My big thing would be backup and recovery and making sure I know how they are doing it. Everything else you can ferret out over time if need be, but if that database craters on day 2 and it takes you forever to recover it, you are just not going to look good to management. I've seen a number of different backup strategies, and this includes application oriented recovery needs as much as anything.
IMHO, backup and recovery is job #1 for a DBA. Everything else is secondary. MO, YMMV RF Robert G. Freeman Technical Management Consultant TUSC - The Oracle Experts www.tusc.com 904.708.5076 Cell (it's everywhere that I am!) Author of several books you can find on Amazon.com! -----Original Message----- Sent: Monday, January 20, 2003 8:50 AM To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L Ken - Be sure to ask for the system password ;-) Congratulations on the position. If I'm recalling correctly from your previous posts, this is VERY welcome. The best suggestion is one I used myself. At some point you'll sit down and go over the systems. That will take about 30-minutes to 1 hour. You probably won't understand but a small portion of the statements because it will all be new to you. Take a small cassette recorder and record (with permission) the discussions of the systems you will be taking over. Then that night play the tape back and type up the conversation word-for-word. Then go over the transcript and make a list of questions for the departing DBA. Then the next day ask about any points that weren't clear when you reviewed the tape. In previous positions, everything would seem clear at the time but the next day I would be pretty hazy on the details. I used a tape recorder on my last job changeover and didn't miss a thing. Some other questions 1. Which people are most critical to my success in this position? 2. What issues are the most important? 3. What issues regularly arise which impact the quality of the systems? 4. What areas do I need to learn more? Dennis Williams DBA, 40%OCP Lifetouch, Inc. [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- Sent: Sunday, January 19, 2003 9:04 PM To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L It appears that I will be taking over an Oracle production DBA position in about a week from another DBA. I would like suggestions as to specifically I should be looking for from this person. Something like a check list. Items that I need to specifically look at. Thanks, Ken Janusz, CPIM -- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.net -- Author: DENNIS WILLIAMS INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fat City Network Services -- 858-538-5051 http://www.fatcity.com San Diego, California -- Mailing list and web hosting services --------------------------------------------------------------------- To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing). -- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.net -- Author: Freeman Robert - IL INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fat City Network Services -- 858-538-5051 http://www.fatcity.com San Diego, California -- Mailing list and web hosting services --------------------------------------------------------------------- To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing).
