Why I can connect with a stopped listener?

[ora_beg]

Hi all,
I have stopped the listener and I verify it:

***************************************************
>tnsping orcl10dbname

TNS Ping Utility for 32-bit Windows: Version 10.2.0.1.0 - Production on 05-FEB-2
007 13:03:23

Copyright (c) 1997, 2005, Oracle. All rights reserved.

Used parameter files:
C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_2\network\admin\sqlnet.ora

Used EZCONNECT adapter to resolve the alias
Attempting to contact (DESCRIPTION=(CONNECT_DATA=(SERVICE_NAME=orcl10dbname))(AD
DRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=192.168.1.250)(PORT=1521)))
TNS-12541: TNS:no listener

***************************************************

I also verify that no service is running on port 1521:
**********************************************
>netstat -a

Active Connections

Proto Local Address Foreign Address State
TCP OraServer:epmap OraServer:0 LISTENING
TCP OraServer:microsoft-ds OraServer:0 LISTENING
TCP OraServer:1025 OraServer:0 LISTENING
TCP OraServer:1029 OraServer:0 LISTENING
TCP OraServer:1033 OraServer:0 LISTENING
TCP OraServer:1041 OraServer:0 LISTENING
TCP OraServer:1102 OraServer:0 LISTENING
TCP OraServer:ingreslock OraServer:0 LISTENING
TCP OraServer:3372 OraServer:0 LISTENING
TCP OraServer:3389 OraServer:0 LISTENING
TCP OraServer:5561 OraServer:0 LISTENING
TCP OraServer:5581 OraServer:0 LISTENING
TCP OraServer:1221 OraServer:0 LISTENING
TCP OraServer:netbios-ssn OraServer:0 LISTENING
TCP OraServer:1102 pla-update.nai.com:http ESTABLISHED
TCP OraServer:1298 SEKRETARIA:netbios-ssn TIME_WAIT
TCP OraServer:1300 COMPUTER-C27BC5:netbios-ssn TIME_WAIT
TCP OraServer:1304 HP86571673719:netbios-ssn TIME_WAIT
TCP OraServer:3389 PC01:4818 ESTABLISHED
TCP OraServer:netbios-ssn OraServer:0 LISTENING
TCP OraServer:netbios-ssn OraServer:0 LISTENING
UDP OraServer:epmap *:*
UDP OraServer:microsoft-ds *:*
UDP OraServer:1026 *:*
UDP OraServer:1032 *:*
UDP OraServer:netbios-ns *:*
UDP OraServer:netbios-dgm *:*
UDP OraServer:isakmp *:*
UDP OraServer:netbios-ns *:*
UDP OraServer:netbios-dgm *:*
UDP OraServer:isakmp *:*
UDP OraServer:netbios-ns *:*
UDP OraServer:netbios-dgm *:*
UDP OraServer:isakmp *:*
**********************************************


But I can successfully connect trough SQLPLUS:

************************************************
>sqlplus

SQL*Plus: Release 10.2.0.1.0 - Production on Mon Feb 5 13:10:08 2007

Copyright (c) 1982, 2005, Oracle. All rights reserved.

Enter user-name: system
Enter password:

Connected to:
Oracle Database 10g Enterprise Edition Release 10.2.0.1.0 - Production
With the Partitioning, OLAP and Data Mining options

SQL> select name from v$database;
NAME
---------
ORCL10DB
************************************************

Please tell me, why SQLPLUS can connect to database when no listener is running?

Thank you.

[pando]

local connections do not require listener

[Bore]

However you will not succeed with
sqlplus system/password@yourdatabase

the allias will force the sqlplus to go trough the listener