Oracle has released the Windows version of its flagship 11g database, a few months after the company shipped the Linux version. Along with assorted performance improvements, the Windows release features beefed-up integration with Microsoft's platform on both the administrative and developer levels.

Administrators can now execute backup and recovery jobs with Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service, according to Oracle. The database also features tight links with Microsoft's Visual Studio integrated development environment, the company said.

Even as Oracle adds richer support for the Windows platform into 11g -- a result of a working partnership between the two companies -- it is competing vigorously with Microsoft in the database market. Microsoft is set to launch SQL Server 2008 in February.

Other new features in 11g include:

-- Oracle Real Application Testing. This enables customers to use real-life production workloads to test the effect of potential changes within IT environments, before actually conducting the change, the company says.

-- Oracle Advanced Compression, which can compress data by three times or more, according to the company.

-- Oracle Total Recall, a system for querying historical changes to data.

Pricing information was not provided.