multiple instances vs databases

[kburrows]

Help,
I am trying to understand this concept.

What is meant by multiple instances?

I have an 8.0.6 database already up. I need to create another (database? instance?) with 8i on the same machine. These two will not be connected at all. Am I creating another instance or another database or both?

Thanks in advance

[carp]

An instance allows you to access a database. Consequently, you can have more than one instance per database (using the Oracle Parallel Server), but you can only have one database for any given instance. So if you want to have multiple instances on the same machine, you will also have to have multiple databases (and vice versa).

[Jang]

But you can have multiple schemas in a database, which will allow for multiple applications to use the same instance/database.
Whether or not this is appropriate for your situation is another question entirely.
In reading your questions, if the two applications are unrelated, it would be best for them to have their own instance and database.

[sambavan]

I thought this thread would help you to better undestand the concept:

[url]http://ora.dbasupport.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=3421[/url]

Sam