Installing Multiple Oracle Clients

From: Jay Hostetter <jhostetter_at_decommunications.com>
Date: Mon, 14 May 2001 08:12:02 -0700
Message-ID: <F001.003027F2.20010514062520@fatcity.com>

We are preparing to upgrade our Oracle client installation on our NT workstations. For the most part, we are still running the 7.3 Oracle client. We are preparing to install 8.1.6, 8.0.5, and possibly 8.0.4 versions of the Oracle client. Unfortunately, we have various 3rd party applications that are only certified with specific versions of the client - and of course they are not all the same Oracle client versions.
The 8.1.6 client will be the default Oracle home, then we will install 8.0.5 and 8.0.4 on those PCs that require it. We will use .bat files for those applications that need the 8.0.4 or 8.0.5 version of the client. The .bat files will change the PATH and ORACLE_HOME, then call the application. It looks like we are going to have to visit each PC to do a local install of the appropriate Oracle client(s). I am looking for input in two areas:

What is the easiest way to do these local installations? With the old 16-bit version of the Oracle client, you could do a network install, then have the workstations reference that installation by changing ini files. I don't think that the 32-bit version of the client supports network installs. Has anybody had success with response files? What is the trick to getting them to work? Anyway, I'm looking for an alternative to visiting each workstation.
Is there an alternative to using .bat files for referencing a different Oracle client? Do many folks take the risk of using a newer version of the Oracle client for an application, even though that application is not certified with that version of the Oracle client?

Thanks for the input.

Jay Hostetter
Oracle DBA
D. & E. Communications
Ephrata, PA USA

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Author: Jay Hostetter
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