Using SQL*Loader to Load Data Across a Network

To use SQL*Loader to load data across a network connection, you can specify a connect identifier in the connect string when you start the SQL*Loader utility. This identifier can specify a database instance that is different from the current instance identified by the setting of the ORACLE_SID environment variable for the current user. The connect identifier can be an Oracle Net connect descriptor or a net service name (usually defined in the tnsnames.ora file) that maps to a connect descriptor. Use of a connect identifier requires that you have Oracle Net Listener running (to start the default listener, enter lsnrctl start). The following example starts SQL*Loader for user scott using the connect identifier inst1:

> sqlldr CONTROL=ulcase1.ctl
Username: scott@inst1
Password: password

The local SQL*Loader client connects to the database instance defined by the connect identifier inst1 (a net service name), and loads the data, as specified in the ulcase1.ctl control file.