Microsoft OracleClient to ODP.NET Application Migration: Deployment

You can deploy ODP.NET in the same way you normally deploy the Oracle Database Client with Microsoft OracleClient. Microsoft OracleClient requires the installation of Oracle Database Client. ODP.NET installation automatically includes Oracle Database Client. As such, there is no need for a separate Oracle Database Client installation.

Depending on your requirements, there are a number of ways to deploy ODP.NET. The following summarize the the most commonly used deployment methods.

  • Oracle Universal Installer (OUI) - When individuals deploy ODP.NET themselves or within small teams, OUI is the preferred installation method. There is no install customization work required of administrators. End users have an easy, graphical step by step installation. Because developers generally employ OUI, this installation method includes ODP.NET documentation and code samples.
  • Silent Install - For larger deployments, OUI can be customized to run non-interactively without a graphical user interface, making silent install useful for embedding. System adminstrators record and customize an install script, which tells OUI which Oracle software components to install and how to configure them silently. Its main benefit is install automation, but patching and software maintenance is easier as administrators know exactly what is installed on client machines and how they are configured. For more information on silent installation, read the silent install section of the Oracle Database Client Installation Guide for Windows. While the guide discusses the Oracle Database Client in general, the silent install information still pertains to ODAC.
  • XCopy - When system administrators need to deploy run-time installations in large numbers, the xcopy deployment method is preferred. The xcopy method provides administrators fine grain control over how ODP.NET is deployed. The install scripts consist of customizable text files so that administrators can easily add or remove software they need or do not need, respectively. They can even embed the scripts into third-party deployment software or their own in-house installation scripts. Because the xcopy method was built for large scale run-time deployments, such as within an enterprise or for an independent software vendor, the install size is much smaller than an OUI deployment, eschewing ODP.NET documentation and samples from the installation. For more information on xcopy installation, download the ODAC xcopy version and read the documentation inluded with the software.