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Re: Advice about moving to Solaris?

From: Sybrand Bakker <postbus_at_sybrandb.demon.nl>
Date: 15 Feb 2002 03:48:13 -0800
Message-ID: <a20d28ee.0202150348.6c019fdf@posting.google.com>


Comments embedded

gdas1_at_yahoo.com (gdas) wrote in message news:<7a4ed455.0202142254.5ab2c4a7_at_posting.google.com>...
> I've been an Oracle DBA for about 2 years now. The role sort of fell
> into my lap after being an oracle app developer for the previous 7
> years. I don't by any means consider myself an expert dba, but I have
> been able to acquire an incredible amount of knowledge in the past
> couple years and I'm confident in my abilities to install, configure,
> tune, backup and in general maintain a smooth running database.
>
> All my DBA experience has been with Oracle running on either NT or
> Windows 2000. We're in the process of upgrading the hardware in our
> datacenter and my boss wants me to consider switching the Oracle
> servers over to Sun Solaris boxes.
>
> Unix scares the heck out of me. I have basic familiarity with UNIX.
> I can navigate the file system, copy/move files, set permissions on
> files and directories and edit a text file. That's about all I can do
> in UNIX right now.
>
> Is my lack more advanced unix experience an issue in regards to being
> a DBA for an Oracle server on unix?

Not really, that is if they expect you to be the DBA only. It will probably be somewhat of an issue if they expect you to act as a sysadmin also.

If so, what exactly do I need to
> be familiar with about the Unix OS?
>

Learn vi. As there is a Windows clone in gvim (at wwww.gvim.org), you can start doing that know. At first it will scare the heck out of you, however vi is mucj more powerful than any windoze editor. As most firms buy the 'standard' version of the O/S, you won't have Emacs, so you will be forced to learn vi. Other than that you might want to attend a basic Unix course In a year you will notice there is not much difference between managing Oracle on Unix and Oracle on NT, except that you don't have to reboot the server so often.

> Probably everything I have ever done with oracle on windows has been
> through sql*plus (from a remote client), svrmgrl or through a text
> editor (modifying the init/tns/sqlnet .ora files). I've also copied
> files around for backups, aside from that I am not doing much of
> anything at the OS level. Even most of the monitoring scripts I have
> rewritten run from remote machines and not physically on the database
> server.
>
> I can do all of the above regardless of whether the DB is Windows,
> Unix or whatever OS.
>
> There was a time several months ago where I had to add a new physical
> disk and extend a raid partition. I know how to do this in Windows...
> wouldn't even know where to begin on a Sun box.
>

reading the man pages probably. Every Unix system comes with online help.

> I assume the biggest challenges are the initial installation of the
> oracle software on unix? Would that be correct?
It won't be a 'hit the button install'
Reading the getting started instructions is mandatory. If you do so, you'll manage. Otherwise, be prepared for problems. Does Oracle on Unix
> require more intimate knowledge of the OS?
You have much more choice and flexibility in Unix, so you would want to know which options you have.
Do OS level parameters
> have to be configured that do not apply on Windows?

Yes, but that's usually a one-time only operation

>
> We have a consultant working for us part-time, 2 days a week (or on an
> as needed basis). He's a unix guru, but he doesn't know Oracle... but
> I do. Can the two of us together, be successful in making this happen
> (eventually the consultant's knowledge would trickle over to me)?
If you are competent as a DBA and he is competent in Unix you should manage. Initially 2 days per week will be insufficient. Or
> would you suggest I stay with windows?

No, try to learn a *real* O/S. Oracle on NT will always be limited to companies with 50-100 employees, because of the nature of NT

> Would appreciate any advice you have to offer.
>
> Thanks,
> Gavin

Regards

Sybrand Bakker
Senior Oracle DBA Received on Fri Feb 15 2002 - 05:48:13 CST

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