Glossary

Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability (ACID)

ACID consists of the four primary attributes provided to any transaction by a transaction manager (also called a transaction manager).

component object model (COM)

A binary standard that enables objects to interact with other objects, regardless of the programming language in which each object was written.

distributed component object model (DCOM)

An extension of COM that enables objects to interact with other objects across a network.

data manipulation language

The category of SQL statements that query and update database data. Common DML statements are SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE.

JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES

This initialization parameter specifies the maximum number of DBMS_JOB jobs and Oracle Scheduler (DBMS_SCHEDULER) jobs running concurrently on an instance. This parameter must be set to at least 1 to run Oracle Scheduler or DBMS_JOB jobs and to use database features that depend on these jobs

listener.ora

A listener configuration file that identifies the following for a listener:

• Unique name

• Protocol addresses on which it accepts connection requests

• Services for which it is listening

Microsoft .NET

Microsoft .NET is a set of Microsoft software technologies used to connect information, people, systems, and devices through web services to each other and to larger applications over the Internet.

Microsoft application demo

An Oracle Call Interface (OCI) implementation of the Visual C++ Sample Bank package that ships with Microsoft Transaction Server on Windows.

Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (MS DTC)

The focal point of the transaction process is a component of Microsoft Transaction Server called Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (MS DTC).

Microsoft Transaction Server

A COM-based transaction processing system that runs on an Internet or network server.

mtssys

The default Microsoft Transaction Server administrator username. In releases prior to Oracle9i Database release 1 (9.0.1), this was the username for the OraMTS.

net service name

The name used by clients to identify an Oracle Net server and the specific system identifier (SID) or database for the Oracle Net connection. A net service name is mapped to a port number and protocol. A net service name is also known as a connect string, database alias, host string, or service name.

This also identifies the specific SID or database to which the connection is attaching, and not just the Oracle Net server.

OraMTS

Abbreviation for "Oracle Services for Microsoft Transaction Server".

Oracle Call Interface (OCI)

An application programming interface that enables you to manipulate data and schemas in a database. You compile and link an OCI program in the same way that you compile and link a nondatabase application. There is no requirement for a separate preprocessing or precompilation step.

Oracle Data Provider for .NET (ODP.NET)

Oracle Data Provider for .NET (ODP.NET) features optimized data access to the Oracle Database from a .NET environment. ODP.NET includes support for connection pooling, PL/SQL, LOBs, RefCursors, globalization/localization, proxy user authentication/ parameter array binding, named parameters, and safe type mapping between Oracle types and .NET types.

Oracle Fail Safe

Ensures that if a failure occurs on one cluster node, then the databases and applications running on that node fail over (move) automatically and quickly to a surviving node.

Oracle MTS Recovery Service

The Oracle MTS Recovery Service resolves in-doubt transactions on the computer that started the failed transaction. A scheduled recovery job for each Microsoft Transaction Server-enabled database lets the Oracle MTS Recovery Service resolve in-doubt transactions.

Oracle Objects for OLE (OO4O)

Oracle Objects for OLE (OO4O) is a COM-based database connectivity tool that combines seamless and optimized access to Oracle Database instances with easy to use interfaces.

Oracle Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) Driver

Oracle ODBC Driver provides a standard interface that allows one application to access many different data sources. The application's source code does not have to be recompiled for each data source. A database driver links the application to a specific data source. A database driver is a dynamic link library that an application can invoke on demand to gain access to a particular data source. Therefore, the application can access any data source for which a database driver exists.

Oracle Provider for OLE DB

Interfaces that offer high performance and efficient access to Oracle data by applications, compilers, and other database components.

Oracle Services for Microsoft Transaction Server (OraMTS)

A component that provides full integration of the Oracle Database with Microsoft Transaction Server. This component enables you to develop and deploy COM-based applications using Microsoft Transaction Server.

Optimal Flexible Architecture (OFA)

A set of file naming and placement guidelines for Oracle software and databases.

resource manager (RM)

Microsoft Transaction Server enlists the database to act as a resource manager (RM) in the transaction process.

SYSDBA

A special database administration role that contains all system privileges with the ADMIN OPTION and the SYSOPER system privilege. SYSDBA also permits CREATE DATABASE actions and time-based recovery.

SYSOPER

A special database administration role that permits a database administrator to perform STARTUP, SHUTDOWN, ALTER DATABASE OPEN/MOUNT, ALTER DATABASE BACKUP, ARCHIVE LOG, and RECOVER, and includes the RESTRICTED SESSION privilege.

tnsnames.ora

A file that contains connect descriptors mapped to net service names. The file can be maintained centrally or locally for use by all or individual clients.

transaction identifiers (XIDs)

Identifies the client computer from which a transaction originated.