Basically we have to distinguish the Oracle version from the OCI version. The Oracle version represents the version number of the Oracle client software or the version number of the Oracle Database Server. The OCI (Oracle Call Interface) version depicts the version number of the OCI protocol, which is used for the communication between the client and the database server.
For example, available Oracle versions are (Oracle Databases as well as the Client software):
Oracle 7.3
Oracle 8.0.5
Oracle 8.1.5
Oracle 9.0.1
...
And available OCI versions are (Oracle Call Interface protocols):
OCI 7.3
OCI 8.x
It is now possible that a client application uses OCI 7 to communicate with a Oracle 7.x database as well as with a Oracle 8.x or 9.x database. But when using OCI 7 to connect to an Oracle 8 database you will not be able to access the Oracle 8 Object features.
OCI 7.x contains about 40 API functions whereas OCI 8.x contains about 550 functions. The majority of the OCI 8 functions are necessary to assist Oracle 8 Objects.
Silk Performer specific information on Oracle and OCI
Silk Performer supports the complete OCI 7.x protocol, regardless if an Oracle 7.x or Oracle 8.x database is used (see above).
Silk Performer supports a subset of the OCI 8.x protocol.
Please note that the OCI 8 API includes also all functions from the OCI 7 API (OCI 7 API is a subset of the OCI 8 API). If a client appplication is now linked with the OCI 8 library, the Silk Performer Recorder will detect and record all functions used from the OCI 7 subset and a subset of the OCI 8 functions.
Rather than asking yourself if Silk Performer supports a specific Oracle version, ask yourself which OCI version does Silk Performer support.
The answer to this question will prove that Silk Performer supports the OCI 7 API as well as the OCI 7 subset of the OCI 8 API and a subset of the OCI 8 API.
For a detailed description of Oracle's native call interface (foundation of all Oracle functions), refer to Oracle's Programmer's Guide to Oracle Call Interface.