You can check it even from the db host(via OracleNet) sqlplus '/@<service_name> as sysdba' Dimitre ----- Original Message ----- From: Niall Litchfield To: BERNHARD Nora Cc: Bryan Thomas ; oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2005 3:14 PM Subject: Re: TAF On 7/14/05, BERNHARD Nora <nora.bernhard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: Hi Bryan, > 1) Are you connecting using the "virtual" instance or are you > connecting directly to the instance on the node or using "/ > as sysdba"? Run the query the previous poster sent and check > you connection parameters. I tried with 'sqlplus / as sysdba' and 'sqlplus sys as sysdba' + pw. you are not using net8 at all then. try it from a 'remote' connection. -- Niall Litchfield Oracle DBA http://www.niall.litchfield.dial.pipex.com