Is PDO_OCI classed as ODBC? I did post this question at https://dba.stackexchange.com/questions/94087/is-pdo-oci-php-pdo-using-oracle-instant-client-classed-as-odbc anonymously, but then it wouldn't allow me to comment on it so I registered and am posting it again here. I'm not sure what else to do.

I have a question that's been concerning me for some time.

We use Oracle at our company and we're about to upgrade to a newer release. I understand that Oracle have some additional licensing if you wish to connect to the database via ODBC.

My question is, we have a web application that connects to the Oracle database using PDO_OCI (PHP PDO using the Oracle Instant Client) - is this classed as accessing the Oracle database via ODBC?

In answer to this comment on the original question:


  "I understand that Oracle have some additional licensing if you wish
  to connect to the database via ODBC" - where did you read that? The
  connection method is mostly irrelevant for licensing AFAIK


I'm not sure. I asked our software vendor to upgrade our Oracle database version and they are doing this but have raised a question "Do you access our database directly via ODBC? As this affects our licensing costs.".
OCI (Oracle Call Interface) is not ODBC. ODBC drivers may use OCI, but not the other way round.

I've never heard of Oracle charging for ODBC drivers/access. In fact, there's no mention of an ODBC component in the global price list (link here).

I would clarify with your vendor - maybe they're trying to extract some cash out of you by supplying/supporting some kind of additional product, or maybe it's just a miscommunication.