[OAUGNetDBA]-Re: Is Oracle Software Configuration Manger Worth the Effort?

[Doug Sparks <DSparks@vical.com>]

Actually I haven't sent in RDA output, but that's not really the point because RDA is not an automated procedure and you can review the output before it is sent.

The real question was effort.  Can it save you time?  Sure I suppose it could, if you logged a certain number of TARs in a given time period.  I additionally added that those time savings may not be worth the risk in certain environments especially given tighter regulatory requirements in publically traded companies nowdays.



-----Original Message-----
From: OAUG Net DBA listserver [mailto:OAUGNetDBA@oaug.com] On Behalf Of dave
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 3:56 PM
To: OAUG Net DBA listserver
Subject: [OAUGNetDBA]-Re: Is Oracle Software Configuration Manger Worth the Effort?

On Wed, Jun 11, 2008 at 6:14 PM, Doug Sparks <DSparks@vical.com> wrote:
> Not to be sarcastic, but I believe that
>
> " software versions, hostnames, directory structure/OS environment variables"
>
> could actually be considered security concerns in some instances.  Call it my cautious nature, but I'd shy away from any tool which gathers its own information and provides it to someone else outside the company.  By nature, it is an output which if compromised could lead to the loss of sensitive corporate information
>
> Now if it ran monthly and you could review and approve what was transmitted, that might be useful, but overall it just sounds like a way for Oracle to ferret out licensing discrepancies with those more unscrupulous customers.


Have you ever sent Oracle RDA output?  I'd be very surprised if you
haven't and it contains alot of the same information.   Another person
made a comment about what information is sent saying it doesn't
include module information.      It sends everything from applied
patches, number of active users, module and techstack versions, custom
triggers, patchset information, etc...

You should check out the Software Configuration Manager tab which has
a FAQ, benefits, etc.   Now,from my experience the only benefit is
saving a bit of time at the start of a tar.    Before SCM you would
create an SR with some information but guaranteed Oracle would respond
with more questions and/or scripts to execute (such as an RDA).   SCM
helps cut down on this back and forth and will hopefully cut down on
the time it takes to get a solution.   End of the day, I disabled it
months ago and haven't noticed a big difference.

The biggest issue for us was that each time we did a clone (we clone
alot), we had to resetup SCM.  Not a huge deal but it got to the point
where we didn't bother. Not sure if it has changed lately, this was
awhile ago.

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