OK=20guys,=20need=20some=20help=20and=20ammunition=20here,=20so=20a=20bit=20= of=20background=20first. I'm=20in=20my=203rd=20week=20in=20a=20new=20job=20where=20they=20are=20hav= e=20a=203rd=20party=20financials=20app=20sitting=20on=20=208.1.7=20on=20wi= n2k. Software=20vendor=20is=20coming=20in=20today=20to=20make=20some=20changes.= They've=20never=20had=20any=20in-house=20DBA=20skills=20and=20have=20relie= d=20solely=20on=203rd=20parties. No=20Oracle=20support=20contract=20(I'm=20working=20on=20getting=20this=20= changed!).=20No=20DBA=20contract=20with=203rd=20party,=20only=20chargeable= ,=20ad-hoc=20work. So,=20they've=20talked=20about=20getting=20the=20data=20in=20the=20test/de= v=20databases=20refreshed,=20far=20as=20I=20can=20see=20they=20only=20have= =20one=20database. Turns=20out=20they=20have=20one=20database=20with=20three=20separate=20sch= emas.=20To=20refresh=20data,=203rd=20party=20has=20done=20export/import=20= between=20the=20schemas. I've=20tried=20explaining=20that=20this=20is=20not=20ideal=20and=20that=20= really=20they=20need=20a=20separate=20test=20system,=20but=20they=20don't=20= understand.=20 Absolutely=20no=20database=20knowledge=20in=20here,=20and=20it=20would=20s= eem=20that=20even=20the=20software=20vendor=20is=20lacking=20in=20this=20d= epartment.=20(Just=20to=20demonstrate,=203=20redo=20log=20groups,=201=20me= mber=20per=20group=20size=201M,=20all=20sat=20in=20same=20location,=202=20= copies=20of=20controlfile,=20in=20same=20location=20-=20=20get=20the=20dri= ft??) The=20work=20the=20software=20vendor=20is=20coming=20in=20to=20do=20is=20c= reate=206=20new=20schemas=20as=20a=20way=20of=20providing=206=20different=20= 'staging=20areas'=20where=20copies=20of=20the=20live=20data=20can=20be=20k= ept=20at=20different=20points=20in=20time=20to=20help=20through=20year=20e= nd.=20Once=20year=20end=20is=20completed=20they=20think=20they=20can=20use= =20these=20'staging=20areas'=20for=20testing=20enhancements. I=20can't=20look=20on=20Metalink,=20as=20no=20CSI=20number. I'm=20about=20to=20look=20at=20OTN=20and=20go=20RTFM's,=20which=20I=20only= =20got=20today. What=20I=20would=20like,=20and=20quickly=20is=20some=20strong=20arguments=20= as=20to=20why=20it=20should=20not=20be=20done=20this=20way=20and=20alterna= tives=20to=20suggest.=20I've=20already=20mentioned=20creating=20a=20dedica= ted=20test=20database. I've=20so=20far=20managed=20to=20hold=20off=20on=20the=20software=20vendor= =20beginning=20work,=20but=20I=20now=20need=20to=20justify=20this=20to=20m= y=20manager=20and=20to=20the=20software=20vendor.=20 TIA Lisa. _______________________________________________________________________ Confidentiality:=20=20This=20e-mail=20and=20its=20attachments=20are=20inte= nded=20for=20the=20above=20named=20only=20and=20may=20be=20confidential.=20= =20If=20they=20have=20come=20to=20you=20in=20error=20you=20must=20take=20n= o=20action=20based=20on=20them,=20nor=20must=20you=20copy=20or=20show=20th= em=20to=20anyone;=20please=20reply=20to=20this=20e-mail=20and=20highlight=20= the=20error. Security=20Warning:=20=20Please=20note=20that=20this=20e-mail=20has=20been= =20created=20in=20the=20knowledge=20that=20Internet=20e-mail=20is=20not=20= a=20100%=20secure=20communications=20medium.=20=20We=20advise=20that=20you= =20understand=20and=20observe=20this=20lack=20of=20security=20when=20e-mai= ling=20us. Viruses:=20=20Although=20we=20have=20taken=20steps=20to=20ensure=20that=20= this=20e-mail=20and=20attachments=20are=20free=20from=20any=20virus,=20we=20= advise=20that=20in=20keeping=20with=20good=20computing=20practice=20the=20= recipient=20should=20ensure=20they=20are=20actually=20virus=20free. ________________________________________________________________________ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe send email to: oracle-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put 'unsubscribe' in the subject line. -- Archives are at //www.freelists.org/archives/oracle-l/ FAQ is at //www.freelists.org/help/fom-serve/cache/1.html -----------------------------------------------------------------