Path: dp-news.maxwell.syr.edu!spool.maxwell.syr.edu!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!postnews.google.com!news3.google.com!border1.nntp.dca.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!nx02.iad01.newshosting.com!newshosting.com!post01.iad01!not-for-mail Date: Tue, 08 Aug 2006 13:11:13 -0700 From: DA Morgan Organization: Puget Sound Oracle Users Group User-Agent: Thunderbird 1.5.0.5 (Windows/20060719) MIME-Version: 1.0 Newsgroups: comp.databases.oracle.server Subject: Re: Oracle RAC newbie References: <1154890261.146977.114080@n13g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <1154999517.164864.259300@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com> <1155001588.712389@bubbleator.drizzle.com> <1155054296.973784@bubbleator.drizzle.com> In-Reply-To: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Message-ID: <1155067873.290578@bubbleator.drizzle.com> Cache-Post-Path: bubbleator.drizzle.com!unknown@oracle.advtechserv.com X-Cache: nntpcache 3.0.1 (see http://www.nntpcache.org/) Lines: 77 X-Complaints-To: abuse@csolutions.net Xref: dp-news.maxwell.syr.edu comp.databases.oracle.server:272395 Brian Peasland wrote: > 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 And likely the tax payers would be happy too if they knew about it. ;-) -- Daniel A. Morgan University of Washington damorgan@x.washington.edu (replace x with u to respond) Puget Sound Oracle Users Group www.psoug.org