Some are no doubt asking why I would blog in an Oracle forum about maintaining infrastructure. Others are thinking “about time!” This dichotomy of experience in infrastructure points out the two types of DBAs (very generally speaking), first we have the hands on, maintains servers, helps build systems, load OS and maintain databases type and second, the only touches the DB type
In my work I have to be the first type of DBA that also dwells in the land of system administration, system architect and maintenance man. I work remotely, that is, in a small 10x14 foot room in my basement. In that small room are (at last count) 5 RedHat 4.0 AS Linux servers (2-32 bit in a RAC cluster, 2-64 bit in a RAC cluster, 1-32 bit acting as a storage server), a Windows XP server (fileserver, firewall) and at any one time 1-3 laptops doing various tasks. Also included are a NexStor8s 8-disk JBOD SCSI array serving the 32-bit cluster and a NexStor18f 18-disk JBOD fibre channel array serving the 64 bit cluster and all of the required switches and hubs to connect it all to the printers (2: one for documents, one for pictures) and to the DSL connection.
Mike’s Lab Setup
This need for the DBA to be a jack of all trades probably occurs more in the smaller shops where the budget just isn’t there to support a large IT staff. However, this leads to the person who maintains the infrastructure knowing quite a bit about the entire overall system. The person maintaining it all will know what RAID is being used, the number and type of disks employed in the RAID, the speed of all the network pieces, the amount of memory in each server and speed of all the CPUs. Generally speaking I used to like dealing with the first type of DBA as a consultant rather than the second type since the first type didn’t have to ask anyone for information about their system or wait for someone else to make needed changes to a disk setup, memory configuration or other infrastructure related item.
This weekend I spent loading the 64 bit servers with RedHat, rebuilding one of the 32 bit servers (to host a Network Bloc device to serve the NetStor8s SCSI array to the 32-bit servers) and in general building out the desired architecture to satisfy the needs for the 32/64 bit Oracle11g beta I am working on. If you are or may become a DBA of the first type, a few suggestions:
1. Get very familiar with the various support sites (Oracle, DELL, HP, SUN, etc)
2. Get and keep copies of hardware manuals
3. Maintain system diagrams as detailed as possible
4. Maintain system discipline (don’t allow willy-nilly placement of datafiles, programs, etc.)
5. Restrict privileges to the rule of least-needed privilege level
6. Restrict access to only those that need it.
7. Maintain good firewalls (internal and external)
8. If this is for your home or small business, Ebay is your best friend (use a bid agent site)
Is being the first type of DBA for everyone? No, you need to be a bit of a gear head and love to tinker with computers, networks and disk arrays.
Hopefully, now that Oracle is loosening the restrictions on Oracle11g talk, I will have some great blogs on 11g new features coming shortly…as soon as I get the 64-bit cluster up that is…I am waiting on some QLA2200GC HBAs and a couple more GigE network cards....
Oh, anyone need some 18gb or 34gb SCSI drives, I have a few left over….