Oracle over the Internet

Question

We want to publish Oracle reports on a web site. Oracle database server (8.1.5) is behind the firewall. All necessary ports have been opened in the firewall. 8.1.5 network client files have been installed on the Web server. When trying to connect to a net_service_name, the Oracle server listner.log file reports a successful connection:
30-MAY-00 16:49:53 * (CONNECT_DATA=(SERVICE_NAME=EDL)(CID=(PROGRAM=C:\Program Files\Oracle\jre\1.1.7\bin\jrew.exe)(HOST=NYM)(USER=pxxx))) * (ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)(HOST=20x.20x.xxx.xxx)(PORT=33207)) * establish * EDL * 0
However, I receive an error at the client end. Here's the entry in sqlnet.log:
Fatal NI connect error 12560, connecting to:
(DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS_LIST=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=dataglow)(PORT=1521)))(CONNECT_DATA=(SERVICE_NAME=EDL)(CID=(PROGRAM=C:\Program Files\Oracle\jre\1.1.7\bin\jrew.exe)(HOST=NYM)(USER=pxxx))(SERVER=dedicated)))
VERSION INFORMATION:
TNS for 32-bit Windows: Version 8.1.5.0.0 - Production
Windows NT TCP/IP NT Protocol Adapter for 32-bit Windows: Version 8.1.5.0.0 - Production
Time: 31-MAY-00 11:07:43
Tracing to file: D:\orant\network\tools\sqlnet.trc
Tns error struct:
nr err code: 0
ns main err code: 12560
TNS-12560: TNS:protocol adapter error
ns secondary err code: 0
nt main err code: 538
TNS-00538: Message 538 not found; product=NETWORK; facility=TNS
nt secondary err code: 65
nt OS err code: 0
Fatal NI connect error 12560, connecting to:
(DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS_LIST=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=BEQ)(PROGRAM=oracle)(ARGV0=oracleORCL)(ARGS='(DESCRIPTION=(LOCAL=YES)(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=beq)))')))(CONNECT_DATA=(SID=ORCL)(CID=(PROGRA M=C:\Program Files\Oracle\jre\1.1.7\bin\jrew.exe)(HOST=NYM)(USER=pxxx))(SERVER=dedicated)))
VERSION INFORMATION:
TNS for 32-bit Windows: Version 8.1.5.0.0 - Production
Oracle Bequeath NT Protocol Adapter for 32-bit Windows: Version 8.1.5.0.0 - Production
Time: 31-MAY-00 11:07:43
Tracing to file: D:\orant\network\tools\sqlnet.trc
Tns error struct:
nr err code: 0
ns main err code: 12560
TNS-12560: TNS:protocol adapter error
ns secondary err code: 0
nt main err code: 530
TNS-00530: Protocol adapter error
nt secondary err code: 0
nt OS err code: 0
Is this a firewall issue? Does anyone have any tips for getting web publishing to work? I've noticed in other postings that Java thin client doesn't work through a firewall. Does jrew.exe referenced in log files imply that we're using Java thin client?
Thank you.

Answer 1

You can do this. If I were setting something like this up, I would want Connection Manager installed at the database site to get the connection through the firewall. I would probably want Oracle Advanced Security configured as well to ensure that the data flying over the internet was encrypted.
Beyond that, I would do a serious security audit of the database. Make sure it's running the latest patchset, that the principle of least privilege has been followed exactly, that data modifications are done through stored procedures and packages, etc.
Justin
Distributed Database Consulting, Inc.
http://www.ddbcinc.com/askDDBC