Single instance database

A single instance database consists of the following key components:

• DBMS software — A software program, such as IBM Db2, Oracle DBMS, Microsoft SQL Server, or Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise (ASE), that is used to store and process data
• Hardware node — A host that is available for allocation to a database
• Storage system — A storage device, typically a Storage Area Network (SAN) or Network Attached Storage (NAS)

An example of a single instance database is shown in the following figure. In this configuration, one server contains a single database with one instance. The hardware node optionally connects to a SAN or NAS storage device.