Usually there is only one listener on a server, but you may have many database instances each with their own database service. When you connect to those services each connection initially is to the listener which then hands off the connection to the correct database service. If you list the services of your server, you should see a service name OraListener or something like that. There should also be services for each database instance that runs there. The names of these will correspond to the database instance name. Chris Meech I am Canadian. [heard in a local bar] When I want privacy, I'll close the bathroom door. [Stan Shannon] GOOD DAY FOR: Moonlighting, as porn star Savanna Samson has launched her own wine label. Her Sogno Uno, an Italian red, received an "outstanding" 90 to 91 score from influential wine critic Robert Parker. "I wanted to do something my parents could be proud of," she said. (Reuters in CNNMoney.com)