Re: Database vs. Instance ?

An INSTANCE is the collection of Oracle Processes and the SGA being defined. You can have an instance without having a database (hense, startup nomount). An instance, in my eyes, has only a passing relationship to a database. You can start an instance without a database even being created (one has to start the instance to create a database). A Database is the collection of user schemas (including SYS) that is mounted by one or more instances.
Since an instance can exist without a database (though pretty useless it is) then Schemas MUST belong to a database, not an instance. As was said also, a single database can be mounted by more than one instance.

Robert Received on Wed Mar 04 1998 - 00:00:00 CST