Wouldn't it be nice if you didn't have to install the full
Oracle client software just to get connectivity to an Oracle instance? Well, it
is now reality with Oracle's new Instant Client software offering.
Oracle Instant Client
If we wanted to go the java route and name the typical
Oracle Client installation as a "Fat-Client," the Oracle Instant
Client would be called the "Thin-Client." Oracle's Instant Client is
a small set of software and libraries that allow you to develop and deploy your
applications without having to install Oracle's Fat-Client. Taking the name and
putting a few definitions around it clarifies everything:
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Oracle
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We all know who Oracle is. In this case, it is the software,
not the company or the database.
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Instant
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Well, almost instant. With very minor download and setup
time, Oracle has given us the ability to connect from a remote machine almost
as quick as it takes for you to download this small package.
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Client
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Typical and true client/server nomenclature here. The
client here is used to make a request of the database instance. It does not
matter if you are connecting to an Oracle instance on the same box as your
client software, within the use of Oracle Instant Client, it is always
considered to be a client and not part of the requested database.
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The good news here is, even though Oracle has given us a
very small footprint in this connection mechanism, we do not lose any of the
features associated with the connection mechanism or the underlying database
instance. If you compared Oracle's full client release against the new Instant
Client you would typically find the following.
Client Comparison
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Instant Client Package
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File Size
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Download Time
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Install Space
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Installation Time
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Basic Package
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~ 30M
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~ 5 min
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~ 80M
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~ 5min
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SQL*Plus Support
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< 1M
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< 1 min
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< 1M
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Oracle
Database 10g Client Release
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~360M
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~1.5 hours
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~ 460M
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40-60min
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» 
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