Frequently Asked Questions
We realize that you may have questions about our Oracle Database Administration and Microsoft SQL Server Database Administration Services and have answered some of these questions below. If you have additional questions, please don't hesitate to email us at sales@ntirety.com.
- What are the requirements associated with Ntirety's Remote DBA service?
- What is the process for deploying the Remote DBA service and how long does it take until Ntirety is on the job?
- Can you perform these remote services without compromising security?
- What are the requirements associated with Ntirety's Remote Server Management service?
- What is the process for deploying the Remote Server Management service and how long does it take until Ntirety is on the job?
- Will I deal with the same people the majority of the time?
- What if my database fails and I need help outside my coverage window?
- What if my system fails and I need help outside my coverage window?
- How do I get in touch with Ntirety if I have an emergency?
- What will Ntirety's Remote DBA service Monitor?
- Will Ntirety's Remote DBA offer any Proactive Maintenance?
- Does Ntirety's network infrastructure support site-to-site VPN?
- Our Oracle Customers must have an Oracle support agreement in place with a valid Oracle Customer Service ID (CSI). If you do not have an active Oracle Service Agreement, we can still support you in many ways. It will prevent us from being able to provide you with Oracle software upgrades and patches.
- Our Oracle Customers must provide us with DBA level access to the Database
- Our Microsoft SQL Server customers must provide us with SA level privledges on the Servers we support
- The Database Appliance we provide you must be given the abilty to send out Internet email.
- Ntirety must be allowed to place a Database Appliance on your site.
- Ntirety requires DBA-level privileges for supported databases.
- Ntirety requires operating system privileges. (For Unix, this is non-root level privilege; for Windows, Administrator privilege on server.)
- (Ntirety will provide customers with a Site Review to assist the customer in meeting stated requirements.)
What is the process for deploying the Remote DBA service and how long does it take until Ntirety is on the job?
Ntirety database administration can being to provide database support within 24 hours. Our database appliance once ordered typically takes 3-5 days for us to provide you.
• top of page •Can you perform these remote services without compromising security?
Security, in today's world, is an endless discussion point – rightfully so. Each of Ntirety's clients is concerned about security, and they are clearly satisfied that Ntirety Remote Services does not compromise their security requirements. With this in mind, here are some points of information to remember about Ntirety Remote Services.
- We provide you with a Database Appliance onsite to store all your performance data. This means your proprietary information never leaves your site.
- The web connection's we use to work remotely is always done through an encrypted session.
What are the requirements associated with Ntirety's Remote Server Management service?
- Customers must have a UNIX, LINUX support agreement with the appropriate vendor.
- Customers' servers must be able to send Internet email.
- Customer must provide ability to remotely access supported servers through either site-to-site VPN (preferred) or Dial-up.
- Ntirety requires root-level privileges for supported systems.
- (Ntirety will provide customers with a Site Review to assist the customer in meeting stated requirements.)
What is the process for deploying the Remote Server Management service and how long does it take until Ntirety is on the job?
Assuming that initial environment requirements as stated above are met, most remote server management customers can be up and running as soon as Ntirety installs and configures it's software on our client's server and database. It generally takes under 40 hours to complete the installation and configuration.
• top of page •Will I deal with the same people the majority of the time?
Yes. This is one key advantage of working with Ntirety. Each customer is assigned a support team. A typical team configuration consist of 3 members. If your account require help at 3 A.M of 3 P.M., it is always a member of your assigned team that responds. We feel this approach is superior to the bull pen approach.
• top of page •What if my database fails and I need help outside my coverage window?
A customer can always declare an emergency and request remote dba services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We will be there when you need us. We have a number of ways you can declare an emergency including a 24 hour support line.
• top of page •What if my system fails and I need help outside my coverage window?
All productions database are covered 7X24X365. We want to be there when you need us.
• top of page •How do I get in touch with Ntirety if I have an emergency?
It's as simple as sending an email. Customers are told a keyword to send to us that signals that they need emergency assistance. Once that keyword is received by our system, your team is paged with distress request. Since we track the on-call rotation for your team, we can contact the team member. You Can Also Activate an emergency request through our Phone system. In addition the web site contains instruction incase you forget.
• top of page •What will Ntirety's Remote DBA service Monitor?
| Category | What's Monitored |
|---|---|
| Storage Management | Tablespace Free Space |
| Rollback Segments | |
| Extent Management | |
| Autoextend Management | |
| Flat file space used to support logs, dumps, and exports | |
| Proactive Performance Monitoring | System resource usage |
| Basic CPU utilization | |
| Disk I/O | |
| Basic Network I/O | |
| Memory utilization including SGA and shared pool | |
| Inefficient SQL | |
| Sorting Efficiency | |
| Hit ratios including buffer cache and shared pool | |
| Analyze objects Detection | |
| Archiving | |
| In-doubt transactions | |
| Temporary Tablespace usage | |
| Job Queue Analysis | |
| Lock & Latch Analysis | |
| Proactive Performance Monitoring | Alert Log Errors |
| Database Availability | |
| Listener Availability | |
| Low Disk Space/Archive Logs | |
| Blocking Locks | |
| Core Dumps | |
| Backup & Recovery | Monitor backups for successful completion |
| Flat file space used to support archive logs | |
| Monitor Exports for successful completion | |
| Data Management | Monitor object fragmentation |
| Invalid objects | |
| Extent failure detection |
Will Ntirety's Remote DBA offer any Proactive Maintenance?
| Category | Proactive Service |
|---|---|
| Storage Management | Create/Reallocate DB Files |
| Create/Reallocate Tables, Indexes | |
| Create/Reallocate Rollback Segments & other Database Objects | |
| Database Management | New database creation |
| Database networking configuration | |
| Determine/Adhere to guidelines for database structures and file layout | |
| Review Scripts & Procedures | |
| User Management & Security | Manage users, roles, and profiles |
| Manage schema security | |
| Problem Detection & Resolution | Problem resolution or assistance |
| TAR Management | |
| Patch Assistance | |
| Backup & Recovery | Define backup procedures |
| Database recovery assistance | |
| Object-level recovery assistance | |
| Data Management | Manage schema objects |
Does Ntirety's network infrastructure support site-to-site VPN?
The answer to this question is yes. At Ntirety we are very proud of the fact we are making the investments needed to insure our clients' networks and data are kept secure at all times. We encourage our customers to talk to us about their security concerns. We consider the steps we take to secure our clients data a real differentiator for us in the marketplace.
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