protocol.ora file

When a session is established, SQL*Net packages the transmission and sends data between server and client using packets. In a standard Net configuration, Net will wait a predetermined amount of time in order to collect as much information as possible before sending the packet across the network. This strategy is fine for most operations where large data packets are being sent. However, in cases where the sending program is sending small data cursors with very small packets, the default delay will add up and cause significant Oracle degradation. This situation is commonly seen in customized extensions written in COBOL or C, where the program does not collect the data into an array before sending the packet across the network. The delay can be turned off with the TCP.NODELAY option, which causes packets to be flushed on to the network more frequently. If you are streaming large amounts of data, there is no buffering and hence no delay. The TCP.NODELAY parameter is placed in the protocol.ora file, and its exact syntax is:

tcp.nodelay=yes

While the Oracle default assumes that all network traffic has been optimized and collected into large packets, TCP.NODELAY will ensure that packets are shipped immediately. This may result in increased network traffic with larger numbers of smaller packets.
The next lesson examines the sqlnet.ora file.

Before moving on to the next lesson, click the Quiz link below to check your knowledge of Net components with a short multiple-choice quiz.
OracleNet Components - Quiz