database name

hi, I'm first time using the oracle.

I seek there is no need specified the database name when using the SQL Plus to login to the database. Just to type in the id and password to login. is this means that there is no "database name" in the oracle? and oracle using the ID and password to specify which database user will go to?

And when I make database connection using ODBC, there is no need to select the database name unlike the SQL server which we must specified the database name.

So, can somebody tell me is that I think is true?

Thank you!

As my book "Introduction to Oracle9i SQL" says: "When you start SQL*Plus on Windows, it prompts you for the user-name, password and host string. The host, or connect string is the database alias name. If you omit the connect string, SQL*Plus tries to connect you to the local database defined in the ORACLE_SID variable."
The database alias name is defined in the tnsnames.ora file, located on the Oracle client installation under network\ADMIN.

Hope it helps,
Dan

When you install Oracle it will allow you to create a sample database but it is optional. If it is created at the time of installation then It is consider an active/current database, If you have more than one active database then you must specify the Database String name with username and password to connect to desired database, otherwise just type password and user name oracle will let you connect with current database. But at the time of SQL server 2000 installation it creates more than one database like master, model, tempdb, msdb etc, these all are active and available. That's why you need to pass database name with user name and password to use required database.

Regards

Thank you Dan and shafique.
Since I have an application program in client PC and I'd like to connect to oracle database(in server PC) using OLEDB provider. As I know I must install the oralce client component in client PC right? So, what is the configuration that I should do in both oracle in server and client PC in oder they two can communicate?

You dont need to do extra work on server, just install enterprise oracle on your server (dont use personal). On the client machine you need to install Oracle client or you can install oracle personal too, then create a net service to connect to remote database that is reside on your server. You shoud know the IP address of the server because it is required when you create the net service.
You can create net service by using any of these tools (provided by vendor) Oracle SQL Net easy configuration or Oracle Net<version> configuration.

Where version might be 8,9 etc.

Regards,

Thanks shafique, I've successful connect to the server...