8
Listener Parameters (listener.ora)

This chapter provides a complete listing of the listener.ora file configuration parameters.

This chapter contains these topics:

Overview of Listener Configuration File

Listener configuration, stored in the listener.ora file, consists of the following elements:

Name of the listener
Protocol addresses that the listener is accepting connection requests on
Database services

Dynamic service registration, a feature of Oracle9i and Oracle8i, eliminates the need for static configuration of supported services. However, static service configuration is required if you plan to use Oracle Enterprise Manager.
Control parameters

By default, the listener.ora file is located in the $ORACLE_HOME/network/admin directory on UNIX operating systems and the ORACLE_HOME\network\admin directory on Windows NT. listener.ora can also be stored the following locations:

The directory specified by the TNS_ADMIN environment variable or registry value
On UNIX operating systems, the global configuration directory. For example, on the Solaris Operating System, this directory is /var/opt/oracle.

See Also:
Oracle operating system-specific documentation

It is possible to configure multiple listeners, each with unique name, in one listener.ora file. Multiple listener configuration is possible because each of the top-level configuration parameters has a suffix of the listener name or is the listener name itself.

Note:

It is often useful to configure multiple listeners in one listener.ora file. However, Oracle Corporation recommends running only one listener for each node in most customer environments.

Figure 8-1 shows a listener.ora file for a listener named LISTENER, which is the default name of the listener.

Figure 8-1 Example listener.ora File

LISTENER=
  (DESCRIPTION=
    (ADDRESS_LIST=
      (ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)(HOST=sale-server)(PORT=1521))
      (ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=ipc)(KEY=extproc))))
SID_LIST_LISTENER=
  (SID_LIST=
    (SID_DESC=
      (GLOBAL_DBNAME=sales.us.acme.com)
      (ORACLE_HOME=/oracle9i)
      (SID_NAME=sales))
    (SID_DESC=
      (SID_NAME=plsextproc)
      (ORACLE_HOME=/oracle9i)
      (PROGRAM=extproc)))

Listener Parameters

This section lists and describes the listener.ora file parameters. Listener configuration parameters fall into the following categories:

Protocol Address Section

The protocol address section of the listener.ora file defines the protocol addresses that the listener is accepting connection requests on. Discussed next are the most common parameters used in protocol addresses. Note that ADDRESS_LIST is also supported.

See Also:

Chapter 5, "Protocol Address Configuration" for information about the ADDRESS_LIST parameter

DESCRIPTION

Purpose

Use the parameter DESCRIPTION as a container for listener protocol addresses.

Example

listener_name=
 (DESCRIPTION=
  (ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)(HOST=hr-server)(PORT=1521))
  (ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)(HOST=sales-server)(PORT=1521)))

ADDRESS

Purpose

Use the parameter ADDRESS to specify a single listener protocol address.

Embed this parameter under the DESCRIPTION parameter.

See Also:

Chapter 5, "Protocol Address Configuration" for descriptions of the correct parameters to use for each type of support protocol

Example

listener_name=
 (DESCRIPTION=
  (ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)(HOST=hr-server)(PORT=1521))
  (ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)(HOST=sales-server)(PORT=1521)))

QUEUESIZE

Purpose

Use the parameter QUEUESIZE to specify the number of concurrent connection requests that the listener can accept on a TCP/IP listening endpoint (protocol address).

Embed this parameter at the end of the protocol address with its value set to the expected number of concurrent connection requests.

Default

The default number of concurrent connection requests is operating system specific. Following are the defaults for the Solaris Operating System and Windows NT:

Solaris Operating System: 5
Windows NT 4.0 Workstation: 5
Windows NT 4.0 Server: 50

Usage Notes

Specify this parameter if you expect the listener to handle more than the default number of concurrent connection requests.

Example

listener_name=
 (DESCRIPTION=
  (ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)(HOST=hr-server)(PORT=1521)(QUEUESIZE=20)))

Static Service Registration (SID_LIST) Section

You can use the SID_LIST section of the listener.ora to statically configure service information for the listener.

The SID_LIST section is required for Oracle8 release 8.0 or Oracle7 database services, as well as external procedure calls and Heterogeneous Services, and some management tools, including Oracle Enterprise Manager.

SID_LIST_listener_name=
  (SID_LIST= 
   (SID_DESC=
    (GLOBAL_DBNAME=global_database_name)
    (SID_NAME=sid)
    (ORACLE_HOME=oracle_home))
   (SID_DESC=...))

For Oracle9i and Oracle8i databases, the listener uses the dynamic service information about the database and instance it has received through service registration before using statically configured information in the listener.ora file. Therefore, the SID_LIST is not required, unless Oracle Enterprise Manager is used to monitor an Oracle9i or Oracle8i database.

SID_LIST

Purpose

Use the parameter SID_LIST to identify a list of SID descriptions.

Example

SID_LIST_listener_name=
  (SID_LIST= 
   (SID_DESC=...)
   (SID_DESC=...))

SID_DESC

Purpose

Use the parameter SID_DESC to specify service information for a specific database instance or a non-database service.

Embed this parameter under the SID_LIST parameter.

Example

SID_LIST_listener_name=  
(SID_LIST= 
   (SID_DESC=...)
   (SID_DESC=...))

SID_DESC permits the following parameters:

ENVS

Purpose

Use the parameter ENVS to specify environment variables for the listener to set prior to executing (as a child process) a dedicated server program or an executable specified with the PROGRAM parameter.

Embed this parameter under the SID_DESC parameter.

Note:

This parameter in not supported on Windows NT. Any process spawned by the listener will simply inherit the listener's environment.

Usage Notes

Enclose an environment variable and its value within double quotes ("):

(ENVS="variable=value")

A list of environment variables and their values can be specified. Enclose the list within double quotes, from end to end, and separate environment variable definitions with commas and no space.

(ENVS="variable=value,variable=value")

Note:

Single quotes (') are supported for backward compatibility.

The use of the following characters within the environment variable or its value 
definition (ENVS="variable=value") are not supported:

Comma (,)
Single quotes (')
Double quotes (")
Equal sign (=)

Example

SID_LIST_listener_name=
 (SID_LIST=
  (SID_DESC=
   (SID_NAME=plsextproc)
   (ORACLE_HOME=/oracle9i)
   (PROGRAM=extproc)
   (ENVS="LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/oracle/9i/lib:/oracle/9i/ctx/lib"))
 (SID_DESC=
  (SID_NAME=test)
  (PROGRAM=/tmp/myexec)
  (ENVS="LD_LIBRARY_
PATH=/private/xpm/lib:/private/mylibs,MYPATH=/usr/ucb:/usr/local/packages,APL_
ENV_FILE=/apl/conf/env.txt")))

GLOBAL_DBNAME

Purpose

Use the parameter GLOBAL_DBNAME to identify the database service.

While processing a client connection request, the listener tries to match the value of this parameter with the value of the SERVICE_NAME parameter in the client connect descriptor. If the client connect descriptor uses the SID parameter, then the listener does not attempt to map the values. This parameter is primarily intended for configurations with Oracle8 release 8.0 or Oracle7 databases (where dynamic service registration is not supported for dedicated servers). This parameter may also be required for use with Oracle9i and Oracle8i database services by some configurations and management tools.

The value for this parameter is typically obtained from the combination of the DB_NAME and DB_DOMAIN parameters (DB_NAME.DB_DOMAIN) in the initialization parameter file, but the value can also contain any valid name used by clients to identify the service.

Embed this parameter under the SID_DESC parameter.

Example

SID_LIST_listener_name=
  (SID_LIST= 
   (SID_DESC=
    (GLOBAL_DBNAME=sales.us.acme.com)
    (SID_NAME=sales)
    (ORACLE_HOME=/usr/oracle)))

ORACLE_HOME

Purpose

Use the parameter ORACLE_HOME to identify the Oracle home location of the service.

Embed this parameter under the SID_DESC parameter.

Example

SID_LIST_listener_name=
  (SID_LIST= 
   (SID_DESC=
     (SID_NAME=extproc)
     (ORACLE_HOME=/usr/oracle)
     (PROGRAM=extproc)))

PROGRAM

Purpose

Use the parameter PROGRAM to identify the service executable program name.

Embed this parameter under the SID_DESC parameter.

Example

SID_LIST_listener_name=
  (SID_LIST= 
   (SID_DESC=
     (SID_NAME=extproc)
     (ORACLE_HOME=/usr/oracle)
     (PROGRAM=extproc)))

SID_NAME

Purpose

Use the parameter SID_NAME to identify the Oracle System Identifier (SID) of the instance. You can obtain the SID value from the INSTANCE_NAME parameter in the initialization parameter file.

Embed this parameter under the SID_DESC parameter.

Example

SID_LIST_listener_name=
  (SID_LIST= 
   (SID_DESC=
    (GLOBAL_DBNAME=sales.us.acme.com)
    (SID_NAME=sales)
    (ORACLE_HOME=/usr/oracle)))

Control Parameters

This section describes the following parameters that control the behavior of the listener:

ADMIN_RESTRICTIONS_listener_name

Purpose

Use the parameter ADMIN_RESTRICTIONS_listener_name to restrict runtime administration of the listener. The parameter is useful if the listener is not password-protected.

Setting ADMIN_RESTRICTIONS_listener_name=on disables the runtime modification of parameters in listener.ora. That is, the listener will refuse to accept SET commands that alter its parameters. To change any of the parameters in listener.ora, including ADMIN_RESTRICTIONS_listener_name itself, modify the listener.ora file manually and reload its parameters (with the RELOAD command) for the new changes to take effect without explicitly stopping and restarting the listener.

Oracle Corporation recommends establishing a password to secure the listener. To establish an encrypted password, use either the Listener Control utility CHANGE_PASSWORD command or Oracle Net Manager.

See Also:

Oracle9i Net Services Administrator's Guide for further information about password security of the listener

Default

off

Example

ADMIN_RESTRICTIONS_listener=on

INBOUND_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_listener_name

Purpose

Use the INBOUND_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_listener_name parameter to specify the time, in seconds, for the client to complete its connect request to the listener after the network connection had been established.

If the listener does not receive the client request in the time specified, then it terminates the connection. In addition, the listener logs IP address of the client and an ORA-12525:TNS: listener has not received client's request in time allowed error message to the listener.log file.

To protect both the listener and the database server, Oracle Corporation recommends setting this parameter in combination with the SQLNET.INBOUND_CONNECT_TIMEOUT parameter in the sqlnet.ora file. When specifying values for these parameters, consider the following recommendations:

Set both parameters to an initial low value.
Set the value of the INBOUND_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_listener_name parameter to a lower value than the SQLNET.INBOUND_CONNECT_TIMEOUT parameter.

For example, you can set INBOUND_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_listener_name to 2 seconds and INBOUND_CONNECT_TIMEOUT parameter to 3 seconds. If clients are unable to complete connections within the specified time due to system or network delays that are normal for the particular environment, then increment the time as needed.

See Also:

Oracle9i Net Services Administrator's Guide for information about configuring these parameters

Default

None

Example

INBOUND_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_listener=2

LOG_DIRECTORY_listener_name

Purpose

Use the parameter LOG_DIRECTORY_listener_name to specify the destination directory of the listener log file.

Default

The $ORACLE_HOME/network/log directory on UNIX operating systems and the ORACLE_HOME\network\log directory on Windows NT

Example

LOG_DIRECTORY_listener=/oracle/network/admin/log

LOG_FILE_listener_name

Purpose

Use the parameter LOG_FILE_listener_name to specify the name of the log file for the listener.

Default

listener.log

Example

LOG_FILE_listener=list.log

LOGGING_listener_name

Purpose

Use the parameter LOGGING_listener_name to turn logging on or off.

Default

on

Values

on | off

Example

LOGGING_listener=on

PASSWORDS_listener_name

Purpose

Use the parameter PASSWORDS_listener_name to store an encrypted password for a listener, so that certain privileges operations, such as SAVE_CONFIG and STOP, used from the Listener Control utility are secure. An encrypted password can be set using either the Listener Control utility CHANGE_PASSWORD command or Oracle Net Manager.

See Also:

Oracle9i Net Services Administrator's Guide for further information about password security of the listener

Example

PASSWORDS_LISTENER=(2D6C48144CF753AC)

SAVE_CONFIG_ON_STOP_listener_name

Purpose

Use the parameter SAVE_CONFIG_ON_STOP_listener_name to specify whether or not runtime configuration changes are saved into the listener.ora file.

When you set the parameter to true, any parameters that were modified while the listener was running using the Listener Control utility SET command are saved to the listener.ora file when the STOP command is issued. When you set the parameter to false, the Listener Control utility does not save the runtime configuration changes to the listener.ora file.

Default

false

Values

true | false

Example

SAVE_CONFIG_ON_STOP_listener=true

SSL_CLIENT_AUTHENTICATION

Purpose

Use the parameter SSL_CLIENT_AUTHENTICATION to specify whether or not a client is authenticated using the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).

Default

true

Values

true | false

Usage Notes

The database server authenticates the client. Therefore, this value should be set to false. If this parameter is set to true, the listener attempts to authenticate the client, which can result in a failure.

Example

SSL_CLIENT_AUTHENTICATION=true

STARTUP_WAIT_TIME_listener_name

Note:

This parameter is deprecated in Oracle9i and will be desupported in a future release. If you require this parameter to run the listener, please notify Oracle Support Services.

Purpose

Use the parameter STARTUP_WAIT_TIME_listener_name to set the number of seconds that the listener waits before responding to a Listener Control utility START command.

Default

0

Example

STARTUP_WAIT_TIME_listener=5

TRACE_DIRECTORY_listener_name

Purpose

Use the parameter TRACE_DIRECTORY_listener_name to specify the destination directory of the listener trace file.

Default

The $ORACLE_HOME/network/trace directory on UNIX operating systems and the ORACLE_HOME\network\trace directory on Windows NT

Example

TRACE_DIRECTORY_listener=/oracle/network/admin/trace

TRACE_FILE_listener_name

Purpose

Use the parameter TRACE_FILE_listener_name to specify the name of the trace file for the listener.

Default

listener.trc

Example

TRACE_FILE_listener=list.trc

TRACE_FILELEN_listener_name

Purpose

Use the parameter TRACE_FILELEN_listener_name to specify the size of the listener trace files in kilobytes (KB). When the size is met, the trace information is written to the next file. The number of files is specified with the TRACE_FILENO_listener_name parameter.

Default

Unlimited

Example

TRACE_FILELEN_listener=100

TRACE_FILENO_listener_name

Purpose

Use the parameter TRACE_FILENO_listener_name to specify the number of trace files for listener tracing. When this parameter is set along with the TRACE_FILELEN_listener_name parameter, trace files are used in a cyclical fashion. The first file is filled first, then the second file, and so on. When the last file has been filled, the first file is re-used, and so on.

The trace file names are distinguished from one another by their sequence number. For example, if the default trace file of listener.trc is used, and this parameter is set to 3, the trace files would be named listener1.trc, listener2.trc and listener3.trc.

In addition, trace events in the trace files are preceded by the sequence number of the file.

Default

1

Example

TRACE_FILENO_listener=3

TRACE_LEVEL_listener_name

Purpose

Use the parameter TRACE_LEVEL_listener_name to turn listener tracing on, at a specific level, or off.

Default

off

Values

off for no trace output
user for user trace information
admin for administration trace information
support for Oracle Support Services trace information

Example

TRACE_LEVEL_listener=admin

TRACE_TIMESTAMP_listener_name

Purpose

When parameter TRACE_LEVEL_listener_name is set to a specific tracing level, you can use the parameter TRACE_TIMESTAMP_listener_name to add a time stamp in the form of dd-mon-yyyy hh:mi:ss:mil to every trace event in the trace file for the listener.

Default

on

Values

on or true | off or false

Example

TRACE_TIMESTAMP_listener=true

WALLET_LOCATION

Purpose

Use the parameter WALLET_LOCATION to specify the location of wallets. Wallets are certificates, keys, and trustpoints processed by SSL that allow for secure connections.

Syntax

Oracle wallets on file system:

WALLET_LOCATION=
  (SOURCE=
    (METHOD=file)
    (METHOD_DATA=
       (DIRECTORY=directory)))

Microsoft certificate store:

WALLET_LOCATION=
  (SOURCE=
     (METHOD=mcs))

Oracle wallets in the Windows NT registry:

WALLET_LOCATION=
   (SOURCE=
      (METHOD=reg)
      (METHOD_DATA=
         (KEY=registry_key)))

Entrust wallets:

WALLET_LOCATION=
   (SOURCE=
      (METHOD=entr)
      (METHOD_DATA=
         (PROFILE=file.epf)
         (INIFILE=file.ini)))

Subparameters

WALLET_LOCATION supports the following subparameters:

SOURCE: Specify the type of storage for wallets and storage location.

METHOD: Specify the type of storage.

METHOD_DATA: Specify the storage location.

DIRECTORY: Specify the location of Oracle wallets on file system.

KEY: Specify the wallet type and location in the Windows NT registry.

PROFILE: Specify the Entrust profile file (.epf).

INIFILE: Specify the Entrust initialization file (.ini).

Default

None

Usage Notes

The key/value pair for Microsoft's certificate store (MCS) omits the METHOD_DATA parameter because MCS does not use wallets. Instead, Oracle PKI (public key infrastructure) applications obtain certificates, trustpoints and private keys directly from the user's profile.
If an Oracle wallet is stored in the Windows NT registry and the wallet's key (KEY) is SALESAPP, the storage location of the encrypted wallet is HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\ORACLE\WALLETS\SALESAPP\EWALLET.P12. The storage location of the decrypted wallet is HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\ORACLE\WALLETS\SALESAPP\CWALLET.SSO.

Examples

Oracle wallets on file system:

WALLET_LOCATION=  
  (SOURCE=
      (METHOD=file)
      (METHOD_DATA=  
         (DIRECTORY=/etc/oracle/wallets/databases)))

Microsoft certificate store:

WALLET_LOCATION=
   (SOURCE=
     (METHOD=mcs))

Oracle Wallets in the Windows NT registry:

WALLET_LOCATION=
   (SOURCE=
     (METHOD=REG)
     (METHOD_DATA=
        (KEY=SALESAPP)))

Entrust Wallets:

WALLET_LOCATION=
   (SOURCE=
     (METHOD=entr)
     (METHOD_DATA=
       (PROFILE=/etc/oracle/wallets/test.epf)
       (INIFILE=/etc/oracle/wallets/test.ini)))

8 Listener Parameters (listener.ora)

Overview of Listener Configuration File

Figure 8-1 Example listener.ora File

Listener Parameters

Protocol Address Section

DESCRIPTION

Purpose

Example

ADDRESS

Purpose

Example

QUEUESIZE

Purpose

Default

Usage Notes

Example

Static Service Registration (SID_LIST) Section

SID_LIST

Purpose

Example

SID_DESC

Purpose

Example

ENVS

Purpose

Usage Notes

Example

GLOBAL_DBNAME

Purpose

Example

ORACLE_HOME

Purpose

Example

PROGRAM

Purpose

Example

SID_NAME

Purpose

Example

Control Parameters

ADMIN_RESTRICTIONS_listener_name

Purpose

Default

Example

INBOUND_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_listener_name

Purpose

Default

Example

LOG_DIRECTORY_listener_name

Purpose

Default

Example

LOG_FILE_listener_name

Purpose

Default

Example

LOGGING_listener_name

Purpose

Default

Values

Example

PASSWORDS_listener_name

Purpose

Example

SAVE_CONFIG_ON_STOP_listener_name

Purpose

Default

Values

Example

SSL_CLIENT_AUTHENTICATION

Purpose

Default

Values

Usage Notes

Example

STARTUP_WAIT_TIME_listener_name

Purpose

Default

Example

TRACE_DIRECTORY_listener_name

8
Listener Parameters (listener.ora)