Re: Oracle RAC newbie

From: Brian Peasland <dba_at_nospam.peasland.net>
Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2006 18:40:13 GMT
Message-ID: <J3ozv9.7nM@igsrsparc2.er.usgs.gov>

DA Morgan wrote:

> Mladen Gogala wrote:

>> Brian Peasland wrote:
>>>> It's usually a good practice to ask for references and check them.
>>>> Oracle
>>>> sales person will probably be able to compile the list of similar
>>>> configuration in your general area. If he can't - don't buy, you
>>>> definitely do not want to be one and only owner of that unique
>>>> configuration within a 100 miles radius.
>>>
>>> Why within a 100 miles radius? In today's Internet-connected world, I
>>> communicate with many DBA's all around the globe, even in this forum!
>>> I do not need to be physically colocated with the person I am
>>> exchanging knowledge with.
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>> Brian
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Brian, support is the problem here. If you are the only one within a
>> wide area, the company that sold you the disk array will likely not
>> have a support person close by, so you will have to contact Elbonia
>> for tech support. Also, Oracle will not have anybody particularly well
>> versed in
>> your neighborhood, so in case you need it, you will have to wait for
>> somebody to be flown into your area. This world is a global village,
>> but the local user groups are still there for a reason. That reason is
>> usually not marketing perpetrated by the Oracle Corp. and its
>> affiliates during annual events. Those local luser groups are
>> organized for mutual
>> support purposes. Oracle usually tries to use luser attitude
>> readjustment tools on them.

> 
> With some reservations I am going to disagree. Most organizations have
> purchased their disk from EMC, Fujitsu, Hitachi, LSI, NetApp, etc. and
> these vendors may not be supporting RAC in the area but they certainly
> have the resources to make available if required.

That has been my experience as well. I would add that I work as a contractor to the fed govt and our Oracle needs are all funneled through the Washington DC area. So if I need to talk with my Oracle rep, I have to call his DC-area phone. And who knows where my Metalink analyst is physically sitting these days.

Our vendors are pretty good about getting us the support we need. Maybe that's due to the amount of dollars we spend on their products...I don't know. Sometimes we do have to push and prod them, but I expect that to be the same no matter where you are.

> My only reservation is with EMC as I have found them to often have a
> knee jerk reaction to the word Oracle and immediately point to metalink.
> Good product but I am not thrilled with their support team.

I fully agree with your assessment of EMC, but I do have other reservations with EMC. They came in on a real low price point when we purchased disk from them many years ago. After our first maintenance contract expired, the cost of renewing that maintenance contract was so high, that it would have been cheaper to buy new replacement disk, which is precisely what they were strong arming us into doing. They figured they had their foot in the door and could rake in the big bucks. I guess they forgot that as a govt facility, we have procurement rules to follow and they didn't get the new disk bid. Ouch. And I am much happier with our current disk vendors.

Cheers,
Brian

-- 
===================================================================

Brian Peasland
dba_at_nospam.peasland.net
http://www.peasland.net

Remove the "nospam." from the email address to email me.


"I can give it to you cheap, quick, and good.
Now pick two out of the three" - Unknown

Received on Tue Aug 08 2006 - 13:40:13 CDT