RE: Checklist for analyzing a unknown database

  For the security side, you might want to check that the passwords have been changed for the DBSNMP and OUTLN users as well. If they are using the Windows AT command to do automated Oracle tasks, make sure that they don't put the password in the AT list or if they use scripts, make sure read permissions are turned of for everyone (except for an oracle type user). Make sure the Schedule service doesn't run as the system user (and if they are using RCMD to remotely administer the box, make sure that service is not running as the system user either). Lots of other security things out there, but those are some of the other big ones (besides what you've listed) that I've seen. HTH

Jeffery Stevenson
Chief Database Geek
Medical Present Value, Inc.
Austin, TX

-----Original Message-----
From: root_at_fatcity.com [mailto:root_at_fatcity.com]On Behalf Of Schoen Volker
Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2000 9:34 AM To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L Subject: Checklist for analyzing a unknown database

Hi List,

I like to create a document with a checklist for analyzing a Oracle server which is installed by another person. The reason is, that I have to check a Oracle Server and give tips for tuning, backup and recovery and security. I have about a half day to analyze and tune the database, therefore I will only look at the importenst parameters. The only think I know is, that the application which uses the database is a OLTP one.

Here are the steps I want to do, some steps are OS-specific, here for Windows NT:

1. Hardware-Info Number of Controllers Number of Harddisks Number of CPU's Memory
2. Getting Info and setting Windows NT parameters

Optimize NT for network throughput
(Control Panel -> Network -> Services -> Server -> Properties -> Maximize throughput for network application)

Minimize foreground boost
(Control Panel -> System -> Performance -> Foreground boost = none)

Checking used and free Ram
(NT Task-Manager)

Checking CPU-usage by process
(NT Task-Manager)

Checking NT Services and disable not needed services

3. Overview of Oracle installation

Check how many instances are installed
Get a overview of every instance with ORASNAP (I like this tool, cause you get a very good overview of a instance)

Check results of orasnap:

• checking Oracle Version and patchsets
• init.ora params (db_block_buffers, shared_pool_size, optimizer_mode, sort_area_size, sql_trace, time_statistics, archive settings)
• tablespaces (pctincrease, temp-tablespace is set to temporary, tablespace extent settings, coalesce information)
• rollback segments
• location of datafiles, datafile I/O
• redo log settings, redo log switches per day
• performance parameters (Buffer Hit Ratio, Library Cache Hit Ratio, Data Dict Hit Ratio, Sort Statistics, Wait Statistics)

Checking Oracle Alert files and Listener Logfiles

Checking NT protocols about Oracle Errors

4. Backup and recovery
Check Backup strategy

• cold backups or hot backups
• archive log enabled 5. Security Check users with resource and dba role granted Check Oracle passwords for system, sys and internal (default passwords ?) 6. Schema objects Check if objects are recently analyzed Check schema object loactions Check table chaining Check object extent warnings Check tables with more than 5 indexes Check tables without indexes

Any tips, hints and comments for this checklist are welcome. I will share my results with the list.

TIA Volker Schön
E-Mail: mailto:v.schoen_at_inplan.de
http://www.inplan.de

--
Author: Schoen Volker
  INET: v.schoen_at_inplan.de

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