Docker container- Oracle Full Client Install - Alternatives

[chayzgithub]

Hello Oracle Team,

I have a need to build an image with Oracle Client including tools such has SQLplus, LoadJava, SQLLoader, tnsping etc..
The Oracle 19c Instant client has everything that I need but the loadjava, Not sure about tnsping yet. Here are my questions

1. Is it possible to install/add loadJava alone to my Instant Client install?
2. If I do need a full client - is there a docker image I can download?
3. If there is no image for a full client , to keep the size in mind, I see there are two options
   a. Download Oracle DB docker image -SLIM (~ 2GB)
   b. Do an Image based Oracle Full Client Install (~ 2GB)
   Is there a difference between a and b in terms of Client tools and libraries?

Looking forward to knowing your recommendation.

Thank you
Chad

[cjbj]

@nsundara and @Kuassim should be able to help you with the Java topic.

In general, the client binaries and libraries are the same in full client, the DB, and in Instant Client. There maybe some relinking differences, and you may have applied your own patches etc. The Licenses differ.

There is no Docker image for the full client.

Tnsping isn't in Instant Client. Tnsping definitely has its place, but if you want to verify a DB is usable, you should make a full connection to it. Otherwise you won't know if, for example, the archiver is stuck. And then, if you are checking a lot, you need to avoid reconnection overheads, so use a small daemon with a connection pool (size 1), release the connection to the pool after checking the DB is OK. And/or use DRCP pooling.

[chayzgithub]

Thanks @cjbj for your reply. Adding again- @nsundara and @Kuassim.

I am not sure I agree when you say "In general, the client binaries and libraries are the same in full client, the DB, and in Instant Client. There maybe some relinking differences, and you may have applied your own patches etc. The Licenses differ."

When i see the bin directory in my 19c instant client it contains like 10 tools...genezi, adrci, sqlldr, sqlplus impdpm impm expdp and exp) where as the 19c database's bin file contains like 100. So clearly there is a difference.

In 19c instant client as an example where loadJava - a Utility traditionally supplied in Oracle Full Client or Full DB (versions 12-18), is missing, Or other tools in the future I shall see are needed as I progress within my project, what is the method of adding them to my install?

I downloaded the 19c instant client along with with Tools, dev, runtime packages from
https://www.oracle.com/database/technologies/instant-client/linux-x86-64-downloads.html.

Please let me know. Thanks!

[cjbj]

To clarify, each of the binaries & libraries in Instant Client is the same (modulo the earlier proviso) since the Instant Client packages are built from a full ORACLE_HOME install. Yes, not everything is included.

Oracle provides Instant Client and the full Client. I doubt any of the tools' development teams have instructions or certified copying from full to the Instant Client. If you need more tools, the 'official' direction would be to use the full Client.

The Java folk should be able to comment on where you can get Java things from, e.g. Maven, and whether Instant Client is needed.

[Kuassim]

Loadjava is part of the Oracle database client; you need to accept the OTN distribution license agreement and make sure it allows you to bundle and distribute.

[kenlane-af]

I am trying to use the image-based full client in order to use the orapki utility alone. My build is not completing due to excessive logs and size of full-client image.
If the binaries and libraries are the same in instant client, then why can't oracle provide the orapki command-line utility in instant client?