A little over two years ago I wrote that the Oracle Instant Client v12.1 was now available in IPS format from http://pkg.oracle.com- so it was a very simple matter to utter
# pkg install *instantclient*
and you would get the Instant Client packages installed (with a correct RPATH, too).
The Database group released v12.2 a few months ago, and after a delay caused by the significant reorganisation of the Systems division, I am really pleased to announce that we have that version packaged in IPS format as well.
We've made a few changes to the package naming, so that you can install both
12.1 and 12.2 on your system at the same time. There's also a mediator so that
/usr/bin/sqlplus will point to the preferred version. To install this new
version via IPS, you do need to have access to the
Solaris 11 Support Repository. (Visit
https://pkg-register.oracle.com to get started).
root@burn11x:~# pkg install -nv *instantclient* Packages to install: 9 Mediators to change: 1 Estimated space available: 8.50 GB Estimated space to be consumed: 1.75 GB Create boot environment: No Create backup boot environment: No Rebuild boot archive: No Changed mediators: mediator instantclient: version: None -> 12.2 (vendor default) Changed packages: solaris consolidation/instantclient/instantclient-incorporation None -> 12.2.0.1.0,5.11-4:20171026T193617Z database/oracle/instantclient-121 None -> 12.1.0.2.0,5.11-4:20171027T004528Z database/oracle/instantclient-122 None -> 12.2.0.1.0,5.11-4:20171026T193622Z database/oracle/instantclient/jdbc-supplement-121 None -> 12.1.0.2.0,5.11-4:20171027T004524Z database/oracle/instantclient/jdbc-supplement-122 None -> 12.2.0.1.0,5.11-4:20171026T193618Z database/oracle/instantclient/odbc-supplement-121 None -> 12.1.0.2.0,5.11-4:20171027T004526Z database/oracle/instantclient/odbc-supplement-122 None -> 12.2.0.1.0,5.11-4:20171026T193619Z developer/oracle/instantclient/sdk-121 None -> 12.1.0.2.0,5.11-4:20171027T004538Z developer/oracle/instantclient/sdk-122 None -> 12.2.0.1.0,5.11-4:20171026T194032Z
If you had the 12.1 packages installed already, then a pkg update would get
you the renamed packages (database/oracle/instantclient-121).