Yes its Windows. When you say "We generally use only one database per windows server.", you mean one database software installation AND 1 instance? Or multiple instances? We've got several db instances on most of our windows servers and they run smoothly (minus the occassional Oracle bug!) Regarding why we would have multiple 10.2.0.4 homes is that it is easier to rollback a patch if necessary. Basically I repoint the Oracle services back to the old Oracle home, and clean up the database components and we're back to the previous version. Chris Taylor Sr. Oracle DBA Ingram Barge Company Nashville, TN 37205 Office: 615-517-3355 Cell: 615-354-4799 Email: chris.taylor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may also be privileged. If you are not the named recipient, please notify the sender immediately and delete the contents of this message without disclosing the contents to anyone, using them for any purpose, or storing or copying the information on any medium. -----Original Message----- From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Yechiel Adar Sent: Wednesday, August 26, 2009 2:29 AM Cc: Oracle L Subject: Re: Question about patch levels You are right in principle. However, he used windows '\' rather then Linux '/' in the directory list so I assumed Windows. We generally use only one database per windows server. Add to that the fact that he uses separate home for each CPU, so my question is relevant. Maybe it needed to be: Why use a separate home for each patch level? Adar Yechiel Rechovot, Israel Niall Litchfield wrote: > I can't speak for Charles, but sometimes this is a sensible idea in > the event of wishing to roll back an upgrade, or more generally when > you have multiple database applications on the same server, then the > slowest/most difficult to update doesn't hold everyone back. . > -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l