While most large Oracle shops run some flaver of Unix or Linux, it is possible to run large databases on Windows servers too. Here are some important things to know about running Oracle on Windows:

1. Shell scripting - While everything seems to be point-and-click GUI on Windows, there are actually some powerful shell script capabilities with windows:
   1. The native cmd.exe shell - While mostly undocumented by Microsoft, it is actually quite powerful. The only good reference I have found for it is Tim Hill"s Windows NT Shell Scripting, ISBN: 1578700477. Be forewarned, the syntax of NT scripts will scare even hardened Unix admins.
   2. Cygwin - BASH for Windows. Free. Enough said.
   3. 4NT - This is what the Windows command shell should be. Actually has full programing constructs like subroutines, functions, etc, plus a wide variety of useful built- in functions and environment variables. Extremely well documented and reliable. Not free, but worth every penny.