Identifying Your Oracle Database Software Release

Identifying Your Oracle Database Software Release
Because the Oracle database server continues to evolve and can require maintenance, Oracle periodically produces new releases. Because only some users initially subscribe to a new release or require specific maintenance, multiple releases of the product can exist simultaneously.
As many as five numbers may be required to fully identify a release. The significance of these numbers is discussed below.

Release Number Format
To understand the release level nomenclature used by Oracle, examine the following example of an Oracle database server labeled "Release 9.2.0.1.0."

Figure 1-1 Example of an Oracle Release Number

Note:
Starting with release 9.2, maintenance releases of Oracle are denoted by a change to the second digit of a release number. In previous releases, the third digit indicated a particular maintenance release.

Major Database Release Number
This is the most general identifier. It represents a major new edition (or version) of the software that contains significant new functionality.

Database Maintenance Release Number
This digit represents a maintenance release level. Some new features may also be included.

Application Server Release Number
This digit reflects the release level of the Oracle9i Application Server (Oracle9iAS).

Component Specific Release Number
This digit identifies a release level specific to a component. Different components can have different numbers in this position depending upon, for example, component patch sets or interim releases.

Platform Specific Release Number
This digit identifies a platform specific release. Usually this is a patch set. Where different platforms require the equivalent patch set, this digit will be the same across the effected platforms.

Checking Your Current Release Number
To identify the release of the Oracle database server that is currently installed and to see the release levels of other Oracle components you are using, query the data dictionary view PRODUCT_COMPONENT_VERSION. A sample query is shown below. Other product release levels may increment independently of the database server.

COL PRODUCT FORMAT A35
COL VERSION FORMAT A15
COL STATUS FORMAT A15

SELECT * FROM PRODUCT_COMPONENT_VERSION;

PRODUCT VERSION STATUS

----------------------------------- --------------- ---------------

NLSRTL 9.2.0.1.0 Production

Oracle9i Enterprise Edition 9.2.0.1.0 Production

PL/SQL 9.2.0.1.0 Production

TNS for Solaris: 9.2.0.1.0 Production

It's important to convey to Oracle the information displayed by this query when you report problems with the software.
Optionally, you can query the V$VERSION view to see component-level information.