We are going through what should be a simple exercise to incorporate SSL connectivity to an Oracle database.  If you have not had the pleasure – please avoid this at all costs and let a Oracle DBA do the work.

Think back to late 1970’s IBM configuration files when you needed to change the O/S.  There are real corrollaries here.  You have to change all these (x.ora) config files manually and then use the secret handshake to be logged in as the oracle admin and use the special network configuration tool to see if you can really connect with the changes you just made.  Only then can you use some actual code to connect to the db.

On top of that is this wierd business about Oracle listeners.  There is the Oracle databases – which everyone understands.  But you need a set of Oracle listeners connected to a database in a specific pattern in order to actually access the database.  What a hack.

Even MySql can be configured in a much cleaner and clearer fashion.  How are they getting away with their pricing model?