Oracle has released a new version of ODP.NET as a Beta today. You can find it here. This release offers some outstanding features ODP.NET developers have been waiting for. The new feature list is as follows:
Oracle Data Provider for .NET Features
Instant Client Support: Smaller ODP.NET client installation
User-Defined Types: Map Oracle objects and collections to .NET custom types and support REFs to object types
Process Database Down Events: ODP.NET automatically frees connections of a downed Data Guard instance
Windows-Authenticated User Connection Pooling: Windows-authenticated connections can now be pooled.
Connection Pool Performance Counters: Monitor connection pool status
Oracle Developer Tools for Visual Studio .NET Features
Visual Studio 2005 integration with Server Explorer, Data Sources Window, Dataset Designer, TableAdapter Configuration Wizard and more
Improved ASP.NET web developer support
Oracle Database script project to provide source control of Oracle scripts
SQL script editor
Built in support for executing SQL*Plus scripts
Explain plan support
Integration with Query Designer
New designer for granting/revoking privileges on schema objects
User-Defined Types: Create, explore, modify UDTs; custom class code generation for .NET applications
Data Window and Query Window enhancements
Oracle Providers for ASP.NET Features
Membership Provider: Stores and retrieves registered user information in the Oracle database
Role Provider: Stores and retrieves user role information in the Oracle database
Site Map Provider: Stores and retrieves site map information in the Oracle database
Session State Provider: Stores and retrieves session state information in the Oracle database
Profile Provider: Stores and retrieves user profile information in the Oracle database
Web Events Provider: Stores and retrieves ASP.NET health monitoring event information in the Oracle database
Web Parts Personalization Provider: Stores and retrieves personalization data in the Oracle database
Cache Dependency Provider: Automatically invalidates ASP.NET cached data based on changes made to the base data in the Oracle database
Some big things that excite me are the new providers for ASP.NET! The new provider model in ASP.NET 2.0 is a must utilize for most applications that are being built today. It is an easily extensible system that allows for you to plug your controls and the application into built up and thoughtout systems that are commonly used in all web applications today. This includes items like membership, role management, instrumentation, personalization, and more. The wonderful thing about the provider model is that it is rather extensible and the new providers available in this new release of ODP.NET is testament to this extensibility.The other big feature that I am excited about is the UDTs or user defined types. This allows you to push your .NET custom types up into Oracle and get away from cursors if you wish. Nice!
The smaller Oracle Client installation is also a wonderful new feature as those that work on large web farms are aware! :)
There is quite a bit more - the main point is that if you are working with Oracle - take a look at the new release.
Print | posted on Friday, June 01, 2007 4:26 PM