ORA 03135 error from users on VPN

[Jam Orlando]

Hi,
We are running Oracle 10g from a Windows Server 2008 virtual (Hyper-V) server.

Our developers have the Oracle 10g client installed on their local machines and use PL/SQL Developer to connect to the database instances.

Everyone is able to connect just fine to the databases from PL/SQL developer when they're in the office and using our company's LAN, however when certain users work from home and connect to our LAN via the Sonicwall VPN client, they get this error:

ORA-03135: connection lost contact

The people working from home are using the same laptops that they use in the office. They are running Windows 7, PL/SQL Developer 8.0.3.1510 and Oracle 10.2.

Another strange thing is that these same users working from home are able to connect to our other Oracle10g physical servers running Windows Server 2003. ALSO, anyone that is working from home using Windows XP can connect to everything just fine.

The users that are running Windows 7 and getting the ORA-03135 error message are able to TNSPING and connect to the database using SQL*PLUS successfully. Just not through PL/SQL Developer. But then, why would they be able to use PL/SQL developer when they're in the office?

Please help!
Thanks,
Jamie

 

[Jam Orlando]

I might also mention that I checked his IP address, his environment variables in DOS, and they all seem to be correct.

We can connect to the Oracle database while on the VPN using SQL*PLUS and do select and insert statements.

 

[Marco Kalter]

perhaps there is a maximum idle time? If so, enable the "Check Connection" preference (Tools > Preferences > Oracle / Connection). This way PL/SQL Developer will check once per minute if the session is still alive, which implicitly prevents idle time-outs.

 

[Jam Orlando]

Hi Marco, I tested this out on a couple people and they are both still receiving this error. Any other ideas?

 

[Marco Kalter]

To obtain some more diagnostic information, can you modify the shortcut and add the DebugSQL parameter? For example:

"C:\Program Files\PLSQL Developer\plsqldev.exe" DebugSQL

Reproduce the problem and send me the debug.txt file that is generated in the PL/SQL Developer directory or in the %APPDATA%\PLSQL Developer directory (e.g. C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\PLSQL Developer).

 

[Jam Orlando]

Marco, we've tried adding the DebugSQL command to the PL/SQL shortcut but we still are not seeing a debug.txt file in the:
%APPDATA%\PLSQL Developer directory. There is a folder called Preferences in there, and that's all.

Is DebugSQL the correct command? Maybe it's /DebugSQL or -DebugSQL?

Please advise,
Jamie

 

[Marco Kalter]

Maybe the file is located in the PL/SQL Developer installation directory (e.g. C:\Program Files\PLSQL Developer)?

 

[Jam Orlando]

Debug text files have been emailed to: support@allroundautomations.com .. thanks for your help!