(Fwd) Oracle/NT documentation - too much *&^%$#@ ???

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When you create multiple instances, you basically just have a bunch of different files that store each instance's data (I'm not really started with formal Oracle/NT training yet, but from what I've read, this is slightly more complicated because there are issues with the NT registry and setting up "services" for each instance).

Anyway, you reference an instance by using connect strings, or aliases (as usual, Oracle has used different/confusing terminology over the years, partly for stupid marketing reasons, partly because of the great variety of products/platforms which needed different ways of doing the same type of stuff).

The "connect string" (db alias) is the stuff to right of the "@" in a login:

eg,

sqlplus user1/password_at_PRD1
sqlplus user2/password_at_TST2
sqlplus user3/password_at_DEV3

So, your aliases (PRD1, TST2, DEV3) "point to" the collection of db files that make up the physical database.

Most of this is set up on the server side (creating the database instances and setting up server side Oracle networking stuff such as Net8, and/or Oracle Names), but some of it happens on the client side (installing Net8, and running a configuration utility that allows you to define the aliases that reference the instances on your server{s}).

Unfortunately, most of my Oracle experience is on Netware and DOS (&Win9x) using Oracle 7 (and earlier), and these environments were much more simple to understand multi instance setups in. I could give you a lot of specific info on multi-instance Netware Oracle7 configurations, but I don't think it would be very helpful as compared to looking at Oracle8/NT specific documention.

I will say that the sheer volume of various Oracle manuals
(containing all sorts of excess verbage that is repeated in different
forms in different places) is potentially quite intimidating and/or overwhelming for beginners. Unless you are capable of reading & absorbing encylopediacal quantities of info, I'd guess you are like me, and will get very frustrated at first trying to understand how all the stuff relates. Nevertheless, it is worth trying skim through the Concepts manual and DBA Guide (or whatever they are called these days) for the general background. The platform specific documentation is worth reading in more detail.

What I have found most useful is to get a hold of the working documents from Oracle tech support. These are usually "bulletins", or "notes", with specific Doc ID#s. They are written in more simple, clear, practical language than the general documentation. When you come across something in one of the tech support documents that you don't understand, you can then look it up in the larger set of [formal] documents, as well as calling/emailing Oracle tech support to make
sure your understanding is clear. Frequently they will then provide you with additional [bulletins &] "notes" that further elucidate the issues for you.

At some point in my early period working with Oracle I just got pissed off enough to decide that I wasn't going to let the arrogant people at Oracle tech support get away with any b.s., and I started telling them that I wanted clear, simple, useful information. My experience is that if you are confidant, and tell them what you want, they are fairly useful most of the time. If you get a jerk (these are usually people that 1) can't think out-of-the-box and just read scripted "solutions", or 2) arrogant show offs that can't come down to the customer's level), just tell them to close the TAR, and reopen it with someone else that is better for you.

HOWEVER, be sure to carefully read the official platform specific installation documents and "release notes". If *anything* in those isn't clear, it is worth trying to get more explanation and/or background info.

I think you saw this before, but in case not, check out the book F---- R--- said to get:

 http://www.drbob42.com/reviews/oracle8.htm -
 http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1576102483

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  C:\My Documents\manually-delete-oracle-from-win.txt Received on Mon Nov 13 2000 - 15:37:29 CST