Connecting to Oracle using SID not Service Name

Published: 27 Dec 2016
Last Modified Date: 20 Jul 2023

Question

How to connect to an Oracle database with SID instead of Service Name.

Environment

Tableau Desktop
Oracle

Answer

Change the SERVICE_NAME in the TNSNames.ora file to SID. For example,

Production =
(DESCRIPTION =
 (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = prod.corp.com)(PORT = 1521)
  )
 (CONNECT_DATA =
  (SERVICE_NAME= orcl)
  )
 )

should be changed to:
Production =
(DESCRIPTION =
 (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = prod.corp.com)(PORT = 1521)
  )
 (CONNECT_DATA =
  (SID= orcl)
  )
 )