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Tom Kyte

Thanks for the question, Beth.

Asked: May 31, 2002 - 4:53 pm UTC

Last updated: November 20, 2006 - 2:06 am UTC

Version: 8.1.6

Viewed 1000+ times

You Asked

Hi Tom,
Our former dba upgraded our 7.3.4 database to 8.1.6.0.0 on the server-side, but did not upgrade the client/SQL*Net.

I would like to break down and define each piece, so when I finish the upgrade, I know EXACTLY what is changing.

Here is our enviroment:
SQL Plus executable:
Plus33w.exe 10/14/97 11:56am

V$version:
Oracle8i Enterprise Edition Release 8.1.6.0.0 - Production
PL/SQL Release 8.1.6.0.0 - Production
CORE 8.1.6.0.0 Production
TNS for Solaris: Version 8.1.6.0.0 - Production
NLSRTL Version 3.4.0.0.0 – Production

ODBC Driver
Oracle 73 Ver 2.5

compatible = 8.1.6

So, it seems we need to move the ODBC driver, and the SQL Plus executable to Oracle 8.1.6/8.1.7.

I also obviously want to move to Net8, but it seems we may already be using it, as I see TNS for Solaris: Version 8.1.6.0.0 not TNS for Solaris: Version 2.3.4.0.0 So are we using Net8 with a really old SQL Plus executable and ODBC driver?

Can you explain which components make up the “Client”, and “Net8/SQLNet”, as referenced above, and which are coming from the server side and which are coming from the client side?

Thanks as always for your great answers!



and Tom said...

The client (v7.3.4 in your case) is using the old sqlplus.

Oracle prides itself on being backwards compatible as much as possible - it is something we definitely try for. The older version client should be able to connect and use the database as before -- it'll only be when you start to use new features like LOBS and such that they will notice a problem.

On the server, you are using net8.

On the client you are still using 2.3.4.

the sqlplus executable -- that is client side
v$version - server side
odbc driver -- client side
compatible -- server side


You need to test if you can move the client to 8i -- or if you need to fix something first....


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Comments

ODBC Driver

Tony, April 30, 2003 - 1:17 pm UTC

Hi Tom,
Thanks a lot for your help,
I have oracle 817 client and application running on an AIX box and database is on win2000 box(test env.) , we are getting some connection issues and Oracle is recommending to install 9.2x ODBC driver. My question is can I install 9.2 ODBC driver on my existing 8.1.7 env. if yes, do i need to do it on both database and client machines? and how can we just install ODBC driver without impacting anything else.

Tom Kyte
April 30, 2003 - 7:04 pm UTC

do you use thin? if so, it is just a jar file, you can plop it down anywhere you want and just change the classpath.

if it is thick, you need to install the 920 client software.

JDBC Driver

tony, April 30, 2003 - 1:56 pm UTC

Tom,
sorry my mistake it's not ODBC driver but JDBC that I wanted to know about

Regards
Tony

SQL*Net Version

Reader, June 06, 2003 - 6:36 pm UTC

Tom,
How do I find out SQL*Net/Net8 version info on Windoz ?

Thanks

Tom Kyte
June 06, 2003 - 8:18 pm UTC

fire up the installer.

it'll list what is on there.



Invisible, November 14, 2006 - 10:52 am UTC

It seems that this is about the best place to ask this question...

I have a 3rd party application that is currently running on an Oracle 8.1.6 database. I have another application that I'd like to install - but it wants to use Oracle 8.1.7.

As I understand it, it is possible to have more than one version of Oracle on the same server, so that isn't a problem as such... but I would really prefer to only have 1 version of Oracle to worry about.

Do you know what the difference between 8.1.6 and 8.1.7 is? Is a 3rd party application likely to "care" about such differences?

(Operative word: likely. I realise that you probably can't give me a 100% answer on this one. You haven't seen the apps after all...)

Of course, in an ideal world we would TEST all these things. Unfortunately, hardware doesn't grow on trees. That means the only thing I have that's powerful enough to run two instances of Oracle is the production server... *sigh*


Tom Kyte
November 15, 2006 - 6:37 am UTC

you must contact your 3rd party vendor and ask them what versions they will support.

Yes, there are differences between 816 and 817.
Yes, they likely would "care"


Fortunately, hardware costs less than the time you and I would spend fixing such things .

Now there's an equation...!

Invisible, November 17, 2006 - 12:22 pm UTC

Haha! Clearly you get paid DRASTICALLY more than I do...

Anyway, app1 belongs to a company that recently got bought out, and app2 belongs to a company we don't even have a contract with, so it's not as if I can ask them. (If I could, I imagine their reply would be "we haven't bothered to test that; please buy our latest product".)

That being the case, it seems the simplest thing to do would be to just run two versions...

(While we're on the topic, would I be correct in thinking that both 8.1.6 and 8.1.7 are no longer supported by Oracle? Not that we have a contract with them either...)

Anyway, thank you for your (expensive?) time.


Tom Kyte
November 20, 2006 - 2:06 am UTC

Hardware seriously does cost less these days - especially on the scale you seem to be talking (being worried about running two instances for testing, you can do that on most desktop machines these days....

you would be correct in your support assumptions.