Oracle Database Discussions

Hi

i installed a fresh oracle linux and installes 11.2.0 database server. the server works fine but i have a proplem to connect to the database from a windows 2008 r2
client. For the client connection i installed the oracle instantclient on the windows system. Now i want to configure the system dsn to connect to the oracle
server like this
data source description: vSphere 64
description: ----
TNS Service Name: VCDB
user id: system
then i go to TEST connection
Service Name: VCDB
user name: system
Password: mypassword

so i copied the tnsnames.ora from the server to the client

then i get
ora-12504 tns listener was not given the SERVICE_NAME in CONNECT-DATA

here´s my tnsnames.ora from the client

VCDB =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = 172.31.98.173)(PORT = 1521))
(CONNECT_DATA =
(SERVER = DEDICATED)
(SERVICE_NAME = vcdb.vmware)
)
)

i tested serveral config´s but nothing works. I can ping the server and also i cn telnet the server on port 1521. The listener on the server works fine

lsnrctl status

LSNRCTL for Linux: Version 11.2.0.1.0 - Production on 20-SEP-2010 20:48:52

Copyright (c) 1991, 2009, Oracle. All rights reserved.

Connecting to (DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=vc-db1.mydomain)(PORT=1521)))
STATUS of the LISTENER
Alias LISTENER
Version TNSLSNR for Linux: Version 11.2.0.1.0 - Production
Start Date 20-SEP-2010 20:47:45
Uptime 0 days 0 hr. 1 min. 7 sec
Trace Level off
Security ON: Local OS Authentication
SNMP OFF
Listener Parameter File /u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/dbhome_1/network/admin/listener.ora
Listener Log File /u01/app/oracle/diag/tnslsnr/vc-db1/listener/alert/log.xml
Listening Endpoints Summary...
(DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)(HOST=vc-db1mydomain)(PORT=1521)))
Services Summary...
Service "vcdb.vmware" has 1 instance(s).
Instance "vcdb", status READY, has 1 handler(s) for this service...
Service "vcdbXDB.vmware" has 1 instance(s).
Instance "vcdb", status READY, has 1 handler(s) for this service...
The command completed successfully

but it´s not possible to create a connection to the server. My enviroment variables are this
ORACLE_BASE=/u01/app/oracle
ORACLE_HOME=/u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/dbhome_1
ORACLE_HOSTNAME=vc-db1.mydomain
ORACLE_SID=vcdb
ORACLE_TERM=xterm

so i think on the server site everything is correct. How could i establish a connection from the windows client
to the linux database server. Or is ODBC the wrong method for this?

Kind regards
ACID25