Saving a buck?

I was recently approached by some project managers who were facing implementing a new database to support a third-party application. To save the cost of new Oracle licensing fees, they wanted to add the new database into an existing database system. Seems like a good idea at the time, and I could go ahead and agree being as I will not be here in the long run to deal with the side affects as I am a consultant, but would it be the right thing to do? Probably not. The right thing was to not recommend coupling an existing production system with one whose performance characterisitics are not known. Another alternative would be to run it for a few months without a license just to determine the performance characteristics to determine if it could cohabitate with an existing database comfortably, but I could not recommend that.

Bragging rights?

I was recently sent to help a company who's onsite DBA wanted to point out upon meeting me that they had "18 years of experience". This person then proceeded to impress me by not being able to build a two-node RAC cluster when given two weeks and all resources including root access on the servers. After several more "impressions", this person resigned and has not been heard from since. I should have kept in touch because wherever this person goes, there is a contracting opportunity. Bottom line, if you are too concerned with talking the talk, you probably can't walk the walk.

Welcome to Ora-vent

Sometimes those of us who work in the Oracle realm; whether we are DBA's, developers, or architects, need to get stuff of our chests, stuff that only fellow Oracle guys would understand. That's what this blog is for. All I ask is that you keep it clean. Other than that, have at it. I do reserve the right to decide what and what not to post, however. Thanks.