JCC DBA™

Options

JCC DBA support can be tuned to meet a specific client's needs. The default set of options include:

• Initial tuning and maintenance to establish a healthy database baseline.

• Installation of JCC tools and collection of baseline statistics.

• Response to stalls and other performance issues following JCC DBA automated on-line notification of issues or changes.

• Periodic analysis based on automated, on-line tools for

  • Backup verification and analysis
    
  • Structured health analysis of internal database structures and their impact on maintenance and performance
    
  • Analysis of query strategies and changes in query strategies

• Reports and recommendations resulting from the output of the on-line tools and the consultant analysis.

• Evaluation of proposed application changes for how they can be expected to affect database performance.

• Emergency response to issues or questions from client personnel

• Database verification

• Implementation of recommended changes to databases

• Upgrades to new versions of Oracle Rdb

Since client needs will vary, we will spend some time in start-up understanding client needs and preferences.

Connections and Notification Approaches

There are three notification methodologies that JCC uses.

Hot Line

JCC can provide a Hot Line mechanism which supports immediate contact with a JCC Senior Consultant who is familiar with the database and the environment.

E-mail Broadcast

JCC can provide a unique e-mail address to which internet messages may be sent. Mail arriving at this address is immediately reflected to a number of personal e-mail addresses, pagers, cell phones, etc. In this way, notification of questions and issues is received promptly and can be addressed promptly. This approach has the added advantage of leaving a record so that all JCC DBA experts working with the client can understand the history of issues.

At JCC, we prefer this notification method. In combination with VPN access, it provides excellent results.

JCC Access to JCC DBA Client's Systems

JCC can initiate connections to the databases maintained either through dial-in access or through the internet using VPN (virtual private network) connections. The later supports better service.

JCC does not require a specific software package to VPN access, but accomodates the VPN software and remote nodes that are adapted to the security constraints of the client.

Staffing

JCC DBA ensures that a Senior Consultant is available on a 24 X 7 basis to react to emergencies.

Qualifications

JCC is recognized as the premiere Oracle Rdb database consulting company and can bring unique skills to the management of Rdb databases. All consultants who support the JCC DBA program are JCC Senior Consultants who have extensive experience with mission critical systems and databases.

JCC’s experience with Rdb dates from before Digital Equipment Corporation released it as a product. The first public training sessions offered by Digital were done by a JCC consultant! JCC has maintained a strong relationship to Rdb Engineering through all the growth of the product, related products, and the applications that use it. JCC is, currently, Oracle’s designated Rdb training provider for the Americas

All JCC consultants have extensive real world experience with diverse database needs. JCC consultants are not strangers to the requirements of databases that must function smoothly 24 X 7.

JCC consultants have designed or tuned the highest performance Rdb databases on the planet.

JCC clients operate in a diversity of business arenas including Manufacturing, Energy, Banking, Transportation, Entertainment, Retail, Education, Software, Trading, Telecommunications, Pharmaceuticals, and numerous others.

JCC’s customer base is international with many concerns that are themselves international and with specific clients in the Americas, Europe, Japan, Australia, China, India, and others.

Familiarity with the Environment

JCC assigns a small team of Senior Consultants to each customer.  Each member of the team gains familiarity with the customer’s environment, issues, and personnel. Team members stay current with events and discuss the customer’s needs and the team actions.

JCC Resources

Besides experienced consultants, JCC calls on an extensive computing environment for research, testing, and client support. Resources include:

• Internet Resources
  • T1 connection to the internet
  • VOIP (voice over IP) connection with our consultants wherever they are in the world
  • VPN (Virtual Private Network) connections that have met the needs of our existing clients
• OpenVMS and Rdb Resources
  • Current generation alpha systems with an excess of a terrabyte of on-line storage for running and testing current and recent versions of OpenVMS and Rdb.
  • Itanium-based VMS system (Integrity) running OpenVMS and Rdb.
  • Older alpha and VAX hardware to enable JCC testing of issues on older versions of Rdb and OpenVMS.
• Other Systems
  • JCC also actively uses a complete range of Windows systems.
  • JCC does active software testing on a UNIX system.
• Other Software
  • Most languages
  • Oracle 10g and earlier versions
  • Oracle development tools
  • Numerous other related tools

On-Site and Remote

JCC tunes the amount of on-site time to meet the client's needs. On-site visits can be scheduled to meet both routine and event-driven purposes. The initial visit is important to establish familiarity with the database, the people, the environment, and the particular advantages or challenges. Routine, periodic follow-on visits are planned to ensure maximum attention to the issues and to ensure smooth communication. Event-driven visits may be dictated by planned reorganization of the database or by support for installation of new applications.

With the assistance of JCC tools (which can be installed at the client site), remote support offers advantages, as well. Remote support enables the involvement of a team of experts who discuss and test any issues that arise.

Summary

The combination of on-site visits, continuing remote support, automatic alerts provided by JCC tools, and the attention of a team of experts who are familiar with the installation provides a powerful DBA answer.