Oracle SQL Developer connection storm at startup

Oracle SQL Developer (tested with version 3.2.20.09) does some unwanted network connection testing against all configured connections (by TNSPING).

We noticed that it causes a kind of unwanted “inverse” connection storm to all configured databases, when we start the SQL Developer. It’s not restoring aborted connections or stuff like that, all was quit before stopping the SQL Dev., and nevertheless each and every configured connection is “tested” at start up.

In my example, it’s doing the following for all configured connections (tested with version 3.2.20.09):

TNS connect:
(DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=ww.xx.yy.zz)(PORT=1521))
(CONNECT_DATA=(CID=(PROGRAM=null)(HOST=__jdbc__)(USER=null))
(SERVICE_NAME=xyz)(CID=(PROGRAM=null)(HOST=__jdbc__)(USER=null))))

and gets back:
(DESCRIPTION=(TMP=)(VSNNUM=186647296)(ERR=12514)(ERROR_STACK=
(ERROR=(CODE=12514)(EMFI=4))))

I’m having multiple problems with this behavior:

1. It’s useless, since the SQL Dev. does not display any information about reachable/non-reachable databases. I simply can’t see any benefit.
2. It’s waste of network resources
3. It’s most unwanted since your network can see what you have configured (for example in a public WLAN, and in worst case a IDS might feel like you are doing something nasty in the (for example, customer’s) network)

Does somebody know why they are doing this, and why are they doing it
THIS very way?

Regards
Martin

EDIT:
Modify your sqldeveloper.conf:
AddVMOption -Dsqldev.tnsping=false
to disable this behavior.