Beginning Oracle Database 11g Administration From Novice to Professional

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CHAPTER 4 PLANNING
Free to Download, Free to Learn, Unlimited Evaluation
You can freely download Oracle database software from the Oracle web site and use it for
self-education, evaluate its suitability for a project, or develop a prototype of an application.
The following language is found at
:
“All software downloads are free, and each comes with a Development License that
allows you to use full versions of the products at no charge while developing and
prototyping your applications (or for strictly self-educational purposes).” 2
No license keys are required to unlock Oracle database software, there is no limit to
the length of the evaluation period, there are no restrictions on the use of the product,
and you don’t need to provide information about yourself or your company if you don’t
want to do so. Oracle does not appear to be worried about the potential for illegal use of
its software and stands alone in the software industry in allowing its product to be downloaded
and used in this way; some of its commercial success can undoubtedly be traced
to its liberal download and usage policies.
Database Editions
Just as Microsoft does with Windows Vista, Oracle packages its software into different versions.
Those who need only basic database functionality can buy a less expensive edition
than a large international corporation that needs the high-end features. Here are some of
the editions that you can choose from:
Oracle Express Edition: Provides a significant subset of Oracle Database
functionality—comparable to that of Standard Edition, described next—as a free
starter edition. There are significant restrictions on its use—for example, the database
size is restricted to four gigabytes—but Express Edition can be used without charge
even in commercial settings—for example, a starter database bundled with a software
product—and formal classroom settings. A significant attraction is its ease of deployment;
it is provided as a self-extracting executable for Windows or an RPM package for
Linux.
Standard Edition: Includes a significant subset of Oracle Database functionality. There
are no restrictions on the size of the database, but there is a restriction on the size of
the server; Standard Edition can only be installed on servers with a maximum capacity
of four CPUs. It is not suitable for the largest databases, because performance and
2. Please review the precise terms of the development license at
.