Re: Oracle versus MS Sql Server

"Michael G. Schneider" wrote:
>
> "Sybrand Bakker" <postbus_at_sybrandb.demon.nl> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> news:ttgqjg87pg2412_at_corp.supernews.com...
> >
> > That is definitely stupid. Very often my customers have bought software
> > developed by firms who don't know a damn thing about Oracle database
> > administration. This invariably results in programs following principles
> and
> > practices completely unacceptable to any Oracle DBA who is worth a grain
> of
> > salt. No primary keys, no constraints, every user has DBA privilege, end
> > user objects in the system tablespace, frequent ora-1555 errors because
> the
> > developer thinks he need to commit every individual record, people
> > installing the database on a PDC, I could write a book about it.
>
> Sorry, I do not know you. I certainly don't want to offend you. But have you
> ever developed software? Do you have a formal education in developing
> software?
>
> I do not know a typical DBA's thoughts, but for example...
>
> - defining the primary key
> - defining constraints
> - security concept
> - commit strategy
>
> are tasks which a good software developer will know how to handle. And it is
> HIS task to do such things. I would NEVER allow a DBA to modify the SQL that
> creates the objects in the database (tables, triggers, views, stored
> procedures, ...). For example primary keys and constraints are a direct
> result of my discussion with the future users of my software. These items
> are specified in the Requirement Specification, and they are part of the
> Data Model for the future database. No DBA is involved in this area.
>
> I have been educated how to do this. I have years of experience in this
> subject. I do not need a DBA's help for writing SQL.
>
> If a DBA should ever remind me that I have forgotten a constraint, I will
> quit my job. Then he, who is only looking at the finished software, has done
> a better job than me, who has been discussing the requirements with the
> users for many weeks or months.
>
> Michael G. Schneider

Well, I personally have close to 20 years in software development, on many platforms, using many languages, all of them accessing RDBMSs. I also was trained in this, and consider myself very good at it. I also consider myself a very competent DBA - have had years of experience in that also.

As for DBAs being involved in the SQL that creates objects in the instance - well that is part of the job also. A logical design differs greatly from a physical design. In the case of Oracle, there are storage parameters associated with objects that have a direct impact on performance and stogare (and therefore, performance). There are also consideration to be considered for stored procs, materialized views, etc. These changes would be made to the DDL, but would not necessarily affect the logical model.

Whether anyone wants to recognize it, a DBA is a necessity for an Oracle instance. Not a paper DBA, but someone who understands the architecture of Oracle, the internals, configuration, tuning, etc. This knowledge is essential in making the database instance (and applications using this instance) work in an efficient manner.

Sybrand is again correct in his statement about 3rd party software developed on Oracle. IME, there are no indexes, the staorage parameters are the defaults, there are no PKs, the FKs do not have corresponding indexes, etc. Many of these things are topics of Oracle Design 101.

This will (God permitting) be my last post on this thread. I say to all companies that are or have hired the unqualified, or who contract with the underqualified, good luck. I'll still be here, able to solve your problems when and if you recognize them.

-- 
Ron Reidy
Oracle DBA
Reidy Consulting, L.L.C.