5
Oracle8i Feature and Option Availability

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Automated parallel query degree 

N 

Y 

Y 

Automated parallel query optimization based on system utilization. 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Bitmap indexes 

N 

Y 

Y 

Index type commonly used in a data warehouse for columns with small number of distinct values, such as 'Y' or 'N', resulting in dramatic performance gains in a data warehouse application. 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

CUBE and ROLLUP 

Y 

Y 

Y 

OLAP operators CUBE and ROLLUP to produce sub-totals and crosstab reports easily and efficiently using a single SQL statement. 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Analytic functions 

Y 

Y 

Y 

These include rank, moving average, and ratio-to-report. 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Descending indexes 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Provides better performance when indexed data needs to sorted in descending order. 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Direct Path Load API 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Direct Load API allows complete access to all load functionality via OCI API for creation of high performance load programs. 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Export transportable tablespaces 

N 

Y 

Y 

Functionality to quickly move or create a copy of tablespace data. A transportable tablespace can be "plugged in" to all editions of the Oracle8i database, but only the Enterprise Edition can create a transportable tablespace. 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Function-based indexes 

N 

Y 

Y 

Allows indexes to be created on expressions or functions. 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Import transportable tablespaces 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Functionality to quickly "plug in" a transportable tablespace. Oracle8i Enterprise Edition must be used to create (export) a transportable tablespace. 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Long operations monitor 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Progress of long running database and application operations can be monitored and information can be displayed, such as percent complete. 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Materialized views 

N 

Y 

Y 

Includes summary management functionality, join indexes, and summary advisor. Powerful functionality that automatically redirects queries to stored summary tables, improving query performance dramatically. 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Optimizer statistics management 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Schema object statistics, used by the cost based optimizer, can be copied and moved to another database. 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Parallel analyze 

N 

Y 

Y 

The ANALYZE statement, used to gather statistics on tables, can be run using parallel processing. This feature requires the Partitioning Option. 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Parallel bitmap star query optimization 

N 

Y 

Y 

This algorithm utilizes single-table bitmap indexes and an advanced star query join method, resulting in excellent performance while efficiently utilizing space. 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Parallel DML (insert/update/ delete) 

N 

Y 

Y 

DML operations are transparently divided across multiple processes. This feature requires the Partitioning Option. 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Parallel index build 

N 

Y 

Y 

Indexes can be created using parallel processes, significantly improving performance of the operation. 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Parallel index scans 

N 

Y 

Y 

Queries that use of an index can scan the index in parallel with multiple processes. This requires the Partitioning Option 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Parallel load 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Fast load of data accomplished by use of multiple, parallel processes. 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Parallel query 

N 

Y 

Y 

Oracle8i transparently distributes query execution across multiple processes, resulting in excellent performance. 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Sample scan 

N 

Y 

Y 

The SAMPLE keyword is used to in SQL statements to easily select a percentage of random data within a table; this is useful in data mining applications. 

Data Warehousing and VLDB 

Star query optimization 

Y 

Y 

Y 

This star-query optimization algorithm utilizes B-tree indexes (not bitmap indexes) 

Database Features 

Advanced Queuing 

N 

Y 

Y 

Rules-based, publish and subscribe queuing system that can be used to develop large-scale, message-oriented distributed applications. 

Database Features 

Database event triggers 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Database triggers, such as database startup or shutdown triggers, DDL statement triggers, and logon/logoff triggers are fired when the event occurs. 

Database Features 

DBMS_REPAIR package 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Provides early detection and correction of software and hardware corruption. 

Database Features 

Drop column 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Functionality to remove an unwanted column from a table. 

Database Features 

Fine-grained access control 

N 

Y 

Y 

Includes functionality to create security policies that implement row-level security. 

Database Features 

Index coalesce 

N 

Y 

Y 

Free space in index leaf blocks can be defragmented while table is online. 

Database Features 

Index-organized tables 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Table where data is stored in a B*-tree index structure for better performance and reduced storage. 

Database Features 

Indexes on NLS collating sequences 

N 

Y 

Y 

Efficient linguistic sorting using NLS sorting through use of function-based indexes (available in Enterprise Edition and Personal Oracle8i). 

Database Features 

Instead-of triggers 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Triggers that execute instead of the DML transaction execution. 

Database Features 

LOB (large object) support 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Datatypes and functionality for storing and manipulating large objects, such as images or other unstructured data. 

Database Features 

Locally-managed tablespaces 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Efficient storage management functionality that improves reliability and reduces fragmentation. 

Database Features 

LogMiner  

Y 

Y 

Y 

LogMiner provides the functionality to analyze transaction log information online to enable auditing of transactions and the ability to "back out" individual transactions. 

Database Features 

National language support (NLS) 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Native language support 

Database Features 

Objects and extensibility 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Object relational functionality, including object types and methods. Also, database extensibility via APIs to database services and functionality. 

Database Features 

Online index build 

N 

Y 

Y 

Indexes can be built and re-built without locking the table during the operation. 

Database Features 

Password management 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Provides password expiration, complexity, and security policy management. 

Database Features 

PL/SQL stored procedures, triggers 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Provides mechanism to deploy logic directly in the database. 

Database Features 

PL/SQL Server Pages 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Server-side Web pages (in HTML or XML) with embedded PL/SQL scripts, enabling rapid development of dynamic Web pages. 

Database Features 

Plan Stability 

N 

Y 

Y 

This allows execution plans for SQL to be stored so that the plan remains consistent throughout schema changes, database reorganizations, and data volume changes. 

Database Features 

Reverse key indexes 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Indexed columns can be indexed on reversed column values for better index performance. 

Database Features 

Temporary tables 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Temporary tables to allow users to manipulate data for the duration of a transaction or session. 

Distributed 

Advanced Replication 

N 

Y 

Y 

Advanced replication includes basic replication functionality plus multi-master replication, Replication Manager, and parallel propagation to maximize throughput. 

Distributed 

Basic replication 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Oracle8i server fully supports bi-directional replication with automated conflict detection and resolution. Supported configurations include a single updatable master site with multiple updatable or read-only snapshot sites. 

Distributed 

Distributed queries 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Queries can include tables from multiple databases. 

Distributed 

Distributed transactions 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Transactions can include tables from multiple databases. Includes transparent two phase commit functionality and XA support. 

Distributed 

Heterogeneous services 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Queries and transactions can involve Oracle and non-Oracle databases transparently. This functionality is used by Oracle Transparent Gateways. 

Networking 

N-tier authentication/ authorization 

N 

Y 

Y 

N-tier authentication functionality that preserves client identity through all tiers. 

Networking 

Network access control 

N 

Y 

Y 

Provides filtering capabilities between clients and servers and acts as relay for thin JDBC connections that have no access privileges to the database host  

Networking  

Connection pooling 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Connection pooling enables the server to time-out idle sessions and use that connection to service an active session, resulting in more efficient network usage. 

Networking  

Multi-protocol connectivity 

N 

Y 

Y 

Bridges Net8 communities of users that use different network protocols such as SPX/IPX, TCP/IP or LU6.2 

Networking  

Multiplexing 

N 

Y 

Y 

Multiplexing enables multiple network sessions to coexist over a single physical transport, reducing the number of physical connections a server must maintain to support a population of clients. 

Networking  

Net8 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Net8 enables heterogeneous, distributed computing across machines regardless of vendor, operating system, or hardware architecture.  

Networking  

Oracle Connection Manager 

N 

Y 

Y 

Multiplexing, Multi-protocol connectivity, Network Access Control. 

Networking  

Oracle Names 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Provides fully integrated, multi-protocol network naming service that allows administrators to centrally define service addresses, inter-database links, aliases and client configuration profiles. 

Program Interfaces 

AppWizard for Visual Studio (NT only) 

Y 

Y 

Y 

AppWizard to ease development of Oracle based applications using Visual Studio. 

Program Interfaces 

Autonomous transactions 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Blocks of PL/SQL can commit independently of each other to ease complex transaction programming. 

Program Interfaces 

COM cartridge (NT only) 

Y 

Y 

Y 

COM cartridge allows PL/SQL developers to programmatically manipulate COM objects through the OLE Automation interface. Entry points are exposed for access to the methods defined by the OLE Automation interface for easy application integration. 

Program Interfaces 

JDBC drivers 

Y 

Y 

Y 

JDBC access to Oracle8i: Java call-level interface to SQL that is standards compliant and supports Oracle-specific features. 

Program Interfaces 

Microsoft Transaction Server Integration (NT only) 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Full, native integration with Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS) to allow developers to deploy COM-based applications using MTS against Oracle. 

Program Interfaces 

Objects for OLE 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Oracle Objects for OLE is a COM-based database connectivity tool that provides seamless and optimized access to Oracle databases. 

Program Interfaces 

ODBC driver 

Y 

Y 

Y 

ODBC driver for access to the Oracle database. 

Program Interfaces 

Oracle Call Interface (OCI) 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Lowest level API interface to the Oracle database. 

Program Interfaces 

Pro*C 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Allows C programs to easily use SQL to access data. Requires Oracle Programmer 

Program Interfaces 

SQLJ  

Y 

Y 

Y 

Allows embedded SQL statements in Java for concise and easy access to Oracle data. Requires Oracle Programmer. 

System Management 

Automated standby database 

N 

Y 

Y 

Multiple remote standby databases can easily be configured and automatically managed by the server, including copying and applying the transaction log files at the standby sites. 

System Management 

Readable standby database 

N 

Y 

Y 

Databases, including a standby database, can be opened as "read-only", where no DML operations are allowed. 

System Management 

Database resource management 

N 

Y 

Y 

Resources, such as CPU and degree of parallelism, can be allocated to groups of users such that a prioritization of tasks can be managed easily. 

System Management 

Duplexed backup sets 

N 

Y 

Y 

Backup sets can be written to multiple devices in parallel. 

System Management 

Oracle DBA Management Pack 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Set of management tools bundled with Oracle Enterprise Manager. 

System Management 

Fast-start fault recovery 

N 

Y 

Y 

Fast-start fault recovery provides fast and predictable recovery from system failures. 

System Management 

Incremental backup and recovery 

N 

Y 

Y 

This functionality allows a backup process to be set up such that only changed blocks are written to the backup file. 

System Management 

Legato Storage Manager 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Integrated functionality from Legato to allow backups directly to tapes. 

System Management 

Online backup and recovery 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Backups can be run while the database is online. Recovery operations can also be run while the database is running. 

System Management 

Oracle DBA Management Pack 

Y 

Y 

Y 

This Oracle Enterprise Manager management pack includes Schema Manager and other tools. 

System Management 

Oracle Enterprise Manager 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Single, integrated console that allows easy management and monitoring of the Oracle and non-Oracle database environment. 

System Management 

Oracle Fail Safe for Oracle8i on NT 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Oracle Fail Safe makes it easy to deploy highly available single-instance Oracle8i database solutions on Microsoft Windows NT clusters. 

System Management 

Parallel backup and recovery 

N 

Y 

Y 

Both backup and recovery can be run using parallel processing. 

System Management 

Point-in-time tablespace recovery 

N 

Y 

Y 

Allows a tablespace to be recovered up to a specified point-in-time after a failure or inadvertent transaction execution. 

System Management 

Recovery Manager 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Easy to use, wizards-based functionality to setup and manage the entire backup and recovery process. 

System Management 

Server managed backup and recovery 

Y 

Y 

Y 

The database server manages the backup process, such as scheduling of backups, as well as the recovery process, such as applying the correct backup file when recovery is needed. 

System Management 

Transparent Application Failover 

N 

Y 

Y 

Oracle8i Transparent Application Failover (TAF) can completely mask many failures from end-users, by preserving the state of their application and resuming any work that had been in progress at the time of failure.