

As with all connections to Oracle, SQL Plus will require you to provide three pieces of information:

Your Username: jdoe

Your Password: ********** (your Oracle password not RU network password)

Connect string: itec3

Resolution of the connection string can be accomplished using several different methods including Windows Active Directory Services.  Currently, resolution on lab computers is being accomplished using defined tns names.  A definition for the connection string name is contained in the tnsnames.ora file on the workstation.  The tnsnames entry points the client component toward an instance of the Oracle Database Server on a particular host using a particular transport protocol and port number.   The primary Department of Information Technology Oracle server uses the connect string "ITEC3".   (the tnsname ITEC2 was used prior to 2020 but the database that pointed to is no longer active)

Connecting to your Oracle Account from off-campus or from the residence halls

The easiest way to work with Oracle from at home is to SSH to RUCS or RUCS2 using your normal Radford userid and password and a secure shell client such as PuTTY.  If Radford is not your ISP make sure that you are using the FQDN for rucs which is rucs.radford.edu.  After you have successfully authenticated the terminal session type sqlplus (lower case) to execute the Oracle client.  You will then be prompted to log in to.  At this point you must specify the database service name as part of the user name as shown below:

Enter user-name:  jdoe@ITEC3
Enter password: ***************

An alternate way to connect from home or the dorm is to install the Oracle client on your own computer.  You are on your own here so proceed with caution.  You would need to obtain an Oracle client from Oracle's website.   You should download the Oracle Instant Client Basic Lite and also Oracle Instant Client SQLplus to be able to use SQLplus. And/or you can install SQL Developer. You can then make a connection back to the ITEC Oracle Server if you are connecting to an Oracle Authenticated Account.   This can only be done from the residence halls or from off-campus when connecting via the Radford Modem Pool or the VPN.   A connection cannot be made from other Internet Service Providers such as AOL or MSN without using the VPN.  This is because Oracle Network Traffic is blocked by the campus firewall.

If you are running Windows you should:

1.  Modify the tnsnames.ora file on your home computer to include the following entry (NOTE: do not delete any service definitions already in your tnsnames.ora file as these define your local database services):

ITEC3.RADFORD =
      (DESCRIPTION =
           (ADDRESS_LIST =
                 (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = worf.radford.edu)(PORT = 1521))
            )
           (CONNECT_DATA =
                    (SERVER = DEDICATED)
                    (SERVICE_NAME = itec3.radford.edu)
            )
       )

2.  Modify the sqlnet.ora file on your home computer.  If the line

              SQLNET.AUTHENTICATION_SERVICES= (NTS)

      is included CHANGE it to read:

              SQLNET.AUTHENTICATION_SERVICES= (NONE)

3.  Connect to RU using the VPN.

4.  Start SQL+ or another Oracle Component and log in but use ITEC3.RADFORD as your host string instead of ITEC3.