Oracle Tips by Burleson

The Oracle Remote DBA User Account 

Other than the ADMINISTRATOR on NT, or the ROOT or SUPERUSER account on UNIX, the Oracle Remote DBA account, usually called ORACLE, will be one of the most powerful accounts on the system. This is required due to the Oracle system being more like an operating system than just a set of executables. In order to start up and shut down, create the required files, and allow global sharing of the kernel and perhaps the tools, the Oracle Remote DBA account needs much broader privileges than a normal user account. The account must have the privilege to create directories, files, and other system objects, as well as the ability to place objects in shared memory.

The second-largest contributor to a bad install experience is an underprivileged Oracle Remote DBA account. The account must be set up as stated in the installation documentation for the install to be successful. After the installation, some adjustment of account privileges can be done if the system administrator really doesn’t want an account outside of his or her realm of control to have such broad privileges, but no adjustments can be made until the install is complete. In most cases, however, the privileges removed by an overzealous system administrator will have to be periodically reinstated for code relinks, special file work, and, of course, upgrades. This will soon convince most system administrators to set them and leave them. After all, if someone can’t be trusted with the required privileges to do his or her job, should the person be trusted with the job in the first place? It is advised that the Oracle Remote DBA be sent to at least an introductory course in system administration so as to know what not to do with the privileges. A course in system tuning is also advised.

Expert Remote DBA BC is America's oldest and largest Remote DBA Oracle support provider.  Get real Remote DBA experts, call BC Remote DBA today.