On 14 September 1998, Oracle Corporation announced Oracle 8i, the much-anticipated database that features an Internet platform for managing enterprise applications, web sites, Java programs, multi-media content and Internet files. Put simply, Oracle 8i is the worlds first Internet database.
The database, which is currently in beta testing and should be available by the end of 1998, features four break-through Internet features that simplify development, deployment and content management for Internet-based applications. These new features provide Oracle customers and partners with the most complete Internet development environment and low-cost deployment platform for Internet and enterprise applications.
"The Oracle database is already the foundation of the most popular Internet sites today," said Larry Ellison, chairman and CEO of Oracle. "Oracle8i is even better. The world`s first Java server is built right into Oracle8i. Oracle8i, by itself, is a complete environment for application development and deployment. Everything; including the user interface, program logic, data and the webserver; is in the database."
8i - packed with hot features
Thanks to the revolutionary use of Java in the database, Oracle 8i features increased performance and reduces required memory among other things. This is thanks to the worlds first database-resident Java Virtual Machine (Java VM).
The Java VM allows developers to safely write, store and execute Java code within the database, as well as create stored procedures, database functions and event triggers in Java. Integrating Java inside the database allows Java applications to run faster, more securely and more reliably. This enables Java to be used for large-scale enterprise applications, electronic commerce sites and data warehouses. The skill set needed for database programming is also greatly reduced.
In addition, Oracle8i provides support for Enterprise Java Beans, CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) and IIOP (Internet InterOrb Protocol) interfaces. This enables software components written in different languages to interact with each other based on industry standard interfaces.
Oracle iFS Combines Database Power with Internet File System
Oracle iFS (Internet File System) combines the power, reliability and security of a database with the ease of use of traditional file systems, allowing any Windows file in any format to be dragged and dropped easily into iFS and integrated into the database.
Users can now store web pages, documents, spreadsheets, word processing files, images and other traditional files directly within the database. Authorized users can then search and view any of these files from any computer through a standard web browser.
Whether users access Oracle iFS contents through Windows Explorer, a Web browser, an FTP client or email software, the files appear the same. Relational data can appear and be manipulated as files. So, too, can "hybrid" documents that combine relational and non-relational data.
Oracle WebDB manages entire Web Sites and applications
Oracle WebDB is a complete Web development environment that allows time-strapped software developers to quickly and easily build dynamic, data-driven web sites with a standard web browser and the Oracle8i database.
Internet-enabled applications and Web sites can be developed, stored and managed completely inside the Oracle database. With Oracle WebDB, there is no need to install software on every user`s machine, no need to remotely manage files from multiple servers, and no need to perform complex software upgrades.
For users of existing applications, Oracle WebDB is the fastest and easiest way to "web-enable" Oracle databases for authorized access from any browser anywhere in the world.
Oracle interMedia: Integrated Management of Multimedia Content
Internet-based applications require advanced data management services that support rich data types used in electronic commerce catalogs, corporate repositories and other Internet applications. Oracle interMedia enables Oracle8i to manage multimedia content for both Internet and traditional applications that need access to image, audio, video, location, text and relational data.
Availability
The developers` release of Oracle iFS will ship with Oracle8i and will be enhanced for production release in 1999. Oracle 8i also includes new, simplified migration wizards that provide an easy upgrade path for customers from Oracle7 and Oracle8 to Oracle8i. To ensure a smooth transition from previous versions, Oracle7 and Oracle8 customers with Oraclemetals level of support are slated to receive a free upgrade as part of their support contract.
Oracle Corporation is the world`s leading supplier of software for information management, and the world`s second largest independent software company. With annual revenues of more than $7.5 billion, the company offers its database, application server, tools and application products, along with related consulting, education and support services, in more than 140 countries around the world.
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