Conceptual hang-up: Database v. tablespace v. schema v. etc...

I posted a message about a week ago regarding SQL*Loader. I received a number of helpful replies. Thanks to all who responded.

Now, for my next question. I'm going around in circles trying to make sense of some Oracle terminology: database vs. tablespace vs. schema vs. catalog vs. instance vs. services vs. whatever else I forgot.

The word database is thrown all over. It seems to have a different meaning on a conceptual level than it does on an implementational level. Would you agree with that?

For instace, if you were setting up a database for a library...

You need a schema for books... a half-dozen tables, lots of records. Maybe storing about 5K of data for each book.

My idea that this should be considered a tablespace (or catalog?) inside a database, as defined by the CREATE DATABASE statement. Additionally, we should have other tablespaces inside the same database for audio/video, kids stuff, etc... Am I making sense so far?

What if we were then to have a list of borrowers. That really isn't the same kind of data... so would that go into a new database, or just a seperate tablespace?

If we were then to distribute the database, does that mean that different machines would have to house the same file (since a CREATE DATABASE creates one big data file)?

Where do instances and services come into play? You can have multiple instances of one database (i.e. a test and a production?).

I'm new to much of this. Any guidence would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Jim. Received on Tue Nov 05 1996 - 00:00:00 CST