Re: A Few Oracle Product Questions!!

In article <61bu6l$n5h$1_at_news2.cais.com>, Perrin <perrin_at_cais3.cais.com> writes
>
>Hello,
>
>We are using/doing development with Oracle 7.3.2 Enterprise on
>Solaris/X86 5.51, and are about to deploy our apps to another site (also
>on Solaris/X86). The apps will be local to that site, which is in Europe
>(we're doing development in the U.S.). Apps are being written using C/C++
>with Pro*C.
>
>So, now, we are trying to determine what Oracle software we need to
>purchase for the European site, and are either getting either no
>information, or conflicting information from Oracle and it's website, and
>I hope that we can get some clearer answers from some Oracle users on
>these newsgroups.
>
>
>First of all, we are being told by our colleagues in Europe that only
>ORACLE8 Enterprise is available for purchase over there for Solaris/X86
>(i.e. they cannot buy 7.3.2). Oracle's website only has a 'Platforms'
>page for Solaris SPARC, and not for Solaris/X86, but, assuming that it's
>the same, the web page SEEMS to indicate that both ORACLE8 and 7
>Enterprise and 7.32 Workgroup Server are available for Solaris. Also, the
>Oracle Store only lists Oracle 7.3 (it doesn't say if that's Enterprise or
>Workgroup Server) for Solaris X86, and Oracle 8 for only Windows NT.
>
>Does anyone know if the above (Oracle 7.3.2 not available in Europe)?

Oracle usually withdraw a version from sale soon after a new release but I would be surprised if you couldn't still get hold of it. Tru a reseller instead of going directly to Oracle.
>
>To try to avoid any confusion (and maybe save some money in the process),
>we're wondering if we can use Oracle Workgroup Server 7.3.2 for the remote
>site?
>
 

>After doing some Dejanews searches, we're not clear exactly WHAT the
>differences are between 7.3.2 Enterprise and Workgroup Server.

There are a number of optional packages which are not supported on Workgroup. The main ones are Parallel Query, Parallel Server, and (I think) Context, and Geographic data.
>
>Will the apps that we write here on Enterprise 7.3.2 work on Workgroup
>Server 7.3.2?

Unless you are using any of the above options they should work fine.
>
>Also, we develop using Pro*C. If no development is being done at the
>remote site, is Pro*C required there?

No, but if you do end up running different versions of the server you would be advised to relink (at least) the programs.
>
>Is Pro*C available for Workgroup Server 7.3.2?
 Yes
>
>What else WON'T we be able to do at the remote site if we go with
>Workgroup Server 7.3.2 there?

See above re optional products.
>
>Finally, if we are forced to use Oracle 8 at the remote site, will the
>apps that we develop here on Enterprise 7.3.2 using Pro*C work on the
>remote site?

Oracle are generally reasonably good at upward compatibility. The thing I have had most problems with have been optimizer changes which throw the performance off.
>
 

-- 
Jim Smith