Oracle users query 9i performance leap

Oracle's forthcoming 9i database is designed for ebusiness and promises unprecedented speed and scalability, but users are waiting for proof.

Due to ship in spring 2001, the 9i database includes real application clustering, based on cache fusion technology, which Oracle claims will allow limitless scalability with no drop in performance.

9i also includes the new DejaView feature, which allows data to be restored to its state at any fixed time.

The application server cache function stores web pages in memory, and Oracle claims a 1300 per cent increase in traffic handling.

The database also includes a flashback query function which allows error correction online if a mistake has been made in data entry. Previously the database had to be taken off line.

"This is the single largest engineering feat Oracle has undertaken," said director of product marketing Stephen Millard.

"Our main message is that 9i is an increase in performance levels, providing the same features as 8i, but more so," he added.

Oracle expects existing 8i customers to upgrade to 9i, but is also looking to expand further into the small to medium-sized enterprise marketplace, where database requirements may start small but potentially may need unlimited scalability.

At the sneak preview of the database at the Oracle user group conference in Birmingham last week, however, customers wanted less marketing and more technical detail about the database.

"DejaView looks brilliant, but I think it might be a bit of a gimmick because I can't see how they're going to keep substantiated data going back five years," said Telewest senior database administrator Ted Lester.

"Based on the presentation 9i looks fabulous but we need more detail on how it works. I'm not interested in marketing, I'm interested in technical solutions to our problems," he said.

First published in Computing