Date: 09/28/10 (SQL Server)    Keywords: html, sql

Posting for the benefit of all after personally pulling my hair out on this one...

1) Installed the Oracle Instant Client following these wonderful directions:
http://www.dbatoolz.com/t/installing-oracle-instantclient-basic-and-instantclient-sqlplus-on-win32.html

2) Restarted my SQL server to re-load the ODBC drivers

3) Created linked server

USE master
go
EXEC sp_addlinkedserver @server=N'ORCL_SRVR', @srvproduct=N'', @provider=N'MSDASQL', @datasrc=N'ORCL_SRVR'
go
EXEC sp_serveroption @server=N'ORCL_SRVR', @optname='rpc', @optvalue='true'
go
EXEC sp_serveroption @server=N'ORCL_SRVR', @optname='collation compatible', @optvalue='false'
go
EXEC sp_serveroption @server=N'ORCL_SRVR', @optname='data access', @optvalue='true'
go
EXEC sp_serveroption @server=N'ORCL_SRVR', @optname='rpc out', @optvalue='false'
go
EXEC sp_serveroption @server=N'ORCL_SRVR', @optname='use remote collation', @optvalue='true'
go
EXEC sp_addlinkedsrvlogin @rmtsrvname=N'ORCL_SRVR', @useself='FALSE', @rmtuser=N'system', @rmtpassword=N'my password'
go
IF EXISTS (SELECT * FROM master.dbo.sysservers WHERE srvname=N'ORCL_SRVR')
PRINT N'<<< CREATED LINKED SERVER ORCL_SRVR >>>'
ELSE
PRINT N'<<< FAILED CREATING LINKED SERVER ORCL_SRVR >>>'
go

Source: http://sqlserver.livejournal.com/72406.html