Lesson 1

Welcome to Oracle Network Topology, the first course in the two-part Oracle Network Administration Certification Series. This course is designed to introduce you to the networking tools and concepts associated with Oracle, the industry-leading database software. Network Topology focuses on the general concepts associated with

1. Oracle networking,
2. Oracle's network interface, Oracle Net, was formerly known as 1) Net8 when used in Oracle8, and 2) SQL*Net when used with Oracle7, which are legacy versions of Oracle.
   You can use Oracle Net over a wide variety of network protocols, although TCP/IP is by far the most common protocol today. Features associated with Oracle Net, such as shared servers^[1], are referred to as Oracle Net Services.
3. client- and server-side configuration.

The second course, Network Configuration Management, delves into the technical details of configuring and using many of Oracle Net's components, including

1. Oracle Names,
2. the Oracle Enterprise Manager,
3. the Shared Server, and
4. the Connection Manager.

In addition, Network Configuration Management covers security and troubleshooting in the network environment.

Course project description for creating a network of Oracle Databases
As you work through the course, you will be building a project designed to apply what you're learning to a real-world situation. Project exercises build on each other incrementally and are strategically placed throughout the course to incorporate and provide immediate hands-on practice with significant chunks of material.
The course project involves creating a network of Oracle databases. We will start with the basics and move into more advanced topics, essentially giving you all the hands-on experience you will need to tackle the Networking section of the OCP exam. Again, my goal is to reinforce the concepts of Oracle Network Services through repetition, so you will be starting with simple parameter files, and adding detail as we move through the course. By the time you have finished, you will have a complete set of Oracle Net parameter files. Much of the work in mastering Oracle networking is rote memorization. Hence, the project will focus primarily on the syntax required to define the networking environment. This concludes the first module of the course. In the next module, we'll preview the OCP exam and give you some tips and advice to help you prepare for it.

[1]The shared-server architecture increases the scalability of applications and the number of clients that can be simultaneously connected to the database.