TechieTraits

Tuning & Strengthening SSL - Apache web server

2012-01-01T10:11:00.039-05:00

Importance of SSL

SSL - Secure Socket Layer is enabled via a series of communications and encryption/decrypting routines that already exit on browser programs and servers. The function of SSL certificates is to provide authentication of the identity of the server and to allow access to the security functionality of the web server itself.

During an SSL transaction, the client browser sends a list of algorithms that it is willing to support to the server. The server chooses one of these algorithms and sends it back to the client browser along with a certificate containing the server’s public key. The certificate serves the purpose of authenticating the server to the client. It then provides the public key that the client can then use to encrypt a pre-master-secret that is ultimately used to help create a symmetric key that is shared by both the client and server to encrypt traffic between themselves. The key item of note here is that the SSL encryption strength is not determined by the certificate, but is a function of the algorithms supported by the browser and server software.

During this SSL “handshake” - the browser and web agree to use the supporting cipher suite that meets the minimum requirements set-up on the application server -- whether it be 40-bit, 128-bit or even 256-bit.

Strengthening SSLCipher

Considering the importance of SSL communications between the browser & web, its very vital to remove the low level bit cipher from Web-Server configuration. We can achieve this by adding in httpd.conf:

SSLCipherSuite ALL:!ADH:RC4+RSA:+HIGH:!MEDIUM:!LOW:!SSLv2:!EXPORT
SSLProtocol -ALL +SSLv3 +TLSv1

Enabling SSLCache for High Performance

By adding SSLSessionCache shm:/etc/httpd/logs/ssl_gcache_data(512000) to httpd.conf file, we can boost performance with SSL Cache which enables SSL-delivered downloads faster and reduce the network requests - if any requests are repeated from any network/client machine.

Tool to check SSL Vulnerabilities

SSLScan - a fast SSL vulnerability scanner for ports,ciphers & their strengths on the existing SSL on any webserver. It provides very good insight of all details of current SSL installed on a website. Its can be downloaded from http://sourceforge.net/projects/sslscan/ or using yum in linux:

# yum list sslscan

The above command can be used to see the available versions in the current repos of that particular Linux flavour Operating system. Once satisfied with the availability, one can install sslscan using:

# yum install sslscan

once the Installation completed, you can test the SSL on any given website using:

# sslscan --no-failed www.example.com

This will provide a clean report of all accepted ciphers only. For further usage of the SSLScan, one can use:

# man sslscan

Once the above SSLCipher & SSLCache added to httpd.conf file, please make sure you restart the Apache server and then execute:

# sslscan --no-failed www.example.com

to confirm the changes.

Good Luck.

Setting up Secure FTP w/wo SSH connectivity - CentOS 5

2012-01-01T08:09:00.006-05:00

Hello folks - today I will be sharing about SFTP.

SFTP is an acronym for Secure File Transfer Protocol. SFTP, or secure FTP, is a program that uses SSH to transfer files. Unlike standard FTP, it encrypts both commands and data, preventing passwords and sensitive information from being transmitted in the clear over the network. It is functionally similar to FTP, but because it uses a different protocol, you can't use a standard FTP client to talk to an SFTP server, nor can you connect to an FTP server with a client that supports only SFTP.

Now, in this article I will be providing necessary configuration details for configuring SFTP server to transfer files & with / with out SSH access by a SFTP user account. We will be using OpenSSH 5.8 for this configuration. First we need to install the necessary dependencies for the OpenSSH package.

# yum install gcc

# yum install openssl-devel

# yum install pam-devel

# yum install rpm-build

Now, downloading the OpenSSH package:-

# wget http://openbsd.org.ar/pub/OpenBSD/OpenSSH/portable/openssh-5.8p2.tar.gz
# wget http://openbsd.org.ar/pub/OpenBSD/OpenSSH/portable/openssh-5.8p2.tar.gz.asc

Now that we have the gunzip file, we need to unzip the package, then build the RPM file and install the RPM. We can disable the building of GUI components in the spec file as we don’t need this GUI on a server:

# tar –xvzf openssh-5.8p2.tar.gz

# cp openssh-5.8p2/contrib/redhat/openssh.spec /usr/src/redhat/SPECS/
# cp openssh-5.8p2.tar.gz /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/
# cd /usr/src/redhat/SPECS
# perl -i.bak -pe 's/^(%define no_(gnome|x11)_askpass)\s+0$/$1 1/' openssh.spec
# rpmbuild -bb openssh.spec
# cd /usr/src/redhat/RPMS/`uname -i`
# rpm -Uvh openssh*rpm

Once the rpm installation is done, lets restart the ssh daemon & closely watch for errors if any.

# service sshd restart

Next will be to change few settings in ssd-config file: [here i've provided a sample configuration file for better understanding with the available options and modified ones]

# vi /etc/ssh/sshd-config

# This is the sshd server system-wide configuration file. See
# sshd_config(5) for more information.
# This sshd was compiled with PATH=/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/opt/bin
# The strategy used for options in the default sshd_config shipped with
# OpenSSH is to specify options with their default value where
# possible, but leave them commented. Uncommented options change a
# default value.

Port 22
#AddressFamily any
#ListenAddress 0.0.0.0
#ListenAddress ::

# The default requires explicit activation of protocol 1
Protocol 2

# HostKey for protocol version 1
#HostKey /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key
# HostKeys for protocol version 2
HostKey /etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key
HostKey /etc/ssh/ssh_host_dsa_key
#HostKey /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ecdsa_key

# Lifetime and size of ephemeral version 1 server key
#KeyRegenerationInterval 1h
#ServerKeyBits 1024

# Logging
# obsoletes QuietMode and FascistLogging
SyslogFacility AUTH
LogLevel INFO

# Authentication:

#LoginGraceTime 2m
#PermitRootLogin yes
#StrictModes yes
#MaxAuthTries 6
#MaxSessions 10

RSAAuthentication yes
PubkeyAuthentication yes
AuthorizedKeysFile .ssh/authorized_keys

# For this to work you will also need host keys in /etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts
#RhostsRSAAuthentication no
# similar for protocol version 2
#HostbasedAuthentication no
# Change to yes if you don't trust ~/.ssh/known_hosts for
# RhostsRSAAuthentication and HostbasedAuthentication
#IgnoreUserKnownHosts no
# Don't read the user's ~/.rhosts and ~/.shosts files
#IgnoreRhosts yes

# To disable tunneled clear text passwords, change to no here!
#PasswordAuthentication yes
#PermitEmptyPasswords no

# Change to no to disable s/key passwords
ChallengeResponseAuthentication yes

# Kerberos options
#KerberosAuthentication no
#KerberosOrLocalPasswd yes
#KerberosTicketCleanup yes
#KerberosGetAFSToken no

# GSSAPI options
#GSSAPIAuthentication no
#GSSAPICleanupCredentials yes

# Set this to 'yes' to enable PAM authentication, account processing,
# and session processing. If this is enabled, PAM authentication will
# be allowed through the ChallengeResponseAuthentication and
# PasswordAuthentication. Depending on your PAM configuration,
# PAM authentication via ChallengeResponseAuthentication may bypass
# the setting of "PermitRootLogin without-password".
# If you just want the PAM account and session checks to run without
# PAM authentication, then enable this but set PasswordAuthentication
# and ChallengeResponseAuthentication to 'no'.
#UsePAM no

#AllowAgentForwarding yes
#AllowTcpForwarding yes
#GatewayPorts no
#X11Forwarding no
#X11DisplayOffset 10
#X11UseLocalhost yes
#PrintMotd yes
#PrintLastLog yes
#TCPKeepAlive yes
#UseLogin no
#UsePrivilegeSeparation yes
#PermitUserEnvironment no
#Compression delayed
ClientAliveInterval 60
#ClientAliveCountMax 3
#UseDNS yes
#PidFile /var/run/sshd.pid
#MaxStartups 10
#PermitTunnel no
#ChrootDirectory none

# no default banner path
#Banner none

# override default of no subsystems
#Subsystem sftp /opt/libexec/sftp-server

Subsystem sftp internal-sftp

DenyUsers root wuser
DenyGroups root nossh
#DenyGroups nossh

#Manual configuration
Match Group sftp
#ChrootDirectory %h

ChrootDirectory /ftpdir/%u
X11Forwarding no
AllowTcpForwarding no
ForceCommand internal-sftp

Third Step will be creating SFTP group, SFTP users & directory permissions. So lets create a group for SFTP.

# /usr/sbin/groupadd sftp

Next, lets create a directory for file transfers, name it as ftpdir under /.

# mkdir /ftpdir

Next create a sftp user called sftpuser1 with default home diretory as /ftpdir

#/usr/sbin/useradd -g sftp -s /usr/libexec/openssh/sftp-server -d /ftpdir sftpuser1

Then change ownership of /ftpdir as it will be the Chroot Directory and it should be owned by root but group of sftp

#chown root:sftp /ftpdir

Then setting permissions for the user, read and execute for the group and others

#chmod 755 /ftpdir

Now, directory specific to sftpuser1

#mkdir /ftpdir/sftpuser1

Next, changing the ownership of /ftpdir/sftpuser1 to the user sftpuser1 belongs to sftp group

#chown sftpuser1:sftp /ftpdir/sftpuser1

Next is changing the permissions for /ftpdir/sftpuser1, Read,write,execute for sftpuser1 user, read & execute for the group users of sftp and others.

#chmod 755 /ftpdir/sftpuser1

Now,create a password for sftpuser1

#passwd sftpuser1

In the end, restart the sshd service to commit all the changes

#/sbin/service sshd restart

Now, test the sftp user using a sftp client such as Bit Tunnelier - http://www.bitvise.com/tunnelier , Private Shell - http://www.privateshell.com/ or FileZilla - http://www.upenn.edu/computing/help/doc/ftp/filezillasftp.html

Once the connectivity is tested now, follow these next steps only if SSH connectivity has to be disabled for the sftpuser1 and thus providing connectivity only through a GUI client tool, then

# vi /etc/passwd

modify the last line as /dev/null in the last section only

sftpuser1:x:508:514::/ftpdir:/dev/null

Save the file and then restart SSH Daemon for the changes to be effective. And that's it folks, we are all set for the Secure File Transfer.

Keep rocking fellows, see ya next time with one another challenging topic.

Interesting..........................

2011-11-16T19:49:00.000-05:00

An Atheist Professor of Philosophy speaks to his Class on the Problem Science has with GOD, the ALMIGHTY.
He asks one of his New Christian Students to stand and . . .

Professor : You are a Christian, aren't you, son ?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor : So you Believe in GOD ?

Student : Absolutely, sir.
Professor : Is GOD Good ?
Student : Sure.
Professor : Is GOD ALL - POWERFUL ?
Student : Yes.
Professor : My Brother died of Cancer even though he Prayed to GOD to Heal him.
Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill.
But GOD didn't.
How is this GOD good then? Hmm?

( Student is silent )

Professor : You can't answer, can you ?
Let's start again, Young Fella.
Is GOD Good?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Is Satan good ?
Student : No.
Professor : Where does Satan come from ?
Student : From . . . GOD . . .
Professor : That's right.
Tell me son, is there evil in this World?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Evil is everywhere, isn't it ?
And GOD did make everything. Correct?
Student : Yes.
Professor : So who created evil ?

(Student does not answer)

Professor : Is there Sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness?
All these terrible things exist in the World, don't they?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor : So, who Created them ?

( Student has no answer )

Professor : Science says you have 5 Senses you use to Identify and Observe the World around you.
Tell me, son . . . Have you ever Seen GOD?
Student : No, sir.
Professor : Tell us if you have ever Heard your GOD?
Student : No , sir.
Professor : Have you ever Felt your GOD, Tasted your GOD, Smelt your GOD?
Have you ever had any Sensory Perception of GOD for that matter?
Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Professor : Yet you still Believe in HIM?
Student : Yes.
Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says your GOD doesn't exist.
What do you say to that, son?
Student : Nothing. I only have my Faith.
Professor : Yes, Faith. And that is the Problem Science has.
Student : Professor, is there such a thing as Heat?
Professor : Yes.
Student : And is there such a thing as Cold?
Professor : Yes.
Student : No sir. There isn't.

( The Lecture Theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events )

Student : Sir, you can have Lots of Heat, even More Heat, Superheat, Mega Heat, White Heat,
a Little Heat or No Heat.
But we don't have anything called Cold.
We can hit 458 Degrees below Zero which is No Heat, but we can't go any further after that.
There is no such thing as Cold.
Cold is only a Word we use to describe the Absence of Heat.
We cannot Measure Cold.
Heat is Energy.
Cold is Not the Opposite of Heat, sir, just the Absence of it.

( There is Pin - Drop Silence in the Lecture Theatre )

Student : What about Darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as Darkness?
Professor : Yes. What is Night if there isn't Darkness?
Student : You're wrong again, sir.
Darkness is the Absence of Something…
You can have Low Light, Normal Light, Bright Light, Flashing Light . . .
But if you have No Light constantly, you have nothing and its called Darkness, isn't it?
In reality, Darkness isn't.
If it is, were you would be able to make Darkness Darker, wouldn't you?
Professor : So what is the point you are making, Young Man ?
Student : Sir, my point is your Philosophical Premise is flawed.
Professor : Flawed ? Can you explain how?
Student : Sir, you are working on the Premise of Duality.
You argue there is Life and then there is Death, a Good GOD and a Bad GOD.
You are viewing the Concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure.
Sir, Science can't even explain a Thought.
It uses Electricity and Magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one.
To view Death as the Opposite of Life is to be ignorant of the fact that
Death cannot exist as a Substantive Thing.
Death is Not the Opposite of Life: just the Absence of it.
Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your Students that they evolved from a Monkey?
Professor : If you are referring to the Natural Evolutionary Process, yes, of course, I do.
Student : Have you ever observed Evolution with your own eyes, sir?

( The Professor shakes his head with a Smile, beginning to realize where the Argument is going )

Student : Since no one has ever observed the Process of Evolution at work and
Cannot even prove that this Process is an On - Going Endeavor,
Are you not teaching your Opinion, sir?
Are you not a Scientist but a Preacher?

( The Class is in Uproar )

Student : Is there anyone in the Class who has ever seen the Professor's Brain?

( The Class breaks out into Laughter )

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's Brain, Felt it, touched or Smelt it? . . .
No one appears to have done so.
So, according to the Established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that
You have No Brain, sir.
With all due respect, sir, how do we then Trust your Lectures, sir?

(The Room is Silent. The Professor stares at the Student, his face unfathomable)

Professor : I guess you'll have to take them on Faith, son.
Student : That is it sir . . .
The Link between Man and GOD is FAITH.
That is all that Keeps Things Moving and Alive.

It turned out later that the student is Albert Einstein

Downgrading from Oracle Database11g to Oracle Database 10g at CLI [Command Line Interface]

2010-12-29T23:50:00.003-05:00

I would like to share the downgrade process of Oracle Database 11gR2 to 10gR2.

11GR2 ORACLE_HOME = /u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/dbhome_1

10GR2 ORACLE_HOME = /u01/app/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1

Step: Checking the current instance details on current database

SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> select instance_name from v$instance;

INSTANCE_NAME
----------------
otrans

Step: This is important, make sure you have set the compatible parameter to the version in which you would like to downgrade to, in this example its 10.2.0.3.0

SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> show parameter compatible

NAME TYPE VALUE
------------------------------------ ----------- ------------------------------
compatible string 10.2.0.3.0

SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> select * from v$version;

BANNER
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oracle Database 11g Enterprise Edition Release 11.2.0.1.0
PL/SQL Release 11.2.0.1.0 - Production
CORE 11.2.0.1.0 Production
TNS for Linux: Version 11.2.0.1.0 - Production
NLSRTL Version 11.2.0.1.0 - Production

Step: Prepare Oracle database for downgrade (11g Home)

SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> shutdown immediate

Database closed.
Database dismounted.
ORACLE instance shut down.

SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> STARTUP DOWNGRADE
ORACLE instance started.

Total System Global Area 939495424 bytes
Fixed Size 2232088 bytes
Variable Size 251658472 bytes
Database Buffers 679477248 bytes
Redo Buffers 6127616 bytes
Database mounted.
Database opened.

Step: Run catdwgrd.sql to downgrade --- this script is used from downgrading from the current release you have installed to the release in which you have upgraded from.

SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> SPOOL downgrade-1023g.log
SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> @?/rdbms/admin/catdwgrd.sql

SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> Rem ***********************************************************************
SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> Rem END catdwgrd.sql
SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> Rem ***********************************************************************

SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> shutdown immediate
Database closed.
Database dismounted.
ORACLE instance shut down.

Step: Define the ORACLE_HOME environment variable for SQLPLUS usage

$ export ORACLE_HOME=/u01/app/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1
$ /u01/app/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1/bin/sqlplus /nolog

SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> connect / as sysdba
Connected to an idle instance.

SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> STARTUP UPGRADE
ORACLE instance started.

Total System Global Area 734003200 bytes
Fixed Size 2099136 bytes
Variable Size 192940096 bytes
Database Buffers 532676608 bytes
Redo Buffers 6287360 bytes
Database mounted.
Database opened.

Step: Execute catrelod.sql to reload all of the database components with their current versions in the downgraded database

SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> SPOOL reload1023.log

SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> @?/rdbms/admin/catrelod.sql

COMP_NAME STATUS VERSION
----------------------------------- ----------- ----------
Oracle Database Packages and Types VALID 10.2.0.3.0
Oracle Database Catalog Views VALID 10.2.0.3.0
JServer JAVA Virtual Machine VALID 10.2.0.3.0
Oracle XDK VALID 10.2.0.3.0
Oracle Database Java Packages VALID 10.2.0.3.0
Oracle Text VALID 10.2.0.3.0
Oracle XML Database VALID 10.2.0.3.0
Oracle Workspace Manager VALID 10.2.0.3.0
Oracle Data Mining VALID 10.2.0.3.0
OLAP Analytic Workspace VALID 10.2.0.3.0
OLAP Catalog VALID 10.2.0.3.0
Oracle OLAP API VALID 10.2.0.3.0
Oracle interMedia VALID 10.2.0.3.0

SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> SPOOL OFF

Step: You have to make sure to Shutdown and Startup database then recompile all objects of the Database

SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> shutdown immediate
Database closed.
Database dismounted.
ORACLE instance shut down.

SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> startup
ORACLE instance started.

Total System Global Area 734003200 bytes
Fixed Size 2099136 bytes
Variable Size 247466048 bytes
Database Buffers 478150656 bytes
Redo Buffers 6287360 bytes
Database mounted.
Database opened.

SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> @?/rdbms/admin/utlrp.sql

SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> select * from v$version;

BANNER
----------------------------------------------------------------
Oracle Database 10g Enterprise Edition Release 10.2.0.3.0
PL/SQL Release 10.2.0.3.0 - Production
CORE 10.2.0.3.0 Production
TNS for Linux: Version 10.2.0.3.0 - Production
NLSRTL Version 10.2.0.3.0 - Production

SYS@OTRANS 29-DEC-10> show parameter compatible

NAME TYPE VALUE
------------------------------------ ----------- ------------------------------
compatible string 10.2.0.3.0

Now, my database was downgraded to 10.2.0.3, Please correct me if am missing something above. Looking forward for your views.

వాట్ ఐ హవె లేఅర్నేడ్ సో ఫార్ ....................

2010-08-25T12:26:00.004-04:00

I’ve learned..........

- that it’s taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

- that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them.

- that no matter how much I care, some people just don’t care back.

- that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.

- that no matter how good a friend is, they’re going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for - that.

- that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

- that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you’re down will be the ones to help you get back up.

- that just because someone doesn’t love you the way you want them to doesn’t mean they don’t love you with all they have.

- that we don’t have to change friends if we understand - that friends change.

- that it’s not what you have in your life but who you have in your life - that counts.

- that you should never ruin an apology with an excuse.

- that you shouldn’t compare yourself to the best others can do.

- that you can do something in an instant - that will give you heartache for life.

- that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

- that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

- that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

- that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

- that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you’ve had and what you’ve learned from them and less to do with number of birthdays.

- that your family won’t always be there for you. It may seem funny, but people you aren’t related to can take care of you and teach you to trust people again.

- that it isn’t always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you are to learn to forgive yourself.

- that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn’t stop for your grief.

- that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

- that a rich person is not the one who has the most, but is one who needs the least.

- that you shouldn’t be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

- that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

- that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

- that credentials on the wall do not make a decent human being.

- that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

- that it’s hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice and not hurting people’s feelings, and standing up for what you believe.

- that people will forget the good you said, and people will forget the good you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel bad even just once.

a small inspiration for all techies out dere.....

2009-04-11T11:14:00.002-04:00

Once Upon a time a very strong woodcutter asked for a job from a timber merchant, and he got it. The pay was really good and so were the working conditions. For that reason, the woodcutter was determined to do his best.

His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work.
The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees.
“Congratulations,” the boss said. “Go on that way!”

Very motivated for the boss’ words, the woodcutter tried harder next day, but he could bring 15 trees. The third day he tried even harder, but only could bring 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing less and less trees.

“I must be losing my strength”, the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.

“When was the last time you sharpened you axe? The boss asked.

“Sharpen ? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees…”

Morale:

WORK SMARTER THAN HARDER. TAKE BEST CARE OF YOUR RESOURCES THAT HELP YOU ACHIEVE THE SUCCESS.

OCR & Voting Disks - Oracle RAC

2009-04-09T22:51:00.005-04:00

A long weekend is always a good thing. When you combine that with the ability to literally “get away from it all”, they are even better :) After so many days, am able to publish my work am glad about it. Here I present one of my recent works :-

Oracle Clusterware includes two important components: the voting disk and the Oracle Cluster Registry (OCR). The voting disk is a file that manages information about node membership and the OCR is a file that manages cluster and RAC database configuration information.

Oracle recommends that you select the option to configure multiple voting disks during Oracle Clusterware installation to improve availability.

Backing up Voting Disks

Run the following command to back up a voting disk. Perform this operation on every voting disk as needed where voting_disk_name is the name of the active voting disk and backup_file_name is the name of the file to which you want to back up the voting disk contents:

dd if=voting_disk_name of=backup_file_name

Recovering Voting Disks

Run the following command to recover a voting disk where backup_file_name is the name of the voting disk backup file and voting_disk_name is the name of the active voting disk:

dd if=backup_file_name of=voting_disk_name

Note: If you have multiple voting disks, then you can remove the voting disks and add them back into your environment using the crsctl delete css votedisk path and crsctl add css votedisk path commands respectively, where path is the complete path of the location on which the voting disk resides.

Changing the Voting Disk Configuration after Installing Real Application Clusters

You can dynamically add and remove voting disks after installing Real Application Clusters. Do this using the following commands where path is the fully qualified path for the additional voting disk. Run the following command as the root user to add a voting disk:

crsctl add css votedisk path

Run the following command as the root user to remove a voting disk:

crsctl delete css votedisk path

Changing the location of Voting disks

Login as root, group dba

Shutdown CRS on all nodes:
./crsctl stop crs

cross checking the status:
./crsctl check crs

Check the the location of the voting disk:
./crsctl query css votedisk

Copy the voting disk to the new location:

Change the location in CRS:
./crsctl add css votedisk
[Repeat step if more voting disks need to be added]

Delete the old Voting Disks:
crsctl delete css votedisk

Changing the location of OCR

Login as root, group dba

Start CRS on all nodes:

./crsctl start crs

./crsctl check crs

Check OCR configuration/backups:

ocrcheck

ocrconfig -showbackup

Copy the OCR mirror to the new location:

Check the files in the new location:

ls -rlt

cp crs_mirror /mnt/prdaudit_crs_mirror1

Change the OCR location in the CRS:

./ocrconfig -replace ocrmirror [path for ocrmirror]

Same way to move the ocr:

oraconfig -replace ocr

then run the check command:

ocrcheck

if everything seems right:

exit

These are the vital tasks which are associated with Voting Disks & OCR of Oracle Clusterware. use the article for your references to save lot of time :)

See you next time......

MySQL - Oracle Comparison in a week-end :)

2007-12-04T21:07:00.000-05:00

As I have been working on MySQL and Oracle quite a bit in these days, thought to put down point-to-point comparison so that it would quite easy for many of us to compare and contrast and get the glimpse of the two most popular databases. so here are few points:-

MySQL is a database fit for some types of applications. These tend to be smaller applications, or those which integrate applications with less sophisticated needs than those running Oracle on the backend.

MySQL shares with Oracle good support for database access including ODBC and JDBC drivers, as well as access libraries for Perl, Python and PHP. MySQL and Oracle both support binary large objects, character, numeric, and date datatypes. They both have primary and unique keys, and as of 4.x with InnoDB, MySQL has foreign keys, and transactions including READ UNCOMMITED, READ COMMITED, REPEATABLE READ, and SERIALIZABLE. Both databases have sophisticated language and character set support. MySQL can do table locking, and recently improved to include row-level locking.

However, quite a number of features we find in Oracle as standard, which remain missing in MySQL. Until recently that included row-level locking, true transactions, and subqueries although as of 4.x those seem to be present. However, those have been present, and core technologies in Oracle for years, with very stable and solid implementation, you're sure to achieve dramatic performance . Views are still absent in MySQL, though they may be around the corner with subqueries available now.

Of course a lot of the high end Oracle features remain completely absent from MySQL, and may never be added. Features such as parallel query, and partitioned tables, which include a whole host of special features such as the ability to take one partition offline without impacting queries on the rest of the table. The indexing on partition tables is sophisticated too, allowing partition elimination, and range scans on indexes of specific partitions. There are other large database features such as special functions for star queries. Oracle has terabyte databases in production, so this fact speaks for itself.

MySQL has somewhat limited set of index types. For instance Oracle has reverse key, bitmap, and function based indexes, as well as index organized tables. These are all very powerful features for developers who are trying squeeze that last bit of performance out of complex SQL queries against large tables. Although MySQL does provide some index statistic collection, Oracle provides the full set of statistics, including histograms, and makes great use of it inside the Cost Based Optimizer.

MySQL still does not have privilege groups, called ROLES in Oracle. Oracle can also provide column level.

MySQL does not have good procedure to handle backups which have been an integral part of Oracle for years. In addition, Oracle's RMAN has become a sophisticated piece of software, and grown to be very stable, providing block level backups so only the data that changed can be included in subsequent backups. This makes nightly backups smaller overall. It also aids tremendously during recovery, providing a lot of automation, and assistence, during those times when you need it most. MySQL's method is to dump data, and further if you want to guarentee a point in time dump of your data, you have to lock all the tables in the database, potentially slowing down your application tremendously. Lastly MySQL does not have automatic or point in time recovery, a real limitation on heavy use production databases.

MySQL also has some limitations on row sizes. MyISAM tables for instance, can have a maximum 64k of data per row, and InnoDB tables 8k per row. This does not include BLOB and TEXT types.

Lastly, MySQL does not include database links such as those found in Oracle allowing you to query a table from an external database inside a query in a local database. This can be useful for moving data between databases, and is key to implementing advanced replication in Oracle.

P.S:- Some of the above features / numbers are taken from different sources available in the Internet, including MySQL documentation

Relationships 'R' Us

2007-04-30T09:08:00.001-04:00

We all conduct our relationships with other people using our personality. Our personality, however, is made up of various parts, which can be called self(s). When we relate with others there are quite a few different self(s) involved in our relationships and thats the reason, relationships are never simple. It is rather like there are two groups relating, and not just two people. This is why sometimes we feel caring towards our partner and at other times we want to be cared for; it is why sometimes we admire a quality in our partner tremendously and at other times we see that same quality as a fault; and why sometimes something our partner amuses us and at other times that same action irritates.

Relationships thrive on good communication. When people know exactly what is in the other's mind, a relationship proceeds smoothly.Once people understand the hidden signs and the precise meaning of what is being said, they can develop a very healthy relationship. People feel good if some body understands them. They get irritated if somebody does not understand them. Irrespective of their own bad communication, they want people to understand them. Here lies the clue to communication and relationships.And all our modern technology such as email, cell phones, and text messaging and tiny music players and portable videos seem to distract our attention from the present moment more and more.Even though all the new technological toys we have today were supposed to free up our time and make us more connected, it can have an opposite effect. When we do spend time with our families or friends, many of us are also tied to the computer, or our cell phone or we’re busy sending and receiving text messages.

How often have we speaking to a friend on the telephone, and heard the clacking of keyboard in the background? Our friend may be typing up email messages to someone else at the same time he or she is talking to us. So we’re not getting his full attention, and neither is the other person.Many of us are used to not just multi-tasking with our jobs, but also with our friends. Why give our attention to the person in front of us, when there might be a message on our computer at the same time? A better, more exciting offer might come in any minute, on our cell phone, or in our email.Our attention is never really where we are. Our mind is split. We’re never really committed to working when we are at work, and we’re never really present with the people we care about, because someone else is on the line, Or something else is on our mind.

So I would say we have to compare it with our real values and priorities in life. Is our hectic lifestyle really bringing us the quality of life that we want? Examine whether the way we are currently spending our time accurately reflects our deepest values and priorities. Make sure that we schedule adequate time for the things that are truly most important to us. If we really want to keep friends in our life, we need to make a space in our schedule and a space in our heart for them. And most importantly we need to practice the art of being fully present with the important people in our life.

"Remember, we all stumble, every one of us. That's why it's a comfort to go hand in hand."

Humor

2006-11-10T20:03:00.000-05:00

Here is the age-old argument about the importance of academics in Oracle technology.

One side of the argument says that the dedication, hard work and perseverance required to graduate from college graduate (not to mention computer science skills), makes the "college-educated" DBA more productive.

Engineers must have a degree (and a license), and lawyers must have a JD degree. So, what the value of a technology degree to an Oracle professional?

The other side of the coin says that experience-alone can be the best predictor of Oracle DBA job performance.

"I can't help but wonder if Bill Gates had taken a Data Structures, Algorithms and Operating System Design course in Harvard, that Windows might be a more reliable platform." - DB

R u a RockStar @ Work?

2006-09-08T15:30:00.000-04:00

Last week I read an article on GOOGLE guys and all their business success. It made me to think about the importance of giving fully at work. Being wildly passionate, being breathtalkingly committed about things to do in the Organization. Being a rock star in whatever we do, to put things on the right table.

Work gives meaning to our techie lives. It influence our selfworth and the way we perceive our place under the Organization. Being great at what we do isnt just something we do for the organization we work for --- its a gift we give ourself. Being spectaculary great at work promotes personal respect, excitement & makes our life a lot more interesting.

How do you feel after each day at work? How do you feel when you've given your best. had fun with your teammates? How do you feel when you reached for your greatest goals and grabbed them? It feels pretty good, doesnt it ?

So be a rock star at work today. Give the best performance of your life every day at work. And see how you feel at the end of the day, you feel just amazing. And am sure you can have best sleep as well. So can you be one among the rock stars @ work?

About Oracle Fusion

2006-09-08T10:18:00.000-04:00

Fusion is an application expected to be released by Oracle in 2008. It is a response to the hostile takeover of PeopleSoft January 2005. Initially, it was expected to be a "fusion" of Oracle Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) applications and PeopleSoft ERP applications. However upon clarification from Oracle 1st Quarter 2006, the Fusion product will be new applications products based on an E-Business Suite (EBS) data model, EBS processes, and user interface expertise obtained in the PeopleSoft takeover. More simply put, the Fusion product is redesigning EBS using SOA concepts and adding expertise from its PeopleSoft/JD Edwards takeovers.

Gr8'er Competency is EQUALS 2 Smoother Sailing !

2006-05-23T04:20:00.000-04:00

We have probably heard that most accidents occur as a result of drivers' error. It's a fact. And it's also true about sailing. The vast majority of marine accidents happen because of mistakes made by captain and crew.And it's no different in our quest for success.

Certainly there are times when things outside of our control cause us problems and even result in failure. But most of these can be overcome with greater knowledge and better skills.You see, piloting a boat is not really very difficult. Getting from point A to point B under fair skies and friendly winds is something most anyone with a modicum oftraining can do. But what we prepare for, what we really need to study, is how to handle things when circumstances are less than ideal. When the weather deteriorates, when equipment breaks, when things start to unravel, THAT'S when your competence becomes critical. That's when our ability, our knowledge and our experience can make the difference between people living and dying.

Our preparedness--or un-preparedness--for our personal and professional success may not seem quite so critical. It's not a matter of life and death, but it's important nonetheless.In order for us to fulfill our potential, we owe it to ourselves as well as those we care about and those we serve to be constantly improving our skills. We must always be learning. We must be preparing for unexpected economic squalls. We should consistently be honing our abilities.In doing so, we bring out the best that's in us and we raise the expectations of those around us. Our confidence begets more confidence. It attracts people to us. Every crew member wants to be part of a competent team with a skilled captain.

Our industry is worthy of our study. Enhancing our skills makes our job easier and makes us more valuable in the marketplace. Knowing enough to get by just won't cut it. We must challenge ourselves. It makes our life more fun and more interesting. And it can make all the difference in not only the quality of the journey but the wealth of the destinations.

Question to Ponder: What skills, knowledge and experience do we need to develop?In addition to setting goals about what we want to achieve, we should also set goals as to what we want to learn. What skills do we want to acquire in the next three months? What bodies of knowledge do we want to master? What do we want to add to our experience? What courses will we take? Who will we study under? What books will we read? How much will we invest in our quest for competence?

Because EVERYTHING COUNTS !

Newsss!

2006-05-09T04:24:00.000-04:00

New mobile application allows you to build and run database queries from your handheld.

Tiny Query Writer is a mobile application that allows you to write and run database queries and stored procedures from your BlackBerry device.

Tiny Query Writer helps database administrators, developers, help-desk technicians, consultants and other information workers, be more efficient and productive while they are away from their workstations.Tiny Query Writer is easy to use and affordable. Using it is as easy as entering your credentials, typing your query and viewing the results. Watch the demo movie and see for yourself!Tiny Query Writer runs on any BlackBerry device and only requires a standard Windows workstation for its Gateway piece. You don't need to buy additional hardware. You don't need to install software on any of the database servers. You don't need to navigate through many screens to get the job done.

Database servers currently supported are Microsoft SQL Server and MySQL. Coming soon is support for Oracle databases.

Taking Charge of Life

2006-04-06T06:54:00.000-04:00

How do you live your life? At cause or at effect? It is important to be aware of this distinction. It is the rare individual who always lives his or her life at cause; however, far too many of us live a large portion of our lives at effect - responding to the whims, desires or emotional states of others.

Being at cause means that you are decisive in creating what you want in life and take responsibility for whatever you achieve. You see the world as a place of opportunity and you move toward achieving what you desire. If things are not unfolding as you would like, you take action and explore other possibilities. Above all, you know you have choice in what you do and how you react to people and events.

If you are at effect, you may blame others or circumstances for your bad moods, for what you have not achieved or for the disarray of your life in general. You may feel powerless or depend on others in order for you to feel good about yourself or about life. You may think, "If only my wife, my boss, my co-workers, my parents, my children understood me and helped me achieve my dreams or did what I wanted or what is best for me, then life would be great." If you wait and hope for things to be different or for others to provide you with results or happiness, you are at effect, or a victim of circumstances. And really, how satisfying is that? How satisfying do you think it is for others to be around you? Believing that someone else is responsible for your happiness or your different moods is very limiting and gives this person mystical powers over you, which can cause both you and the other person a great deal of anguish.

Being at cause means you have choices in your life - you can choose what is best for you while ensuring the choice is ecological for those around you, in your community and your society. That is, you consider the consequences of your actions on others, while not taking responsibility for their emotional well-being. Believing you are responsible for the emotional well-being of someone else places a heavy burden upon you and can cause a great deal of stress.

Those who live their lives at effect often see themselves as victims with no choices whatsoever. The truth is that they do have choices but have chosen not to take action. They are simply reactive to whatever is thrust upon them.

Emotions such as guilt, fear, anxiety and resentment are the result of being at effect. People at effect tend to blame others and do not take responsibility for their actions. Emotions such as these can wear heavily on a person's body and life, and can be the root cause of many physical and personal issues.

Do I always live my life at cause? No, not a chance; the great majority of the time I do live at cause. When I don't, one of the following usually comes to mind: ‘There is no failure only feedback' or ‘There are no unresourceful people, only unresourceful states'. Then using various personal growth techniques, I am able to explore other ways to achieve my outcomes or ask others for help, without being a victim to their answers.

Each morning when you get up, you can either ask yourself, "I wonder what my day will bring," or "What do I choose to bring to my day?" The choice is yours.

Seriously Humor

2006-02-20T01:28:00.000-05:00

How serious can we be about humor in the workplace, and how humorous can we be about the seriousness we often find there? According to a survey only 15% of workers are fired because of lack of competence. The remaining 85% are let go because of their inability to get along with fellow employees. When asked about the qualities of an effective employee, senior administrators and human relations personnel check humor as one of the choice attributes of a desired employee.

Now a days humor became a recognized asset in the workplace! Humor facilitates communication, builds relationships, reduces stress, provides perspective, and promotes attending and energizes.

Humor provides a non-threatening medium through which an employee or employer can communicate with others without intensifying the emotional temperature of the relationship. The development of staff cohesion and a sense of team effort in the workplace can be effectively facilitated by the use of humor. Bulletin boards, electronic mail, intra-office memos, voice mail, etc. all offer mediums through which we can share humor with co-workers.Work is often associated with stress, and we know that stress is one of the main causes of illness, absenteeism, employee burn-out, etc. Humor is a great stress reliever because it makes us feel good, and we can't feel good and feel stress simultaneously.

We know that all good lecturers have many jokes, stories, and anecdotes that are shared in order to command attention and energize the audience. Humor wakes us up and increases our attending. A few moments of humor at work can lead to increased productivity as the newly energized employee returns to his or her task. In working environments where humor is supported there develops a culture that utilizes the humor to reduce stress and provide perspective.

Humor is a major career asset, so let's be serious about humor and use humor to lighten our seriousness in the workplace.

An (Idle / Idol) Patriot

2006-01-31T17:13:00.000-05:00

Patriotism is being a responsible and understanding part of the community. Patriotism denotes positive attitudes by individuals to their own civic or political community, to its culture, its members, and to its interests. Where each morning flourishes with it a bunch of vibrant rays empowering a flurry of new hopes, exuberance of confidence, and a feeling of oneness in its people. The word is derived from the Latin patria, fatherland, which has a much broader meaning than a geographical territory.

To some, patriotism has connotations of self-sacrifice, implying that the individual should place the interests of the community above their personal interests, and in extreme cases their lives. Others, however, associate patriotism with the common good, with the aim of responding to conflicts in ways which ensure that everyone benefits. As such, patriotism has ethical connotations: it implies that the political community is in some way a moral standard or moral value in itself. The primary implication of patriotism in ethics is that a person has more moral duties to fellow members of the political community, as distinct from non-members.

The people of India were indeed blessed in the galaxy of great men who led the country’s struggle for independence – Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, C. Rajagopalachari, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and many others. Foremost among these was Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of our nation. Albert Einstein said of him “Generations to come will scarce believe that such a man as this ever in flesh and blood walked this earth”. Using against the British rulers in India the techniques of non-violent civil disobedience that he had forged, from 1893 to 1914, in his anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa, Mahatma Gandhi waged a unique battle with unique weapons. It ended with a victory – independence for India – that was free of the hatred, the bitterness, the smouldering resentment that so often marks the end of such struggles elsewhere in the world.

As we already got the 'Independence' and so now its all of our responsibility to maintain that! So, my dear fellow Indians, according to me, we need not do self-sacrifice, need not change others, need not give any dhamaka ( as in the Movie Rang-De-Basanti). We just need to maintain the moral standard or moral value in ourselves. We just need to be honest to ourselves, honest in the things we do, trustworty towards the people surrounded by us. Let all of us try to be an "Idol Patriot" inspite of idle patriot!

"The day we take complete responsibility for ourself, the day we stop making any excuses, that's the day we start to the top."

Most Often Used Networking Terminology in Business Objects Product Suite

2006-01-18T19:34:00.000-05:00

Some of the Networking terminology which is used in the "Business Objects" Product Suite:-

1) Apache is generally recognized as the world's most popular Web server (HTTP server). Originally designed for Unix servers, Apache has been ported to Windows and other network operating systems (NOS). The name "Apache" derives from the word "patchy" that the Apache developers used to describe early versions of their software.

Apache provides a full range of Web server features, including CGI, SSL, and virtual domains. Apache also supports plug-in modules for extensibility. Apache is reliable, free, and relatively easy to configure.

The Apache HTTP server is free software distributed by the Apache Software Foundation. The Apache Software Foundation promotes various free and open source advanced Web technologies.

2) An API (Appilication Programming Interface) allows computer programmers to access the functionality of pre-built software modules. An API defines data structures and subroutine calls. Networking APIs are entry points to libraries that implement network and data communication protocols.

3) The word "cluster" is used broadly in computer networking to refer to a number of different implementations of shared computing resources. Typically, a cluster integrates the resources of two or more computing devices (that could otherwise function separately) together for some common purpose.

A Web server farm (a collection of networked Web servers, each with access to content on the same site) function as a cluster conceptually. However, purists may debate the classification of a server farm as a cluster, depending on the details of the hardware and software configuration. It is important to recognize that network clustering involves a long past history of research and development with many offshoots and variations.

4) The term "crash" refers to a critical failure in a computer, network device, or software. Crashes often occur with little or no warning. As evidenced by the number of different synonyms employed over the years, crashes have a long and colorful history in computer networking.

5) DMZ (De-Militarized Zone) is a firewall configuration for securing local area networks (LANs).

In a DMZ configuration, most computers on the LAN run behind a firewall connected to a public network like the Internet. One or more computers also run outside the firewall, in the DMZ. Those computers on the outside intercept traffic and broker requests for the rest of the LAN, adding an extra layer of protection for computers behind the firewall.

Traditional DMZs allow computers behind the firewall to initiate requests outbound to the DMZ. Computers in the DMZ in turn respond, forward or re-issue requests out to the Internet or other public network, as proxy servers do. The LAN firewall, though, prevents computers in the DMZ from initiating inbound requests.

6) The DNS (Domain Name Server) translates Internet domain and host names to IP addresses. DNS automatically converts the names we type in our Web browser address bar to the IP addresses of Web servers hosting those sites.

DNS implements a distributed database to store this name and address information for all public hosts on the Internet. DNS assumes IP addresses do not change (are statically assigned rather than dynamically assigned).

7) An extranet is a computer network that allows controlled access from the outside for specific business or educational purposes. Extranets are extensions to, or segments of, private intranet networks that have been built in many corporations for information sharing and ecommerce.

8) Filesharing in computer networking involves copying files from one computer to another using a live network connection. Filesharing is sometimes called "file swapping."

9) A network firewall protects a computer network from unauthorized access. Network firewalls may be hardware devices, software programs, or a combination of the two.

Network firewalls guard an internal computer network (home, school, business intranet) against malicious access from the outside. Network firewalls may also be configured to limit access to the outside from internal users.

10) FTP allows one to transfer files between computers on the Internet. Technically, FTP is a simple network protocol based on IP, but many also use the term "FTP" to refer to this type of file sharing service.

The FTP service is based on a client/server architecture. An FTP client program initiates a connection to a remote computer running FTP server software. After the connection is established, the client can choose to send and/or receive copies of files, singly or in groups. To connect to an FTP server, a client generally requires a username and password as set by the administrator of the server.

11) HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) is an application layer network protocol built on top of TCP. HTTP allows Web browsers and Web servers to communicate. HTTP clients and servers communicate via request and response messages.

HTTP utilizes TCP port 80 by default, though other ports such as 8080 are also used.

12) A hub is a small, simple, inexpensive network device that joins multiple computers together.

13) IIS (Internet Information Server) is Microsoft's business-class Web server. Although Apache boasts more total worldwide installations than IIS, many corporations choose IIS as their Web server because it is supported by a commercial organization.

14) Intranet is the generic term for a collection of private computer networks within an organization. Intranets are communication tools designed to enable easy information sharing within workgroups.

15) Ping (Packet Internet Gopher) is the name of a standard network utility packaged with popular network operating systems. The utility can be used to determine if a remote device (such as Web or game server) can be reached on the network and, if so, roughly how fast the current connection is.

16) A port number represents an endpoint or "channel" for network communications. Port numbers allow different applications on the same computer to utilize network resources without interfering with each other.

17) A VPN (Virtual Private Network) utilizes public telecommunications networks to conduct private data communications. Most VPN implementations use the Internet as the public infrastructure and a variety of specialized protocols to support private communications through the Internet.

18) A WAN (Wide Area Networks) spans a large geographic area, such as a state, province or country. WANs often connect multiple smaller networks, such as local area networks (LANs) or metro area networks (MANs).

19) In computer networking, a workgroup is a collection of computers on a local area network (LAN) that share common resources and responsibilities. Workgroups provide easy sharing of files, printers and other network resources. Being a peer-to-peer (P2P) network design, each workgroup computer may both share and access resources if configured to do so.

20) Authentication is a procedure that establishes the legitimacy of users and defines the parameters of the sessions they establish. As such, authentication can be thought of as a security measure that controls and defines network access. It is always the first part of a session; the range of authentication parameters that can be set depend upon the specific authentication system employed.

Intro to Oracle10G - Grid Computing

2006-01-11T18:41:00.000-05:00

Grid is a type of parallel & distributed system that enables the sharing, selection, and aggregation of geographically distributed "autonomous" resources dynamically at runtime depending on their availability, capability, performance, cost, and users' quality-of-service requirements.

Oracle 10G Overview

The main thrust of the new features and enhancements of Oracle 10g are towards grid computing which is an extension of the clustering features (Real Application Clusters) introduced with Oracle 9i.

The 'G' stands for Grid Computing. A common missconception seems to be that grid is just the new name for RAC (having improved RAC). This is not the case. 10g comes with both RAC and grid. One will be able to install 10g with RAC only or with grid only, without either and with both.

Grid Computing

Way back in the 1980s companies like Digital Equipment Corp developed clustering technology which allowed two or more computers to to appear as if they were just one to the end-user, thereby enabling load-balancing and hot standby. Oracle (for release 9i) absorbed this technology into the database software so that databases could benefit from the load-balancing and hot-standby capabilities without having to worry about installing addditional clustering software or manually switching users from one database instance to another should a failure occur and just as importantly, without the application having to be cluster-aware.

That was one stepping stone in the evolutionary process, but recently companies like Sun Microsystems have been extending the concept of clusters to be able to include different types (makes) of computers running different operating systems in a "pool" of computing resources that can be made available as and when required to meet peak demands and then released back into the pool when no longer needed (so that other applications may use the resources). The idea of Oracle10g is that the database will be able to dynamically "requisition" resources from the pool (the grid) to meet levels of peak demand. Again the grid can be heterogeneous (i.e. different types of hardware and/or operating systems).

The motivation for the developmnet of grid computing is to reduce the need to have dedicated resources sized for peak capacity. Research has shown that the average CPU usage is only 15-20% and storage usage is only 50%. Having dedicated resources for each major application also means that there can be a large number of systems to maintain. The solution to this is to create a grid - a pool of low-cost servers + storage that can be allocated to applications to meet peak loads.

Other enhancements for Oracle10g are aimed at reducing costs and improving the quality of service by making the database easier to deploy and manage including backup and recovery and data warehosuing enhancements.

New Year: Time 2 update the Resumes

2005-12-21T18:10:00.000-05:00

With 2006 well underway, many of us may have taken the time to ponder over the past year either to re-evaluate your current position, or just to reflect on the milestones that 2005 has seen. Now is also a good opportunity to update your resume so that it’s current and ready to go should an unexpected situation arise within your existing role, or an attractive job opportunity presents itself.

With our demanding lifestyles and work schedules it’s so easy to leave the process of reassessing and updating your resume until the last minute, which can unfortunately increase the possibility of achievements and contributions being forgotten. Keeping your resume up to date, or at least transcribing your successes and achievements over the past year (and filing this information for later addition into your document), will ensure that impressive projects, turnarounds and workplace achievements are not omitted from your crucial marketing tool – your resume.

Consider those things that have happened during the past year of which you are particularly proud, that when presented correctly can add to your marketability and overall value you offer a prospective employer.

To get the thought processes flowing, below are a few examples of what you may have achieved during the year:

- Were you selected to participate in any special projects? This would highlight your being singled out due to your expertise in a particular area. You may have coordinated all or part of the project, which would demonstrate impressive leadership qualities. What impact did this project have for the organization? Did this special project lead to additional products/services being offered and if so, what was the revenue growth for the year?

- Did you enhance your knowledge and skills through special training/professional development opportunities? Did you lead training programs for your staff and/or colleagues? How has this knowledge expansion impacted on the organization?

- Was your hard work recognized by the organization ? If so, how did your work ultimately impact the company?

- Did you recommend any changes to policies, processes and procedures that have eliminated inefficiencies and/or improved staffing/operational performance? This is a great achievement and demonstrates initiative and problem solving ability and an ongoing commitment to improving overall efficiency and bottom line profitability – an area that all companies strive to achieve.

- What challenges were you confronted with during the year, and what steps did you take to alleviate these challenges? Are you able to reflect the overall outcome in a way that has positively impacted on the organization?

If you are unable to incorporate this information into your resume right now, file it away to avoid overlooking it when you finally do update your resume.

Here’s to a successful 2006!

Types of SQL Databases

2005-12-06T18:01:00.000-05:00

SQL database is a type of database technology that is the most widely used in today's computing environment. Here the data is stored in a very structured format that provides high levels of functionality. SQL databases are generally more robust, secure and have better performance than other older database technologies. It provides for 'SQL' access to the data. So it is important to understand the term SQL before we proceed further.

What is SQL?

SQL pronounced either as "sequel" or "seekel" is an acronym for Structured Query Language, a language developed by IBM Corporation for processing data contained in mainframe computer databases. The relational model from which SQL draws much of its conceptual core was formally defined in 1970 by Dr. E. F. Codd, a researcher for IBM in his paper titled "A Relational Model of Data for Large Shared Data Banks".

SQL is used to create, maintain & query relational databases and uses regular English words for many of its commands, which makes it easy to use. It is often embedded within other programming languages. A fundamental difference between SQL and standard programming languages is that SQL is declarative.

Major SQL Databases

SQL databases can now be classified under two headings like SQL databases that are purely relational and a combination of both Object and Relational.

List of relational database management systems

Major RDBMSes

DB2

Firebird
Informix
Microsoft SQL Server
MySQL
Oracle
PostgreSQL
Daffodil DB
HSQLDB

List of object-relational database management systems

Major ORDBMSes
Oracle
PostgreSQL

Minor ORDBMSes
GigaBASE [1] ( http://www.ispras.ru/~knizhnik/gigabase.html )
UniSQL [2] ( http://www.unisql.com )

About MYSQL - Open Source Database

2005-12-06T17:52:00.000-05:00

In the recent years, we have seen some solid software applications from the open source world. Linux, Apache and PHP are prime examples of this. Another one of such solid applications is MySQL (http://www.mysql.com/). MySQL is a product of MySQL AB, a company which aims to create high quality data storage and management solutions for all in an easy and affordable manner.

MySQL is a full fledged Relational Database Management System like Oracle or Microsoft SQL Server. MySQL supports almost all of the ANSI SQL 99 Standard along with its own added functionalities. Many of the world's largest organizations, including Yahoo!, Google, Cisco, Lufthansa, Dunn & Bradstreet, Hyperion, Sabre Holdings, Cox Communications, The Associated Press and NASA are realizing significant cost savings by using MySQL to power Web sites, business-critical enterprise applications and packaged software. According to the MySQL website, there are currently 4 million active installations of MySQL Database Server in the world and 35,000 downloads per day!

RDBMS are a commonplace in today's large scale corporations. Most companies rely on commercial RDBMS like Oracle. But the days are over when having a strong, secure, fast and stable RDBMS was only in the hands of huge companies. Since MySQL is an open source software application. Other commercial solutions costs in thousands of dollars as compared to MySQL.You can connect to MySQL database using almost any of the programming languages with its standard threadsafe client library and custom drivers.

Commonly used Application Programming Interfaces for MySQL include APIs for C, Perl, Python, PHP, Java and many other popular programming languages. The MySQL database is widely supported on multiple platforms including Linux, Microsoft Windows, FreeBSD, Sun Solaris, IBM's AIX, Mac OS X, HP-UX, AIX, QNX, Novell NetWare, SCO OpenUnix, SGI Irix, and Dec OSF. MySQL enables you to achieve quality administration with its powerful and secure architecture. It also suppots SSL transport-layer encryption which enables even greater security and safe transactions.

On its website, MySQL claims to be the world's most popular RDBMS and provides comparison tests on its website. Many different major organizations are migrating towards MySQL and having their costs cut down to only a minor portion of what they used to spend previously on commercial solutions. And of course, its open source tag certifies you to change the source code and implement new customized features to meet your companies requirements. Like any other major database, MySQL also has full-text indexing and searching capabilities including very useful manipulation functions.

Another great element in MySQL is the Embedded database library which allows you to implement the entire database server under any application or electronic device. This is like having our own database server in the background working.MySQL enjoys a great place among the web development community and is the first choice for many PHP Programmers. The popular solution LAMP (Linux Apache MySQL PHP) is already a buzzword in the web industry.

ORACLE Certification - Program

2005-11-22T23:17:00.000-05:00

Corporations worldwide are facing a severe shortage of professionals well-versed in Oracle products and applications. These corporations need an objective way to measure a potential or current employee's Oracle expertise, and the Oracle Certified Professional Program (OCP) is expanding its offerings to meet that need. Several new opportunities, including beta exams for the Oracle Java track and Oracle Forms Developer exams, are further enhancing OCP's strong existing curriculum, making the program helpful to an even greater diversity of job roles.

Certifications Available from OracleThe OCP program has evolved in many ways since its inception in November 1997, and the program now offers more certification choices than ever before. The latest additions to the program include Oracle Internet Application Developer and Oracle Forms Developer Release 6/6i production exams, as well as the newest Oracle Internet Database Operator production exam. Certification in these areas allows technology professionals to build sophisticated, scalable Web-based applications. In addition, new features have been added to the Oracle8 and Oracle8i administrators exams, allowing DBAs to keep pace with advancing Oracle technology. And in July 2000, Oracle began allowing candidates to combine exams from different releases of the OCP certification tracks to meet the new certification requirements. Certain restrictions apply, but the new rule basically allows those working toward a DBA or Application Developer certification to combine the exams they have already passed with exams from more recent certification tracks.

For a complete list of certification tracks and detailed information on registering, check

www.oracle.com/education/certification.

Each track consists of one or more exams composed of 60 to 90 scenario-based multiple-choice and/or interactive graphical questions pertaining to the recommended usage of an Oracle product or application. You must take and pass all core exams in each track to obtain certification for that track. After taking the DBA or Developer track core exams, you can maintain your certification by taking exams on the upgrade path whenever Oracle announces that it's necessary to do so.

The OCP candidate guides for each track, downloadable at /education/certification, identify the objectives for each exam in a given track, while also identifying the Oracle Education instructor-led and/or computer-based training options available for exam preparation.

OCP Preparation: Where to Start

As busy professionals feel increasing pressure to find more mobile and flexible options for instruction, Oracle University provides quality Web-based learning programs as well as ways to integrate classroom and online study. In addition, Oracle Press continues to offer OCP Exam Guide titles designed for home study. All Oracle-led certification programs have corresponding preparation titles published by Oracle Press, including Database Administrator, Application Developer, Financial Applications, and Database Operator. Oracle also offers practice tests for every OCP track; you can order these tests online at /education/certification.

Online registration for OCP exams and registration information for world regions other than North America is also available at http://www.2test.com.

All the Best to all Future OCP's

BI Worlds' - A Platform

2005-11-17T23:39:00.000-05:00

It wasn’t all that long ago when business intelligence vendors primarily emphasized the strengths of their individual tools. These days, most of them are highlighting their integrated BI platforms. Examples of BI platforms include BusinessObjects XI, Cognos 8, Hyperion System 9, MicroStrategy 8, and SAS 9.
At a minimum, most BI platforms provide core services such as a common user interface across the underlying platform components, a shared metadata repository, a single sign-on, centralized administration, and a services oriented architecture. Data warehouse development and user communities clearly benefit from the increased productivity and reduced training needs that an integrated platform provides when compared to a collection of individual point products.
Two of these features, a common user interface and a services oriented architecture, can be very helpful as a vendor begins to assimilate recently acquired technology that is not yet fully integrated with its own products. This is especially important nowadays, what with the trend toward consolidation in the industry. In addition, a well-architected platform should allow a vendor’s newer offerings to interoperate with its older products.
The first phase of any BI platform often integrates the individual product user interfaces and provides interoperability among the individual metadata repositories, while latter phases more fully integrate the underlying software components and the metadata and object models. The phased approach has the advantage of providing an evolutionary migration path for the customer while also setting achievable milestones for the vendor’s development team. However, to be truly effective, the vendor should establish and publish a clear roadmap (and more importantly stick to it) of what capabilities will be available when. A credible roadmap is also a valuable marketing and sales tool as the promise of future capabilities can serve to dissuade customers from jumping to competitors that have already released those capabilities.
As most BI platforms consist of both core services and optional extra-cost features (in many cases those that reflect the same capabilities as the vendor’s formerly stand-alone tools), BI vendors have the opportunity to up-sell their installed base and increase the overall breadth and depth of their account penetration. While open, “best-of-breed” offerings were once the buzzword, BI platforms with integrated add-on modules are now the rage. Users don’t necessarily need the best possible solution for every particular situation, especially if this means dealing with multiple vendors to resolve a single system problem; a “good enough” offering in one part of the BI spectrum (e.g., query, reporting, OLAP, visualization, dashboards, data mining, etc.) that interoperates with the vendor’s stronger platform components, is likely to be more useful than several best-in-class offerings that each run standalone.
When evaluating BI platforms, organizations need to look at their current and expected needs and assume that their users will want to be able to do more of their own analyses tomorrow, without assistance from IT, than they are currently doing today. Organizations should make sure that their BI platforms integrate with their users’ desktop environments (e.g., Microsoft Office) as well as their operational enterprise applications. They should recognize that while most operational application vendors (and database vendors) are attempting to increase their presence in the BI market by incorporating additional analytical capabilities into each new product release, most organizations are likely to utilize software from multiple enterprise application vendors (at least until Oracle acquires them all).
Decision-makers should also recognize that acquiring one vendor’s BI platform doesn’t mean that all the other incumbents will necessarily disappear. Although the number of BI vendors in any given organization may diminish over time, it is likely that these organizations will still deploy tools and platforms from more than one BI vendor; therefore, interoperability among the installed/planned BI tools and platforms should be seriously considered. After all, Microsoft Excel is still the most ubiquitous BI tool in use today; it will not likely disappear no matter what other BI products are also deployed.

The Next series of 2wenty Terms of Business Objects

2005-11-03T07:15:00.000-05:00

21.Online mode

The work mode appropriate for a networked environment in which the general supervisor has set up a repository.

22.Outer join

A join that links two tables, one of which has rows that do not match those in the common column of the other table.

23.Personal connection

A personal connection is used to access resources such as universes or documents. It can be used only by the user who created it. Information about a personal connection is stored in both the PDAC.LSI and PDAC.SSI files; its definition is static and cannot be modified.

24.Qualification

A property of an object that determines how it can be used in multidimensional analysis. An object can be qualified as one of three types: a dimension, detail or measure.

25.Query

In Designer a query is a technique for creating or modifying a list of values associated with an object. From the Query Panel, a designer builds a query from the classes, objects, and conditions of a universe.
In the BusinessObjects User module, a query is a type of data provider. An end user builds a query from a universe, and then runs the query to generate a BusinessObjects report.

26.Quick Design

A wizard in the Designer module that provides guided instructions for creating a basic universe. It lets a designer name a universe, set up a connection to a database, select strategies, create classes and objects, as well as generate joins with cardinalities.

27.Repository

A centralized set of relational data structures stored in a database. It enables BusinessObjects users to share resources in a controlled and secured environment. The repository is made up of three domains: the security domain, the universe domain, and the document domain.

28.Secured connection

A secured connection is used to access universes or documents that may be restricted or confidential.
It can be shared by several authorized users. Stored in the repository, the definition of a secured connection is updated dynamically.

29.Shared connection

A shared connection is used to access common resources such as universes or documents. It can be used by several users. Information about a shared connection is stored in a SDAC.LSI or SDAC.SSI file; its definition is updated dynamically.

30.Shortcut join

A join that links two tables by bypassing one or more other tables in the universe.

31.Strategy

Scripts that automatically extract structural information about tables, columns, joins, or cardinalities from a database. Designer provides default strategies but a designer can also create strategies. These are referred to as external strategies.

32.Structure pane

The graphical component within the main Designer window that shows the schema of the universe. It reflects the underlying database structure of the universe.

33.Subclass

A component within a class that groups objects. A subclass can itself contain other subclasses or objects.

34.Table Browser

The graphical component within the main Designer window that lets you create the classes and objects of the universe from the tables and columns of a database.

35.Theta join

A join that links tables based on a relationship other than equality between two columns.

36.Universe

A mapping of the data structure found in databases: tables, columns, joins, etc. A universe, which is made up of classes, objects, and conditions, can represent any specific application, system, or group of users.

37.Universe domain

The area of the repository that holds exported universes. The universe domain makes it possible to store, distribute, and administrate universes. There may be multiple universe domains in a repository.

38.Universe pane

The graphical component within the main Designer window that displays a hierarchical view of the classes, objects, and conditions in a universe.
Two radio buttons on the lower edge of the pane filter the display of the components. One button, the Classes/Objects filter, provides a view of the classes and objects. The other button, Classes/Conditions, provides a view of the classes and conditions.

39.User object

An object created by the end user from the BusinessObjects User module. A user object can be inserted into a universe by the designer.

40.Workgroup mode

A work mode whereby a designer creates universes in an environment without a repository. The mode in which a universe is saved determines whether other designers are able to access it. By default, a universe is saved in the mode in which the designer is already working.