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6 Application Architecture
6.1.1. Client/Server Architecture
6.1.2. Multitier Architecture
6.1.2.1. Clients
6.1.2.2. Application Servers
6.1.2.3. Database Servers
6.1.3. Oracle Net Services
6.1.3.1.1. Connectivity
6.1.3.1.2. Manageability
6.1.3.1.3. Internet Scalability
6.1.3.1.4. Internet Security
6.1.3.2. How Oracle Net Services
Works
6.1.3.3. The Listener
6.1.3.3.1. Service Information
Registration
6 Application Architecture
This chapter defines application architecture and describes how the Oracle server and
database applications work in a distributed processing environment. This material applies
to almost every type of Oracle database system environment.
* Client/Server Architecture
* Multitier Architecture
* Oracle Net Services
Client/Server Architecture
In the Oracle database system environment, the database application and the database are
separated into two parts: a front-end or client portion, and a back-end or server portion--
hence the term client/server architecture. The client runs the database application that
accesses database information and interacts with a user through the keyboard, screen, and
pointing device, such as a mouse. The server runs the Oracle software and handles the
functions required for concurrent, shared data access to an Oracle database.
Although the client application and Oracle can be run on the same computer, greater
efficiency can often be achieved when the client portions and server portion are run by
different computers connected through a network. The following sections discuss
possible variations in the Oracle client/server architecture.
Distributed processing is the use of more than one processor to perform the processing
for an individual task. Examples of distributed processing in Oracle database systems
appear in Figure 6-1.
* In Part A of the figure, the client and server are located on different computers, and
these computers are connected through a network. The server and clients of an Oracle
database system communicate through Oracle Net Services, Oracle's network interface.
* In Part B of the figure, a single computer has more than one processor, and different
processors separate the execution of the client application from Oracle.
Note:
This chapter applies to environments with one database on one server. In a distributed
database, one server (Oracle) may need to access a database on another server.
See Also:
o "Oracle Net Services" for more information about Oracle Net Services
o Oracle9i Database Administrator's Guide for more information about clients and
servers in distributed databases
Multitier Architecture
In a multitier architecture environment, an application server provides data for clients and
serves as an interface between clients and database servers. This architecture is
particularly important because of the prevalence of Internet use.
Clients
A client initiates a request for an operation to be performed on the database server. The
client can be a Web browser or other end-user process. In a multitier architecture, the
client connects to the database server through one or more application servers.
Application Servers
An application server provides access to the data for the client. It serves as an interface
between the client and one or more database servers, which provides an additional level
of security. It can also perform some of the query processing for the client, thus removing
some of the load from the database server.
The application server assumes the identity of the client when it is performing operations
on the database server for that client. The application server's privileges are restricted to
prevent it from performing unneeded and unwanted operations during a client operation.
Database Servers
The Oracle database server can audit operations performed by the application server on
behalf of individual clients as well as operations performed by the application server on
its own behalf. For example, a client operation can be a request for information to be
displayed on the client, whereas an application server operation can be a request for a
connection to the database server.
See Also:
"Multitier Authentication and Authorization" for more information about security issues
in a multitier environment
Oracle Net Services
The following sections introduce several Oracle Net Services solutions in a typical
network configuration.
Connectivity
After a network session is established, Oracle Net Services acts as a data courier for the
client application and the database server. It is responsible for establishing and
maintaining the connection between the client application and database server, as well as
exchanging messages between them. Oracle Net Services is able to perform these jobs
because it is located on each computer in the network.
Manageability
Oracle Net Services provides location transparency, centralized configuration and
management, and quick out-of-the-box installation and configuration.
Internet Scalability
Oracle Net Services enables you to maximize system resources and improve
performance. Oracle's shared server architecture increases the scalability of applications
and the number of clients simultaneously connected to the database.The Virtual Interface
(VI) protocol places most of the messaging burden on high-speed network hardware,
freeing the CPU for more important tasks.
Internet Security
Network security is enhanced with features like database access control and Oracle
Advanced Security.
See Also:
Oracle9i Net Services Administrator's Guide for more information about these features
How Oracle Net Services Works
The Oracle protocols take SQL statements from the interface of the Oracle applications
and package them for transmission to Oracle through one of the supported industry-
standard higher level protocols or programmatic interfaces. The protocols also take
replies from Oracle and package them for transmission to the applications through the
same higher level communications mechanism. This is all done independently of the
network operating system.
Depending on the operation system that runs Oracle, the Oracle Net Services software of
the database server could include the driver software and start an additional Oracle
background process.
See Also:
Oracle9i Net Services Administrator's Guide for more information about how Oracle Net
Services works
The Listener
Dynamic service registration reduces the administrative overhead for multiple databases
or instances. Information about the services to which the listener forwards client requests
is registered with the listener. Service information can by dynamically registered with the
listener through a feature called service registration or statically configured in the
listener.ora file.