I'm fairly new to mysql myself, but I'll have a go.
The mysql manual is at http://www.mysql.com/doc/.
I've only dipped into it, but it seems to be pretty good.
> Questions:
>
> 1. is mysql simular organized as oracle: instance/users/tables,
> so that I have to connect to chossen instance and user?
Yes and no.
mysql is more like Sybase/MS SQL server where you have a single instance and
multiple databases.
An instance is called a server and is represented by the mysqld process.
> 2. does mysql also use the term tablespace and can it
> administrated in the
> same way?
No and yes.
The default table storage structure is 'MyIsam' where each table is
represented by a separate file (actually several files for data and
indexes). There is a a new alternative storage structure 'InnoDB' which is
more like tablespaces. I know nothing about it.
http://www.mysql.com/doc/en/InnoDB_overview.html
> 3. when creating a mysql database, how to determine where the
> datafiles
> are located?
The data directory is specified in my.cnf and all data files are created
there. As far as I know mysql doesn't support
fine grained control of storage the way Oracle does. There may be more
control with InnoDB
> 4. is there something like a init.ora?
Yes. It is my.cnf
There is a global file in /etc which is installation wide and
server(instance) specific optios in DATADIR/my.cnf.
See http://www.mysql.com/doc/en/Option_files.html
> 5. is it possible to start several databases from the same
> installation?
Yes. Although this is the wrong question really. You can have several
servers (instances) and each server can have several databases.
> 6. is there something like ORACLE_HOME and ORACLE_SID?
Not sure. There are MYSQL_UNIX_PORT (for local connections) AND
MYSQL_TCP_PORT ( remote connections) which are sort of equivalent to
ORACLE_SID.
> Hope you can give me details prepared for a newbie and point me to the
> suitable commands or docs.
>
> Thanks in advance
> Harald
>
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