Glossary

Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability (ACID)

ACID consists of the four primary attributes provided to any transaction by a transaction manager (also called a transaction monitor).

component object model (COM)

A binary standard that enables objects to interact with other objects, regardless of the programming language in which each object was written.

distributed component object model (DCOM)

An extension of COM that enables objects to interact with other objects across a network.

data manipulation language

The category of SQL statements that query and update database data. Common DML statements are SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE.

JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES

This initialization parameter specifies the number of job queue processes started in an instance. This parameter must be set to at least 1 to run job queue processes.

listener.ora

A listener configuration file that identifies the following for a listener:

• Unique name
  
  
• Protocol addresses on which it accepts connection requests
  
  
• Services for which it is listening

Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (MS DTC)

The focal point of the transaction process is a component of Microsoft Transaction Server called Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (MS DTC).

Microsoft application demo

An Oracle Call Interface (OCI) implementation of the Visual C++ Sample Bank package that ships with Microsoft Transaction Server on Windows NT.

Microsoft Management Console

An application that serves as a host for administrative tools called snap-ins. By itself, Microsoft Management Console does not provide any functionality.

Microsoft Transaction Server

A COM-based transaction processing system that runs on an Internet or network server.

mtssys

The default Microsoft Transaction Server administrator username. In releases prior to Oracle9i release 1 (9.0.1), this was the username for the Oracle Service for MTS.

net service name

The name used by clients to identify an Oracle Net server and the specific system identifier (SID) or database for the Oracle Net connection. A net service name is mapped to a port number and protocol. A net service name is also known as a connect string, database alias, host string, or service name.

This also identifies the specific SID or database server to which the connection is attaching, and not just the Oracle Net server.

ORAMTS_ORADB

Database alias for connecting the Oracle Service for MTS to the Oracle database (no longer supported with Oracle Services for Microsoft Transaction Service, as of Oracle9i release 1 (9.0.1)).

Oracle Call Interface (OCI)

An application programming interface that enables you to manipulate data and schemas in a database server. You compile and link an OCI program in the same way that you compile and link a nondatabase application. There is no requirement for a separate preprocessing or precompilation step.

Oracle Fail Safe

Ensures that if a failure occurs on one cluster node, then the database servers and applications running on that node fail over (move) automatically and quickly to a surviving node.

Oracle Manager for MTS Services snap-in

This Microsoft Management Console snap-in is no longer available or required with Oracle Services for Microsoft Transaction Server, as of Oracle9i release 1 (9.0.1).

Oracle MTS Recovery Service

The Oracle MTS Recovery Service resolves in-doubt transactions on the computer that started the failed transaction. A scheduled recovery job for each Microsoft Transaction Server-enabled database server lets the Oracle MTS Recovery Service resolve in-doubt transactions.

Oracle Objects for OLE (OO4O)

A custom control (OCX or ActiveX) combined with an object linking and embedding (OLE) in-process server that lets you plug native Oracle database functionality into your Windows applications.

Oracle Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) Driver

Oracle ODBC Driver provides a standard interface that allows one application to access many different data sources. The application's source code does not have to be recompiled for each data source. A database driver links the application to a specific data source. A database driver is a dynamic link library that an application can invoke on demand to gain access to a particular data source. Therefore, the application can access any data source for which a database driver exists.

Oracle Provider for OLE DB

Interfaces that offer high performance and efficient access to Oracle data by applications, compilers, and other database components.

Oracle Service for MTS

This Windows NT service is no longer available or required with Oracle Services for Microsoft Transaction Server, as of Oracle9i release 1 (9.0.1).

Oracle Services for Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS)

A component that provides full integration of Oracle database releases 8.0.6 and greater with Microsoft Transaction Server. This component enables you to develop and deploy COM-based applications using Microsoft Transaction Server.

Optimal Flexible Architecture (OFA)

A set of file naming and placement guidelines for Oracle software and databases.

resource manager (RM)

Microsoft Transaction Server enlists the database server to act as a resource manager (RM) in the transaction process.

SYSDBA

A special database administration role that contains all system privileges with the ADMIN OPTION and the SYSOPER system privilege. SYSDBA also permits CREATE DATABASE actions and time-based recovery.

SYSOPER

A special database administration role that permits a database administrator to perform STARTUP, SHUTDOWN, ALTER DATABASE OPEN/MOUNT, ALTER DATABASE BACKUP, ARCHIVE LOG, and RECOVER, and includes the RESTRICTED SESSION privilege.

tnsnames.ora

A file that contains connect descriptors mapped to net service names. The file can be maintained centrally or locally for use by all or individual clients.

transaction identifiers (XIDs)

Identifies the client computer from which a transaction originated.