Using 32bit ArcSDE with 64bit Oracle on 64bit Windows 2003 Server

Scenario

• Hardware : Dell PowerEdge R710 Server (16GB Ram)
• OS: Windows Server 2003 Enterprise x64
• Softwares: Oracle 10g x64, ESRI ArcSDE 9.3 x32

To utilize 6-8 GB RAM for Oracle SGA and better performance its better to use 64bit Windows Server OS. Use Oracle 10g x64 database.

• Install Oracle 10g x64
• Create Database
• change SGA_MAX_SIZE Parameter to 8GB and also increase SGA_TARGET to your desired value but maximum upto 8GB
• restart Database

if you want to install ArcSDE on same Machine you need to install Oracle 10g 32bit Client otherwise you will get this error

"The dynamic link library OCI.dll could not be found in the specified path."

This occurs because You have 32bit ArcSDE installed and Oracle is 64bit so When ArcSDE Tries to start Post Installation setup it detects that client install is not compatible with the 'sdesetup' binary, because you are trying to use 32bit library (ArcSDE) or 32bit binary with 64bit (Oracle OCI.dll) library.

Workaround is that

1. Install 10g 32bit Client on Same machine update Oracle TNS files and then install ArcSDE and run Post Intallation setup or do the following....

OR

1. Just install ArcSDE on DBx64 Server (Don't run Post Install), Install ArcSDE on Separate Machine with Oracle 10g 32bit client, create service with same name as on this machine, Run Post Installation but don't create ArcSDE Service.
2. Create Service manually using command line if you want to keep arcSDE on separate machine or use direct connect (I am using Direct Connect)

Properties for Direct connect

Server SERVER MACHINE NAME OR IP ADDRESS

Service sde:ORACLE VERSION

(like in my case its sde:Oracle10g)

DATABASE I LEFT IT BLANK

username DATABASE USERNAME

Password PASSWORD@ORACLE SERVICE NAME

(like in my case its oracle@test)

Now you can connect to your x64 Oracle Database using x32 ArcSDE