Oracle Linux in VirtualBox

To install Oracle database via VirtualBox: How to install Oracle Database on Mac OS, or Evaluating Oracle Linux From Inside Oracle VM VirtualBox.

After get the Oracle Linux running, choose Network Adapter setting as "Host-only", then you can download Oracle SQL Developer - a free Oracle client IDE (like phpMyAdmin for MySQL), on your host machine and install it. You can then connect to the Oracle database running in the virtual machine. Note there is also an Oracle SQL Developer running inside the guest, you can copy its connection settings to the one on the host.

Then if on windows you may want to setup ODBC driver for Oracle. Download relevant installation package from here or here. Check this installation guide. The 3 steps are:

1) download and setup Install the ODAC or Oracle Client
2) Setup the SQLNET and TNSNAMES files. Usually SQLNET.ora file does not need change. Change TNSNAMES.ora, mostly this need to change the tnsname, host ip/name, port, and service_name.
3) Create the ODBC Data Source. Note here the "TNS Servie Name" is the same as in TNSNAMES.ora. When test the connection, the username and password are the same as in the property of connection in Oracle SQL Developer.

For Oracle/OL-SQL, see here for a manual.

To find out the version of your Oracle, use this command:

select * from v$version where banner like 'Oracle%';