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Re: SQL Server 7/2000 vs Oracle 8i

From: <tandym_at_hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2000 15:42:22 GMT
Message-ID: <8piugp$in0$1@nnrp1.deja.com>

In article <uZJbO$$GAHA.273_at_cppssbbsa05>,   "Mike H" <mharms.nospam_at_cemstone.com> wrote:
>
> <tandym_at_hotmail.com> wrote in message

 news:8pbgmj$h3n$1_at_nnrp1.deja.com...
> ...
> > TO get the same amount of [Microsoft] support as a Premium Support
> > Package for Oracle, the cost was... I think my company paid
 something
> > like $25,000 or was it $250,000? And for Oracle - it was only $4996
> > for 24 x 7 unlimited calls. SIGNIFICANT difference if you ask me.
>
> Flat rates for 24 x 7 support means about as much as AOL giving away
 800
> hours in one month of service. You're never going to really use that
 much.
> Keep in mind that Microsoft's model of support for the enterprise
 relies
> heavily on their Solution Provider Network and/or their Certified
 Support
> Centers. They really have a different support model than Oracle so
 it is
> difficult to compare the two fairly.
> ...
> > And any microsoft tech i have ever talked to is about as good as the
> > worst of the oracle support reps. And the oracle reps who are
 better
> > than that can be very very good. You may only call MS Support 3 - 6
> > times a year - but that's perhaps because you already know more than
> > any of their help desk people... that seems to be the case with me.
> > Anyhow, we are talking about entry-level administrators and users
 here -
> > not veterans. They will be using support A LOT.
> ...
> Entry level Admin's and users are calling Oracle support? Is this on
 bugs
> or "how do I do this" type questions? There is real cost to an
 organization
> if their people are having to call "how do I do this" type of
 questions into
> a company. It could be there are other issues at play here that are
 being
> patched by high levels of support calls. I know when I was once in a
> support role for clients if I received too many "how do I do this"
 type
> questions it was time to get some people to a training class.
> ...
>

I agree - however no amount of training will ever prepare a beginner for dealing with the REAL thing. And I include SQL Server in that statement. They don't deal at all with the stored procedures, or any of the underlying theory of the RDBMS itself, simply show you how to user _some_ parts of the GUI.

Oracle classes seem to be a bit better about this kind of thing, but there's still so much to learn, that even though I have been using the product for seven years, sometimes I am overwhelmed with how much there is left to read about.

Metalink is a great product, and I have found countless articles and bulletins helpful- but sometimes, there is nothing like talking to a real live person.

> > In which case, oracle doesn't care what web server you use. You can
> > use IIS or iPlanet or even spend the big bucks for their internet
> > server.
> >
> ...
>
> I don't believe Microsoft SQL Server cars what web server you use
 either.
> Microsoft has continued to support a variety of access methods to the
 SQL
> Server. It's only issue in that regard is that the database server
 itself
> will only run on NT. But since Microsoft builds NT, I guess I can't
 really
> hold that against them. Do you think that if Oracle owned Unix that
 Oracle
> would continue to run on multiple other operating systems? (Only if
 the user
> base remained)
>

My point was - not that oracle doesn't care, but that figuring in the PRICE of the internet application server was irrelevant when looking at total cost, as you don't need to use it. I was just trying to keep from being broadsided by the whole 'But IIS is FREE and iAS is not...' argument.

And as far as Oracle owning UNIX ... I believe I read sometime back that Larry Ellison is quite friendly with SUN and (hear-say) that he owns a large chunk of stock, but then, I can't be sure. It was a couple of years ago anyway.

sonya

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy. Received on Mon Sep 11 2000 - 10:42:22 CDT

Original text of this message

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