Oracle Essentials [Electronic resources] : Oracle Database 10g, 3rd Edition نسخه متنی

5.6 Working with Oracle Support

Regardless of the extent of your
training, there are bound to be some issues that you
can't resolve without help from Oracle Corporation.
Part of the job of the DBA is to help resolve any issues with the
Oracle database. Oracle offers several levels of support including
basic product support, advanced support, and incident support. Each
of these support options cost extra, but regardless of your support
level, you can get the most from Oracle by understanding how to best
work with them.

Resolving problems with the assistance of Oracle
Worldwide Customer Support Services can initially be frustrating to
novice DBAs and others who may report problems. Oracle responds to
database problems reported as Service Requests (SRs), formerly known as
Technical Assistance Requests (TARs),
based on the priority or severity level at which those problems are
reported. If the problem is impacting your ability to complete a
project or do business, the problem should be reported as
"priority level 2" in order to
assure a timely response. If the problem is initially assigned a
lower level and the response hasn't been adequate,
you should escalate the problem-resolution priority.

If business is halted because of the problem, the priority level
assigned should be "priority level
1." However, if a problem is reported at level 1,
the caller must be available for a callback (even if after hours).
Otherwise, Oracle will assume that the problem
wasn't as severe as initially reported and may lower
the priority level for resolution.

5.6.1 Reporting Problems

You can report problems via phone, email, or the web browser-based
MetaLink interface. The MetaLink support, included with basic product
support, has grown extremely popular as answers to similar problems
can be rapidly found and may result in eliminating time required for
a physical response. MetaLink provides proactive notifications,
customized home pages, technical libraries and forums, product
life-cycle information, a bug database, and the ability to log SRs
(TARs). When contacting technical support, you will need your
Customer Support Identification (CSI) number. Oracle Sales
Consultants can also provide advice regarding how to report problems.
Additionally, Oracle Worldwide Customer Support Services offers
training for DBAs regarding effective use of Support
services.

5.6.2 Automated Patching in Oracle Database 10g

Oracle Support issues Metalink Notes
whenever software bugs or vulnerabilities are discovered and issues
appropriate patches. Automated patching and notification provided
with Oracle Database 10g can reduce the time delay between
Oracle's discovery of such problems and your
reaction to them. Alerts can now be issued to your Enterprise Manager
10g console alerting you to the newly discovered bugs or
vulnerabilities. Through the Enterprise Configuration Management
capabilities in Enterprise Manager 10g, you'll see a
link to the patch and the target where the patch should be applied.

In RAC and grid environments,
"rolling" patch updates can be
applied across your nodes without taking the cluster or grid down.
(We described the process of applying rolling patch updates in Chapter 3.) Further, you can roll back a patch (e.g.,
uninstall it) on an instance if you observe unusual behavior and want
to remove the patch.