Oracle Corp, Redwood Shores, California introduced Version 7.1 of its relational database management system with added support for parallel processing and data replication at the company’s international Oracle user week in Florida. Oracle, claiming to have taken the lead in the race to produce a commercial parallel server architecture, says Oracle Version 7.1 will provide the capabilities to enable a single SQL query to be decomposed and have its parts executed across many different processors. Called the Parallel Query Option, the software automatically analyses SQL queries and decides which operations need to be executed and in what order. According to Oracle, this happens transparently, so developers do not have to write special parallel code for their existing applications. By being able to break down individual queries in this manner, performance and transaction throughput is speeded up, the company claims. For example, symmetrical multiprocessing systems, which have from two to 30 processors, can achieve performance improvements of up to a factor 30 running Oracle version 7.1, the company claims. However, despite the firm’s claims, Oracle 7.1 will have to compete with a raft of similar products from most other relational database suppliers.

Update anywhere data replication

Sybase Inc intends to introduce its parallel database, NavigationServer, by the end of the year, and Informix Corp is expected to announce its plans in November. The parallel query option will be available first on multiprocessor and clustered Digital Equipment Corp, Sun Microsystems Inc and Sequent Computer Systems Inc machines in the first quarter of 1994, with IBM Corp, NCR Corp and Pyramid Technology Corp versions to follow. No prices have been fixed yet. Other enhancements to 7.1 include update anywhere data replication, which in effect mimics similar products from Sybase with Replication Server and Ingres Corp’s Replicator. The replication option of Oracle 7.1 will automatically maintain copies (replicas) of the same data on multiple distributed databases. This enables applications to update any of the copies of the replicated data directly across the environment. The replication facility goes in to beta test in the first quarter of 1994 and will be available in the second half of next year, Oracle says. Meanwhile, in another announcement at the conference, the firm also launched Oracle Office, an enterprise-wide office messaging system for client-server environments. Oracle Office is the company’s first attempt at providing office automation software and the company plans to target IBM Profs, DEC All-in-1 and ICL Plc TeamOffice markets. According to Oracle, the software operates in a server-based architecture and includes a wide range of messaging applications including a diary, scheduler, intelligent proof-reader and directory services, as well as electronic mail. Client versions of Oracle Office will be available for Microsoft Corp Windows, Motif, Macintosh and character-based terminals. For interoperability with other mailing systems, Oracle Office also provides gateways to Unix Mail, X400, Novell’s Message Handling Systems and IBM Profs. Oracle Office start to ship in November. No prices were given.