RE: Oracle Gold Support/ iTARs

Ian and the list,

iTARs are part and parcel of the Oracle Apps world - you wouldn't believe the number of iTARs that needed to get opened, especially during testing/implementation of new versions. I have seen upto 10 - 15 TARs being opened per day during such times, esp. with 11i installations.... Holding a 'Premium Services' support contract does help though :) We get called back within 1/2 hour, even for Sev-3 items.

Having said that, at a previous job in a remote country far away, I have had to open just one TAR in 5 years of 'non-Apps database' DBAing, and it was to do with a Name server patch.

John Kanagaraj
Oracle Applications DBA
DBSoft Inc
(W): 408-970-7002

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• The opinions and statements above are entirely my own and not those of my employer or clients **

> -----Original Message-----
> From: MacGregor, Ian A. [mailto:ian_at_SLAC.Stanford.EDU]
> Sent: Tuesday, March 19, 2002 4:48 PM
> To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
> Subject: RE: Oracle Gold Support/ iTARs
>
>
> I may be in the minority, but I prefer using Metalink to
> submit and manage my TAR's. Most of the time my experiences
> are good. The major problems I have with support are:
>
> Reduction: Many times Support appears to believe all
> problems with a product can be fixed via a single solution.
> One can present tomes of evidence why the solution does not
> apply to the problem at hand, but support will still insist
> the "solution" be tried. Java problems were a case in point:
>
> Support: You need to rerun initjvm
> Customer: But it ran without errors. How many objects java
> objects should I have after running it?
> Support: 8513 (made-up number)
> Customer: I have 8513 valid java objects. How is rerunning
> initjvm going to help?
> Support: We still want you to rerun it.
> Frustrated Customer: Agghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! I have the
> correct number of objects; they are all valid; no other java
> object producing code has been run. I'd say that's pretty
> strong evidence that the problem is not with initjvm.
>
> About one hour later support called back with the answer to
> the problem. (This was before Metalink)
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> ---------------------------------------------------------
> I had another problem where Oracle suggested the problem was
> a hardware memory error. Oracle detected a block changing in
> memory which the system did not. I questioned the likelihood
> of this happening with ECC memory, and suggested a possible
> fault with Oracle's software. The next day I got a call from
> one of the support managers, not to discuss my concerns, but
> to berate me for questioning Oracle's conviction that it was
> a hardware problem.
> ==============================================================
> ==============================================================
>
> I do not open TARS very often. I've been a DBA since 1984
> and while I don't know if I could hold a chair at the oak
> table, perhaps if I bought a round?, I believe I can match
> DBA wits with anyone else. The point being as one acquires a
> more thorough understanding of the product(s)), the number of
> TAR's one opens lessens.
>
> Over the years my experience with support has been very positive.
>
> Ian MacGregor
> Stanford Linear Acceleractor Center
> ian_at_slac.stanford.edu
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> Sent: Tuesday, March 19, 2002 1:29 PM
> To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
>
>
> My problem is the opposite. When I log an iTar, my first
> mode of contact is
> phone. I ALWAYS get e-mail contact instead.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> Sent: Tuesday, March 19, 2002 7:58 AM
> To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
>
>
> I have yet to log an iTar and not have an Analyst phone me.
> Much to my
> annoyance actually. My first form of contact is e-mail.
> However, they have
> this ability to determine when I step away from my desk and
> then phone....
>
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> INET: TBall_at_birch.com
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> Author: MacGregor, Ian A.
> INET: ian_at_SLAC.Stanford.EDU
>
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-- 
Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com
-- 
Author: John Kanagaraj
  INET: john.kanagaraj_at_hds.com

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