This post is part of a blog series.

Each Oracle release makes setup easier, but configuring naming resolution and authentication for Data Guard is still a challenging step. Editing files like tnsnames.ora and sqlnet.ora remains tedious, even with LDAP (recommended) or EZConnect. Automation tools like Puppet, Ansible, or cloud solutions help, but aren’t always in place.

For Data Guard, accurate naming resolution and authentication are crucial for successful broker connections. The DGConnectIdentifier property defines the main connection string.

Data Guard 26ai introduces the VALIDATE DGConnectIdentifier command, which tests connectivity, including credentials, from each instance to every member.

This proactive check helps you avoid errors like ORA-01017 and ORA-12514 during operations such as SWITCHOVER. Unlike earlier manual sqlplus checks, this command verifies connections using the actual database environment, offering true validation from the connecting database.

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Ludovico

Principal Product Manager at Oracle

Ludovico is a member of the Oracle Database High Availability (HA), Scalability & Maximum Availability Architecture (MAA) Product Management team in Oracle. He focuses on Oracle Data Guard, Flashback technologies, and Cloud MAA.

Latest posts by Ludovico (see all)

• Data Guard 26ai – #24: Validate DGConnectIdentifier - March 13, 2026
• Data Guard 26ai – #23: New view V$DG_BROKER_PROPERTY - March 9, 2026
• Data Guard 26ai – #22: History of role transitions - March 2, 2026