What is Oracle Listener?
The Oracle Listener is a component of the Oracle Database software that listens for incoming client connection requests and manages the traffic to the database. It acts as an intermediary between the client applications and the Oracle database server, routing and redirecting client requests to the appropriate Oracle database instance.
Why is Oracle Listener Important?
- Connection Management: The Listener manages incoming client connections to the Oracle database, allowing multiple clients to connect simultaneously.
- Load Balancing: It can distribute connection requests among multiple database instances for better performance and scalability.
- Security: The Listener can enforce authentication and encryption settings to ensure secure communication between clients and the database server.
Basic Concepts:
- Listener Configuration: The Listener configuration is stored in a file called listener.ora. This file specifies parameters such as the listening protocol, port number, and service names.
- Service Name: A service name is a logical identifier for a specific database or set of databases. Clients use the service name to connect to the appropriate database instance.
- Listener Control Utility (LSNRCTL): LSNRCTL is a command-line utility provided by Oracle for managing and monitoring the Listener. It allows you to start, stop, and configure the Listener, as well as view status and diagnostic information.