ORACLE and IBM RS/6000 AIX version 3.2

Folks,

1. Sorry to ask questions which may have been asked a dozen times already. If they are already answered, please point me to an appropriate FAQ.
2. We are new bees to the IBM RS/6000 AIX and ORACLE game. We have recently taken delivery of several IBM RS/6000 Model 530H machines around the country with AIX version 3.1.5 implemented. We also have installed ORACLE version 6.0.31.0.1 for AIX, as well as ORACLE SQLFORMS & TOOLS version 3.0.16.32.
3. Like many Department of Defense activities, we have a systems integrator providing all of the hardware and systems software for us. Thus we don't always deal directly with IBM or ORACLE.
4. When we first received the IBM RS/6000 Model 530H hardware, I was upset because the machines were delivered with AIX version 3.1.5. I had been following "comp.unix.aix" so I was well aware of the fact that AIX Version 3.2 was being shipped several weeks before our order for hardware was processed. I complained quite loudly to the systems integrator and also to our IBM point of contact. IBM was pretty responsive, at least to me, and bypassed the systems integrator and delivered to me a copy of AIX version 3.2 for a machine in my office. However, liaison with our different field activities around the country indicated that as of two weeks ago, they still had not yet received AIX version 3.2.
5. I again pressed the question with the systems integrator as to why they had not yet installed AIX version 3.2 in our 530Hs. Their response was that ORACLE for IBM RS/6000 AIX does not function with AIX version 3.2, and that it only functions with AIX version 3.1.5. They claim to be aggressively working the problem with ORACLE Corporation.
6. We are also employing the Texas Instruments Information Engineering Facility (TI IEF) Integrated - Computer Aided Software Engineering (I-CASE) tool, and are very anxious to move up to TI IEF release 5.0 for IBM RS/6000 AIX immediately. TI IEF Release 5.0 works in conjunction with ORACLE and expects AIX version 3.2 to be loaded. So we have a critical path software engineering problem which dictates we move to AIX version 3.2 soonest. We want to move to AIX version 3.2 as quickly as possible anyway, if for no other reason than to fix the context switch problems associated with AIX version 3.1.5 and to keep current with IBM's latest.
7. My questions to the universe are as follows.
8. Has anybody else found that AIX version 3.2 is incompatible with ORACLE version 6.0.31.0.1 for AIX, as well as ORACLE SQLFORMS & TOOLS version 3.0.16.32 for AIX?
9. Are we working with the latest release of ORACLE, SQLFORMS & TOOLS for IBM RS/6000 AIX?
10. Has a separate ORACLE newsgroup been established on the internet? Several months ago, a successful vote was tallied in "comp.databases" for formation of an ORACLE newsgroup, but I never saw formal announcement that it had commenced.
11. When is ORACLE version 7.0 for IBM RS/6000 AIX due to be shipped?
12. Any help or advice you could render would be greatly appreciated. Please direct your responses to

                   air4114a_at_oasys.dt.navy.mil

Very Respectfully,
CDR Stephen M. Carr, SC, USN
Naval Air Systems Command (AIR-4114A)
Washington, DC 20361-4110
Internet: air4114a_at_oasys.dt.navy.mil 703-692-5661, 703-692-5690, 703-746-0696, 703-746-0842 FAX 703-692-8587 Received on Fri Jul 17 1992 - 03:51:18 CEST