Oracle – SQLPlus Configuration Problem or Firewall Issue

Ultimately, this came down to a networking issue -- configuring the guest VM's network adapter (internal switch) with a static IP (this was the hard part), assigning a hosts file entry for that IP in both the Host and the Guest machines and then altering both tnsnames.ora files (host and guest) and listner.ora (guest) to use the mapped host name.

Then everything just worked.

I've pasted my internal switch config for both the host and guest and the listener and tnsnames.ora files below.

STEPS TO CONFIGURE THE GUEST VM / HOST:

Assuming that you've already created a guest VM, with a Windows Server OS, here are the networking steps...

1. Using Hyper-V manager, use the virtual switch manager add an "Internal" type switch
2. Using Hyper-V manager, open the settings dialog for the guest VM (right click on the VM). Add a network adapter using the internal switch you just created.
3. Here are my internal switch adapter settings for the host. Note that there is a baked in assumption here that you're outside the range of IP's that would otherwise appear on your network. I know that my home network uses this range (192.168.x.x), and I know I'm ok. Also, I know that my workplace uses 10.x.x.x for wireless, so I'm good there, too.

4 . And here's how I configured the guest VM:

5 . I added hosts file aliases for the guest VM on both the host and the guest:

# internal vm's
192.168.0.120    brettvm

6 . Here's the listner.ora on the guest vm (database server):

LISTENER =
  (DESCRIPTION_LIST =
    (DESCRIPTION =
      (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = IPC)(KEY = EXTPROC1521))
      (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = brettvm)(PORT = 1521))
    )
  )

ADR_BASE_LISTENER = c:\oracle

7 . Here's the tnsnames.ora on the guest VM:

LISTENER_ORCL =
  (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = brettvm)(PORT = 1521))


ORCL =
  (DESCRIPTION =
    (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = brettvm)(PORT = 1521))
    (CONNECT_DATA =
      (SERVER = DEDICATED)
      (SERVICE_NAME = orcl)
    )
  )

8 . Finally, here's the tnsnames on the client (host machine):

LISTENER_ORCL =
  (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = brettvm)(PORT = 1521))


ORCL =
  (DESCRIPTION =
    (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = brettvm)(PORT = 1521))
    (CONNECT_DATA =
      (SERVER = DEDICATED)
      (SERVICE_NAME = orcl)
    )
  )

Bon appetit!

--Brett

May the reason be why I installed Oracle as desktop class instead of server class?

No, 'Desktop Class' just means you only get basic choices from the installer¹, according to the docs:

• Desktop Class—This installation class is most appropriate for laptop or desktop computers. It includes a starter database and requires minimal configuration.

• Server Class—This installation class is for servers, such as you would find in a data center, or used to support enterprise-level applications. Choose this installation class if you need access to advanced configuration options.

During a Desktop Class installation, you make only basic choices. For a Server Class installation, you choose either typical installation (where you make only basic choices) or advanced installation.

During a Desktop Class or a typical installation, Oracle Database automatically installs the sample schemas.

You'll need to go through the kind of troubleshooting steps suggested in the comments to find out what is causing the ORA-12545 error:

An ORA-12545 error occurs when the client is not able to contact the listener on the node specified. For example: when the listener has not been started on the node, if the node address has been specified incorrectly, or a firewall blocks access.

_{¹ So 'Desktop Class' and 'Server Class' are poor names for the installation types. 'Basic' and 'Custom' might be better?}