Apex application connecting to more than one instance

Question

My company is in evalutation mode. We currently have a Forms and Reports 10g application (using Oracle Application Server 10g...) that allows access to multiple databases that have the same schemas repeated in each, i.e. production, test, etc. The schemas hold the same database objects whether they are in production, test or another instance.
If we migrate the application to APEX, would we have to have the application repeated in each instance or can we have it in one and rely on the database tnsnames.ora file to allow the applicaiton to access the data in that other instance? Or is there another way to be able to keep the application in APEX, in one instance and still allow users to connect to the other databases?
Thank you for your help.
Stacey

Answer 1

Stacey,
When you install Apex in a db instance it creates two schemas. apex_030200 & flows_files.
The apex_030200 schema is the core of apex it contains the files needed to make the app builder, sql workshop, and everything else you use to build an app. It also contains any and all apps built within apex as well by the developer.
Flows_files contains any uploaded files that a developer might upload and want to use.
From their you create a workspace to develop your apps in. You then associate that workspace with one or more schemas on that instance. (It can create the schema or you can use one that already exists) This is your user data
Here is info on the what a workspace is:
Workspace: (From User Guide documentation page 26) http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E14373_01/appdev.32/e11838.pdf
Oracle Application Express enables a single database to host large numbers of users.
Users work in a dedicated work area called a workspace. A workspace is a virtual
private database that enables multiple users to work within the same Oracle
Application Express installation while keeping their objects, data and applications
private. This flexible architecture enables a single database instance to manage
thousands of applications.
My suggest would be as what some others have said:
1) Install apex on every instance you want to use
2) Develop your apps on one instance and then export/import the app to the other instances just as you would do with any other software development system.
3) Within the HTTP Server that channels the HTTP requests to the db you can modify the dads.conf file for your apps and use something like:
<Location mycompany.com/apex/test/
<Location mycompany.com/apex/dev/
Within each of these you point to the proper db via a connect string.
By doing this method here you would be using just ONE http server to host out many different environments across an unlimited number of instances, maybe this is what you were trying to get across in your message, maybe not.
Hope this helps,
Justin