Re: Tips for new DBA ?

Ditto on all of the things that you have heard. It also helps to understand what a database is. Understand what the tables are. Look at the V$ tables, the $ tables. Also, you need to understand the values of security. Know who is on the system, and what they have the ability to do. Be sure that passwords are changed. (DO NOT LEAVE SYSTEM AS SYSTEM).  Lean on as many DBA's as you can find. If you can get on Compuserve, there is an Oracle Users Forum that can be very helpful. Be sure that your support is kept up and that you have access to the Oracle helpline. They are pretty good in dead-in-the-water situations, but for just basic information, you are better off doing what you are doing. Be sure that you don't mess with things you don't understand. If necessary, use whatever defaults Oracle gives you, then study what you are wanting to change. I know that this has been emphasized, but be sure you know how to recover and backup. This will also involve understanding the operating system as well. You need to understand what type of file naming convention you operating system uses. If not, you have the potential of creating a database improperly.
The classes are great, but expensive. Many companies are not willing to pay for you to go to class, as a result, most of us know where you are comming from. Good luck!

Sheilah Scheurich
DBA
Huntsville Hospital System
Huntsville, Alabama
205-517-8043

• My responses are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer
  ---