To prevent users continuing to have to rely on the file systems in Microsoft’s Windows NT or Novell’s NetWare, Oracle has said it will include an Internet File System (iFS) with the upcoming release of its core database, Oracle 8i. The iFS is written in Java. According to the company, when combined with the enormous processor power that is on the market today, that fact means iFS can overcome traditional size limitations on file systems bundled with databases. The new file system should let Oracle 8i store web pages alongside word processing files, spreadsheets and multimedia objects. Executives say this capability elevates Oracle 8i from mere database status to a full internet operating system. Whatever that is, it’s certainly a step up from Oracle 8i’s original incarnation as plain old Oracle 8.1. The grand unveiling is slated for September 14 in New York.
