Conversion: SQLBase to Oracle

I have been asked to evaluate a client's future database needs. They currently use Centura (formerly Gupta) SQLBase v5.2.1 NLM which works fine for their current requirements (250-300Mb database, ~60 concurrent users). They are being asked to consider going to Oracle v8 and would like to know a rough idea of costs.

The main problem as I see it is the different locking strategies adopted by the two vendors. Gupta uses a unique (hidden) column called ROWID which works like the timestamp in SYBASE and not at all like Oracle's ROWID (i.e. SELECT the record including the rowid, edit it and then UPDATE... WHERE rowid = :SavedRowID)

People I have spoken to who use Oracle tell me that it doesn't support (or at least promote) this mechanism, but rather encourages the use of SELECT FOR UPDATE. I realise that Oracle supports row level locking, but what happens if someone selects a record and then goes off for lunch? This application has a high probability that the same record will be required by two users at the same time. Is there another mechanism, or have I missed something?

Can anyone help please?

Michael Franklin
Covalent Systems Received on Mon May 25 1998 - 04:25:48 CDT