Understanding Oracle vs PeopleSoft Databases

An Oracle database is a set of SQL objects defined by one system catalog in the SYSTEM tablespace and one SID (System IDentifier), using one instance of the Oracle server executables and associated files. Within Oracle shops, the Oracle database is commonly referred to as the Oracle SID.

A PeopleSoft database is a set of SQL objects defined as having the same owner ID (say SYSADM). These tables are always contained within a single Oracle database. A PeopleSoft database includes the PeopleSoft objects and application data for one or more products in a PeopleSoft product line.

This owner ID (an Oracle user ID, say SYSADM) may also be referred to as an Oracle schema or Oracle logical database. Each PeopleSoft database needs its own owner. We refer to this as the PeopleSoft owner ID, which is also the PeopleSoft access ID.

Note – The owner ID (access ID) and owner password (access password) are limited to a length of eight characters or less.

It is recommend that you install no more than one PeopleSoft database per Oracle instance. When each PeopleSoft database has its own instance, the system is more robust for the following reasons:

• You can bring down an instance of the Oracle server executables, but the others will remain running.

• There is an added security with one PeopleSoft database per Oracle instance.
• Because of one PeopleSoft database per Oracle instance, it becomes efficient to tune each instance to the requirements of its corresponding PeopleSoft application database.

It might not always be possible to install one PeopleSoft database per Oracle instance because of resource limitations, such as memory and system semaphores. In such a case, you can install multiple PeopleSoft databases in the same Oracle instance. Keep the following points in mind if installing multiple PeopleSoft databases within one Oracle database instance:

• When supporting multiple databases in one Oracle instance, increase maxdatafiles from the default of 32 when you create the database.
• Check the limits of maxdatafiles for your operating system and increase the value accordingly.
• You need to increase the size of the tablespaces if you use the same ones for each PeopleSoft database schema.
• Sharing tablespaces is not recommended.
• Each PeopleSoft database should have different operator IDs (also known as user IDs) to avoid problems with passwords.
• Each PeopleSoft database needs its own PeopleSoft database name.