My oracle database name(SID) is ORCL However in order to make it easier to support a customer I would like to be able to refer to the same database in my JDBC string as e.g. JOHNTEST rather than ORCL What changes do I need to make to listener config files to enable me to do this? I tried adding JOHNTEST to tnsnames.ora on the Oracle server but I get a message ORA-12505, TNS:listener does not currently know of SID given in connect descriptor Oracle is 11G on linux. Any help appreciated. John -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l