SQL Server Linked with Oracle Database

I'm using SQL Server 2017 and am trying to set up a linked server to an Oracle database. I installed ODAC and updated my PATH to include the Oracle root from ODAC installation.

Everything looks good and I am able to choose the Oracle Provider for OLE DB when setting up the server, but when I save my configuration, I get the following error:

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The linked server has been created but failed a connection test. Do you want to keep the linked server?

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An exception occurred while executing a Transact-SQL statement or batch. (Microsoft.SqlServer.ConnectionInfo)

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Program Location:

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Common.ServerConnection.ExecuteNonQuery(String sqlCommand, ExecutionTypes executionType, Boolean retry) at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.ExecutionManager.ExecuteNonQuery(String cmd, Boolean retry) at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.LinkedServer.TestConnection() at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.LinkedServerProperties.DoPreProcessExecution(RunType runType, ExecutionMode& executionResult)

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Cannot create an instance of OLE DB provider "OraOLEDB.Oracle" for linked server "UDW". (.Net SqlClient Data Provider)

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For help, click: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?ProdName=Microsoft%20SQL%20Server&ProdVer=13.00.5081&EvtSrc=MSSQLServer&EvtID=7302&LinkId=20476

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Server Name: localhost Error Number: 7302 Severity: 16 State: 1 Procedure: sp_testlinkedserver Line Number: 1

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Program Location:

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Common.ConnectionManager.ExecuteTSql(ExecuteTSqlAction action, Object execObject, DataSet fillDataSet, Boolean catchException) at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Common.ServerConnection.ExecuteNonQuery(String sqlCommand, ExecutionTypes executionType, Boolean retry)

This error message is not exactly helpful, and if you follow the Microsoft link, it redirects you to the Microsoft homepage (thanks Microsoft!)

Is there a way to test if this is a problem of not finding TNSNAMES vs some sort of firewall issue on the Oracle server?

I am able to set up a LinkedServer on another database in the same network so I can confirm that the TNSNAMES is exactly the same and the credentials I am using are valid.

The key to this issue is this line:

Cannot create an instance of OLE DB provider "OraOLEDB.Oracle" for linked server "UDW". (.Net SqlClient Data Provider)

The solution is to go to the provider options and check allow inprocess. Shown below:

I can't explain exactly what it does, but this guy does a pretty good job.