db-control get-optimizer fails during with "ORA-24327: need explicit attach before authenticating a user"

Issue

• db-control get-optimizer command fails with :

DBI connect('rhnsat','rhnsat',...) failed: ORA-24327: need explicit attach before authenticating a user (DBD ERROR: OCISessionBegin) at /usr/lib/perl5/vendor_perl/5.8.8/RHN/DBI.pm line 72

• We receive this message when running the db-control get-optimizer command when testing to see if we're using cost based optimization.
• Also trying to connect to embedded database fails with :

sqlplus $(spacewalk-cfg-get default_db)

SQL*Plus: Release 10.2.0.4.0 - Production on Sat Jan 26 13:15:56 2013

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ERROR:
ORA-12154: TNS:could not resolve the connect identifier specified