Databases and Information Management

client/server (distributed processing) environments	To take full advantage of a given computer system or network, Oracle allows processing to be split between the database server and the client application programs. The computer running the database management system handles all of the database server responsibilities while the workstations running the database application concentrate on the interpretation and display of data.
large databases and space management	Oracle supports the largest of databases, potentially terabytes in size. To make efficient use of expensive hardware devices, it allows full control of space usage.
many concurrent database users	Oracle supports large numbers of concurrent users executing a variety of database applications operating on the same data. It minimizes data contention and guarantees data concurrency.
high transaction processing performance	Oracle maintains the preceding features with a high degree of overall system performance. Database users do not suffer from slow processing performance.
high availability	At some sites, Oracle works 24 hours per day with no down time to limit database throughput. Normal system operations such as database backup and partial computer system failures do not interrupt database use.
controlled availability	Oracle can selectively control the availability of data, at the database level and sub-database level. For example, an administrator can disallow use of a specific application so that the application's data can be reloaded, without affecting other applications.
openness, industry standards	Oracle adheres to industry accepted standards for the data access language, operating systems, user interfaces, and network communication protocols. It is an "open" system that protects a customer's investment.
	Release 7.3 of the Oracle Server has been certified by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology as 100% compliant with Entry Level of the ANSI/ISO SQL92 (Structured Query Language) standard. Oracle fully satisfies the requirements of the U.S. Government's FIPS127-2 standard and includes a "flagger" to highlight non-standard SQL usage.
	Also, Oracle7 has been evaluated by the U.S. Government's National Computer Security Center (NCSC) as compliant with the Orange Book security criteria; the Oracle7 Server and Trusted Oracle7 comply with the C2 and B1 Orange Book levels, respectively, as well as with comparable European ITSEC security criteria.
	Oracle also supports the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) standard for system management. This protocol allows administrators to manage heterogeneous systems with a single administration interface.
manageable security	To protect against unauthorized database access and use, Oracle provides fail-safe security features to limit and monitor data access. These features make it easy to manage even the most complex design for data access.
database enforced integrity	Oracle enforces data integrity, "business rules" that dictate the standards for acceptable data. As a result, the costs of coding and managing checks in many database applications are eliminated.

distributed systems	For networked, distributed environments, Oracle combines the data physically located on different computers into one logical database that can be accessed by all network users. Distributed systems have the same degree of user transparency and data consistency as non-distributed systems, yet receive the advantages of local database management.

	Oracle also offers the heterogeneous option that allows users to access data on some non-Oracle databases transparently.

portability	Oracle software is ported to work under different operating systems. Applications developed for Oracle can be ported to any operating system with little or no modification.
compatibility	Oracle software is compatible with industry standards, including most industry standard operating systems. Applications developed for Oracle can be used on virtually any system with little or no modification.
connectibility	Oracle software allows different types of computers and operating systems to share information across networks.

replicated environments	Oracle software lets you replicate groups of tables and their supporting objects to multiple sites. Oracle supports replication of both data- and schema-level changes to these sites. Oracle's flexible replication technology supports basic primary site replication as well as advanced dynamic and shared-ownership models.

The following sections provide a comprehensive overview of the Oracle architecture. Each major section describes a different part of the overall architecture.