So, you step a test database on another server, and you don't want to wait for PUPPET 1 to push out an update to your managed TNSNAMES.ora file with the database connection information. So how to you create a database link? The short answer can be summed up like so: " Don't overthink the problem. " Normally we create database links like so: SQL> create database link devdb connect to scott identified by tiger using 'DEVDB'; where DEVDB is an entry in your TNSNAMES.ora file. In the absence of such entries, a close approximation of the TNSNAMES.ora entry so we have this instead: SQL> create database link devdb connect to scott identified by tiger using '(DESCRIPTION = (ADDRESS= (PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=devhost.domain.com)(PORT=1521))(CONNECT_DATA=(SID=DEVDB)))'; 1 because you manage TNSNAMES files with a configuration tool, like Puppet, right? RIGHT!