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sql-serveroracle-databasedatabase-schema

What is the difference between an Oracle and Microsoft schema?


Is this an accurate way to describe the difference in the meaning of schemas between the two technologies?

  • An Oracle schema is associated with a single user and consists of the objects owned by the user.
  • A MS SQL Server schema is a namespace.

Solution

  • Oracle schemas are like My Documents folders in the Windows OS. A user can grant permissions to other users to see things in their schema but an Oracle schema is essentially a user's workspace.

    MS SQL Server's schemas are namespaces. While you can have Accounting and Marketing schemas, they are not tightly-coupled to individual users. Objects in an Accounting schema contain accounting information and objects in the Marketing schema have marketing information.

    Oracle schemas are tightly-coupled to users and MS SQL Server schemas are primarily for classification.

    See this question for more information: Difference between SQL Server and Oracle user