Re: CREATE DATABASE LINK privilege discussion

I think the problem runs deeper than the "create database link" privilege.
You physically shouldn't be able to access prod from dev. They should be in
separate networks (different data centers if possible) and firewalls should
prevent any access to the production database servers that does not come on
the listener port from the application servers or on ssh and listener ports
from the DBA's machine (a VPN group, perhaps?). This may present ever you
with a bit of a headache, but security comes first.
Also, putting some fear of THE EVIL PIRATE NINJA HACKERS into your
managers' minds would help you somewhat to achieve tighter security in your
database environments. So just casually mention that you've been reading up
on security and that there are a few modifications you'd like to make to
the current security policies (hardening) and casually leave a newspaper
clipping about the latest Anonymous hack or whatever. As David so
eloquently put it: your problem is political, then fight politically.

Also, having the password for that use change every say, 15 days, with
about a full day to unlock it should it ever become locked and a 10-wrong
password attempts limit in the profile would probably prove too much of a
haggle for the developers... then again, it could cause you some political
trouble and without a clearly defined security policy you could be
"ordered" to remove this security measures from this particular user by a
manager.

Ultimately, it's the managers' decision, you can alert them of what's
happening, and keep it well documented (e-mail history, etc) and when they
call you in the middle of the night because "production is very slow" you
can reply with "I told you so, now, will you let me do what needs to be
done?"

Also, being a DBA is much more than knowing how to manage a database...
It's been my experience that EVERYBODY blames the database... noboy really
asks for hard evidence when a developer says "the database is slow" or when
a system admin says "the OS is fine, must be a database bug". But when you
say "the interconnect is failing and here I have the logs that show it"
they are always "hmm, I'm not sure, perhaps you can open a case with
Oracle"... so you need to know how to handle people and how to manage
managers... which is kind of ironic, and some would say manipulative... but
who ever said life is fair?

Hth
Alan.-


On Sun, Oct 30, 2011 at 4:13 PM, David Robillard
<david.robillard@xxxxxxxxx>wrote:

> Hello Chris,
>
> > I'm in full agreement.  I'm fighting a losing battle it 'seems' with
> dev's manager too - which is weird.
> > It is exceedingly strange that 1 Dev complaining about not having access
> to Production data is reflecting negatively on my image/reputation.
> > Suddenly I becoming that "guy who is hard to work with" because I'm
> insistent that this shouldn't be done.
>
> You unfortunately have a political problem, not a technical one :S
>
> This situation looks like you'll need to get your social skills
> working. That one dev complaining is probably the manager's friend
> and/or has a bigger audience then you. So IMHO should talk to this one
> dev in particular and try to understand exactly why he says he needs
> this link. Once you understand this, you can try to find another
> solution which would not have the db links and still allow him to
> work. Then I would go talk with the manager directly telling him that
> you a) did talk with this dev guy, b) why you don't think that
> granting a dev to create a database link from the dev to the prod
> systems is a good idea (get some references from books, best
> practices, etc) and c) the solution which would allow the devs to work
> without dev to prod db links.
>
> If you have a different manager then the dev one, get him involved as
> well. If you're friend with the manager's manager, try to get him on
> your side. If upper management is on your side, then you should win.
> If you have an I.T. security division, talk to them. They can even
> find out the Oracle database links best practices for you and explain
> it to the devs and the managers (it's their job, so why not let them
> do your work ;) If your production system has some sensitive
> information, then explain to the security guys that the devs might be
> able to create db links to the production sensitive info. That should
> work wonders!
>
> > And for the very reasons you mentioned.  I even snapped a screenshot
> from Grid Control of the activity his session alone was generating.
>
> That's perfect, it's exactly the kind of hard evidence you need to
> show both the devs, the manager and the security guys. If the manager
> has any common sense, he'll see the negative impact on production
> machines.
>
> > Frustrating.
>
> Yeah, big time! Keep you cool, it's the only way to win this one.
>
> And good luck!
>
> David
>
> > Chris Taylor
> > Sr. Oracle DBA
> > Ingram Barge Company
> > Nashville, TN 37205
> --
> http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l
>
>
>


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