1 Oracle Database Client Installation Overview

1.1 Installation Overview

The Oracle Database Client installation process consists of four steps:

1. Planning your installation: This chapter describes the Oracle products that you can install and issues that you must consider before starting the installation.

2. Completing preinstallation tasks: Chapter 2 describes preinstallation tasks that you must complete before installing the product.

3. Installing software: Chapter 3 describes how to use Oracle Universal Installer to install this product.

4. Completing postinstallation tasks: Chapter 4 describes recommended and required postinstallation tasks.

1.2 Oracle Database Client Installation Types

You can choose one of the following installation types when installing Oracle Database Client:

• Administrator: Enables applications to connect to an Oracle database on the local system or on a remote system. It also provides tools that let you administer an Oracle database.

• Runtime: Enables applications to connect to an Oracle database on the local system or on a remote system.

• Custom: Allows you to select individual components from the list of Administrator and Runtime components.

• Instant Client: Enables you to install only the shared libraries required by Oracle Call Interface applications that use the Instant Client feature. This installation type requires much less disk space than the other Oracle Database Client installation types.

1.3 Oracle Base Directory

If you install Oracle Database Client on a computer with no other Oracle software installed, then Oracle Universal Installer creates an Oracle base directory for you. If Oracle software is already installed, then one or more Oracle base directories already exist. In the latter case, Oracle Universal Installer offers you a choice of Oracle base directories into which you can install Oracle Database Client.

You are not required to create an Oracle base directory before installation, but you can do so if you want.

1.4 Multiple Oracle Homes

Starting with Oracle Database 10g release 1 (10.1), all Oracle components can be installed in multiple Oracle homes on the same computer. However, some components can only support one active instance at a time. This means that the current (latest) installation renders the previous one inactive. These components are:

• Oracle Administration Assistant for Windows

• Oracle Counters for Windows Performance Monitor

• Oracle Objects for OLE

• Oracle Provider for OLE DB