Oracle Data Access Components library provides high performance direct access to Oracle database server. ODAC is a set of VCL native components for Kylix, Delphi and C++ Builder and an alternative to standard way processing data by Borland Database Engine (BDE). It supports many Oracle specific features and simplifies developing of client/server applications.With Net option ODAC works directly through TCP/IP and doesn't require Oracle's software on client side.

Using Oracle Data Access Components Net gives you the following advantages:

• Doesn't require Oracle's software on client side with Net option;
• Supports Oracle 8 features: BLOB, CLOB and BFile data types, objects, arrays, references, nested tables;
• Oracle 9 scrollable cursors, timestamp and interval datatypes support;
• Simplifies data updating;
• Offers two ways of updating data: more flexible with TOraQuery and easier with TSmartQuery;
• Speeds up fetch record from database;
• Provides automatic locking and refreshing records;
• Allows to execute longtime stored procedure separated thread;
• Advanced design-time editors;
• Interface (methods, properties) of ODAC components similar to standard BDE data access components (TDatabase, TQuery ..);
• Support all data-aware components;
• Uses OraTools Add-in to build and check queries with OraDesigner, design and debug PL/SQL blocks with OraDebugger and explore database schemas with OraExplorer;
• DB Monitor support.

Advantages of Net option: ODAC Standard as the most of applications which work with Oracle uses Oracle Call Interface to connect to Oracle database server. This is usual way to develop Oracle application with a third-generation language. As all OCI routines are in external libraries compiled application has small size. But it requires Oracle client software installed on workstation that is the cause of additional expenses for its installation and administration. Sometimes installation of Oracle client can be not advisable or even impossible. For example, if you need to set your application on remote machine where you don't have respective specialist. ODAC Net allows your application to work with Oracle directly through TCP/IP protocol and doesn't require Oracle client software. To run your application built with ODAC Net it is only needed to have operation system and TCP/IP protocol support. To connect to Oracle server with ODAC Net you need know the address of computer where Oracle server is, listening port number and database instance name.