Oracle7 Server Administrator's Guide
Identifying Oracle Software Releases
Because Oracle products are always undergoing development and change, several releases of the products can be in use at any one time. To identify a software product fully, as many as five numbers may be required.
This section includes the following topics:
Release Number Format
An Oracle7 Server distribution tape might be labeled "Release 7.0.4.1." The following sections translate this number.
Figure 1 - 2. Example of an Oracle7 Release Number
Version Number
The version number, such as 7, is the most general identifier. A version is a major new edition of the software, which usually contains significant new functionality.
Maintenance Release Number
The maintenance release number signifies different releases of the general version, starting with 0, as in version 7.0. The maintenance release number increases when bug fixes or new features to existing programs become available.
Patch Release Number
The patch release number identifies a specific level of the object code, such as 7.0.4. A patch release contains fixes for serious bugs that cannot wait until the next maintenance release. The first distribution of a maintenance release always has a patch number of 0.
Port-Specific Patch Release Number
A fourth number (and sometimes a fifth number) can be used to identify a particular emergency patch release of a software product on that operating system, such as 7.0.4.1. or 7.0.4.1.3. An emergency patch is not usually intended for wide distribution; it usually fixes or works around a particular, critical problem.
Examples of Release Numbers
The following examples show possible release numbers for Oracle7:
| 7.0.0
| the first distribution of Oracle7
|
| 7.1.0
| the first maintenance release of Oracle7
|
| 7.2.0
| the second maintenance release (the third release in all) of Oracle7
|
| 7.2.2
| the second patch release after the second maintenance release
|
Versions of Other Oracle Software
As Oracle Corporation introduces new products and enhances existing ones, the version numbers of the individual products increment independently. Thus, you might have an Oracle7 Server Release 7.0.12.2 system working with Oracle Forms Version 4.0.3, SQL*Plus Version 3.1.9, and Pro*FORTRAN Version 1.5.2. (These numbers are used only for illustration.)
Checking Your Current Release Number
To see which release of Oracle and its components you are using, query the data dictionary view PRODUCT_COMPONENT_VERSION, as shown below (This information is useful if you need to call Oracle Support.):
SVRMGR> SELECT * FROM product_component_version;
PRODUCT VERSION STATUS
-------------------------- ------------------- ------------
CORE 3.4.1.0.0 Production
NLSRTL 3.1.3.0.0 Production
Oracle7 Server 7.2.1.0.0 Beta Release
PL/SQL 2.2.1.0.0 Beta
TNS for SunOS: 2.1.4.0.0 Production
5 rows selected.