3.6 Working with Oracle Support

No matter how much you know about Oracle Application Server, there are bound to be some issues that you can't resolve without help from Oracle Corporation. Part of the job of the Oracle Application Server administrator (or the DBA serving in that role) is to help resolve those issues. Oracle offers several levels of support:

• Basic product support

• Advanced support

• Incident support

Each support option costs extra, but regardless of your support level, you can get the most from Oracle by understanding how to best work with them.

Resolving problems with the assistance of Worldwide Customer Support Services can initially be frustrating to novices who report problems. You may be required to provide a lot of detailed technical information as part of this process. Oracle's mechanism for responding to a reported Oracle Application Server problem is called a Service Request (SR) ”formerly known as a Technical Assistance Request (TAR). Oracle responds to Service Requests based on the priority or severity level at which problems are reported:

Priority level 2

If the problem is impacting your ability to complete a project or do business, you should report the problem as priority level 2 to assure a timely response. If the problem is initially assigned a lower level, and the response hasn't been adequate, you should escalate the problem-resolution priority.

Priority level 1

If business is halted because of the problem, you should report the problem as priority level 1. However, note that if you report a problem at level 1, you must be available for a callback (even after hours). Otherwise, Oracle will assume that the problem isn't as severe as initially reported, and they may lower the priority level for resolution.

You can report problems via phone, via email, or at the MetaLink web site. MetaLink support, which is included with basic product support, has become increasingly popular in recent years . With MetaLink you can quickly get answers to problems similar to your own. You may save time this way or even avoid the need for a physical response. MetaLink provides proactive notifications, customized home pages, technical libraries and forums, product life-cycle information, a bug database, and the ability to log SRs (TARs).

When you contact Oracle Support, you need your Customer Support Identification (CSI) number. Oracle Sales Consultants can also provide advice regarding how to report problems. In addition, Worldwide Customer Support Services offers training regarding effective use of their services.

Oracle Support issues MetaLink Notes whenever software bugs or vulnerabilities are discovered , and issues appropriate patches. Oracle Enterprise Manager 10 g 's Grid Control tool can automatically connect to MetaLink to provide you with up-to-date patch availability information specific to your installation. You can automatically gather patch-level information about your Oracle Application Servers using the enterprise configuration-management capabilities in Grid Control (viewable by selecting the Deployments tab, shown in Figure 3-5). Here you'll also find a link to lists of critical patch advisory alerts and the patches that should be applied in response to those alerts. You can then select the patches, stage them, and install them through Oracle Enterprise Manager's job system.

Figure 3-5. Grid Control configuration and patch management