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.
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.
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.