Oracle Previews Oracle8i Internet Database

Oracle Corp. previewed its new Oracle8i
database at a special event for 300 global hardware and software partners.

Oracle8i is designed to integrate Java programs, Web sites
and Internet content, with the aim of helping customers build Internet-based
applications more easily and effectively.

“The Oracle database is already the foundation of the most popular Internet sites today,” said Larry Ellison, chairman and CEO of Oracle. “Oracle8i is even better. The world’s first Java server is built right into Oracle8i. By itself it is a complete environment for application development and
deployment. Everything–user interface, program logic, data, Web server–everything is in the database.”

Oracle8i’s Java Virtual Machine (Java VM) is made to allow developers to write, store
and execute Java code within the database, and to create stored procedures,
database functions and event triggers in Java. It also reduces the skill set
needed for database programming, the firm said, adding that developers have a choice of using Java,
PL/SQL (Oracle’s structured query language), C or OCI (open call interface)
languages to create an Oracle database application.

Oracle8i sees the introduction of a new programming syntax–named SQLJ–
which provides an interface between Java and relational databases. SQLJ is
also now an embedded part of Oracle JDeveloper, the vendor’s leading Java
development tool.

Currently in beta, Oracle8i is scheduled for general availability later this year.