RE: Favourite Urban Myth

From: Deshpande, Kirti <kirti.deshpande_at_verizon.com>
Date: Tue, 09 Apr 2002 19:03:20 -0800
Message-ID: <F001.0044035C.20020409190320@fatcity.com>

We had one dba who (by mistake) issued a 'chown -R oracle:dba' followed by 'chmod -R 750 *' from the '/' directory while logged in as root. Fortunately, it was a server with no production databases on it, just a couple of Development databases. She never new what a '#' prompt was. She is long gone but such memories linger for ever ;) It took a while for the SA's to let Oracle DBAs get root privileges after that episode.

And in my previous job, I had a junior DBA who tried to kill a background job (%1) with 'kill -9' as root. The problem was, he forgot to put in '%' before the '1' .... and then came to me stating that the Server does not respond anymore :( while I was talking to the Customer who had beaten him to place a trouble call about 'the database just hung-up'..... Is there a Darwin Award for the Living (DBA)? =;)

• Kirti

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2002 11:25 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L

I try NOT to get root privs. I know just enough to really damage the server and OS, but not enough to do much that is useful

• "Koivu, Lisa" <lisa.koivu_at_efairfield.com> wrote:
  > Heck I don't WANT root privs... I would rather have an experienced
  > SA to
  > help me with the OS. Working as a team with a skilled SA is much
  > more
  > preferable than doing it all yourself. Also, having someone else
  > there
  > when the sh*t has hit the fan to work through the problem with you
  > and
  > possibly provide another point of view is calming and helpful.
  >
  > Just my 2 cents
  >
  > Lisa Koivu
  > Oracle Database TANK
  > Fairfield Resorts, Inc.
  > 954-935-4117
  >
  >
  > > -----Original Message-----
  > > From: Dave Morgan [SMTP:dave.morgan_at_cybersurf.net]
  > > Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2002 11:19 AM
  > > To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
  > > Subject: Favourite Urban Myth
  > >
  > > The DBA needs root privileges on the server>
  > >
  > > This is one of my interview questions.
  > >
  > > Dave
  > >
  > > --
  > > Dave Morgan
  > > DBA, Cybersurf
  > > Office: 403 777 2000 ext 284
  > > --
  > > Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com
  > > --
  > > Author: Dave Morgan
  > > INET: dave.morgan_at_cybersurf.net
  > >
  -- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com -- Author: Deshpande, Kirti INET: kirti.deshpande_at_verizon.com

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