I've been having difficulty getting this straight.

Currently in ASP when we connect to our Oracle database, we are using the Microsoft OLEDB provider. Something like

strConn = "Provider=MSDAORA;Data Source=stuff;User ID=stuff;Password=stuff"

Set dbConn = Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
dbConn.Open strConn
'Recordset stuff here...

I have upgraded the IIS machine to include the Oracle 9i OLEDB provider, so my new connection string is
strConn = "Provider=OraOLEDB.Oracle;Data Source=stuff;User ID=stuff;Password=stuff"
...

The DBA that runs our Oracle instances is (much to my chagrin) insisting we use DSNs to connect to Oracle, and what I am trying to figure out is how to describe to him how to set up a DSN to use the Oracle OLEDB provider instead of the Microsoft OLEDB provider when setting up the DSN. When I select Add from the ODBC data source administrator box, I do not see the Oracle OLEDB provider as an option.

Is there a way to set up a DSN to use the Oracle provider instead of the Microsoft one?

Thanks,
Tony

An oledb provider does not use the odbc dsn. You connect directly using the oledb provider information - the OraOLEDB.Oracle. The msdaora was using oledb layered on odbc - one of the options for oledb is to hook into an existing odbc dsn. If you have to use a dsn, that defeats the purpose of oledb - which is a more direct method of accessing the database (as compared to odbc).

Why is the dba insisting on using a dsn ?

I assume because he is a control freak. I almost jumped out of my skin when the DBA was trying to dictate ASP best practices to me, and then proposing that using DSNs was one!

I explained that if a DSN would work, then I could still bypass it regardless of his personal feelings on the matter, but I digress. The issue also comes up when setting up DSNs for client workstations connecting to his Oracle instance. I want to make sure I'm using the Oracle driver.

If at all possible, stay with the OLEDB provider - performance is much better and object pooling should improve connection performance (which should make your dba happy). Do the security parameters change based on each user ?

Generally speaking, we do application level IDs for access to the databases.

Thanks for the help. I've been able to bludgeon the DBA into installing the OLEDB provider from Oracle.

YAY!

Nice job... What did you use - one of the old ibm keyboards that weigh 40 pounds ?