Tuesday, December 28th, 2010
In a recent Gartner research note, titled “Ten Database Activities Enterprises Need to Monitor”, the renowned analyst firm discusses database security. The piece details some of the primary risks associated with database security and makes recommendations about what companies can do to assess current controls, identify problems and gaps, and optimize protection.
Over the next several weeks, we’ll be publishing a series of posts that details some of those items highlighted by Gartner, and explains how dbMaestro TeamWork™, our next generation Oracle database change management solution, can help.
In this first entry, we’ll talk about privileged users. Gartner claims that, because they have unhindered access to back-end systems, database administrators (DBAs), super-users, and other professionals with high-level privileges must be watched closely by security administrators and auditors – particularly when it comes to retrieval, modification, or deletion of data.
Why? Because this “free reign” creates great risk. For example, financial information could be mistakenly altered, creating major compliance issues. Or, in an even worse – although rare – scenario, they could maliciously make changes sensitive information, like salaries.
Gartner makes the following recommendation, “Preventative controls are difficult to implement in this area, but detective controls can be effective in limiting the damage and preserving the audit trail.”
That’s where our robust database version control software comes in. TeamWork provides a lock mechanism that prevents privileged users from changing or deleting data, without being audited. This mechanism is an inherent part of the database, and is in effect regardless of the level the user. In other words, all modifications, alterations, and deletions will be dynamically captured, even for DBAs and other users with high levels of database permissions. So, the integrity of the information contained in databases is preserved, at all times.
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Thursday, November 11th, 2010
When it comes to Oracle database change management, both database developers and database administrators (DBAs) play an important role. But, who should be responsible for the actual execution of the needed modifications to schemas and objects?
In the ideal scenario, developers would be tasked with making any and all changes and enhancements. DBAs, on the other hand, would closely monitor their activities to ensure that instructions and policies were being properly followed, and that nothing is done to jeopardize database operation.
But, unfortunately, this is not always the case. DBAs frequently try to not just oversee – but to control – what the developers are doing. This can sometimes create bottlenecks in the execution and deployment of database changes. But, developers want to be able to work with the database freely, without instruction, guidance, or governance. These clashes often create conflicts that can delay important projects, hinder database version control, and ultimately, negatively impact database performance.
On the other hand, developers need to keep DBAs in the loop about their activities, since the DBAs are the ones who are ultimately responsible for how the database is used, and are the ones who will have to answer to senior management if problems and issues arise. Open communication about what is being changed, and how it will be modified, is crucial.
But, DBAs and developers have been “stepping on each others’ toes” for ages, and their way of working isn’t likely to change any time soon. Perhaps the answer is a next-generation Oracle dbChange management solution like dbMaestro TeamWork™, which allows database developers to make changes and alterations more rapidly and efficiently, while giving DBAs the ability to maintain greater control over the entire database environment. With an end-to-end database configuration management solution like Teamwork in place, DBAs and developers can finally work side-by-side, in harmony.
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Thursday, November 4th, 2010
Organizations have gotten quite proficient at ensuring compliance in their application development activities. With one exception – the underlying database. Few companies really consider their databases when automating key activities in the application creation process. For example, they haven’t implemented a comprehensive next-generation database deployment solution. Therefore, their Oracle database change management procedures are often non-compliant.
This approach, however, can create many problems. First, it places an unnecessary burden on database administrators (DBAs), who are often called on to produce compliance reports for both internal and external audits. Because database version control has not been effectively incorporated into compliance procedures for software development, they must scramble to gather the needed information for compliance reporting purposes, often collecting and compiling it by hand, or by manually triggering a series of semi-automated routines.
Second, it indirectly impacts compliance in a negative way. For example, Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) is all about ensuring the integrity and consistency of the information contained in financial reports. While applications, such as the reporting tools that gather, aggregate, and display those reports are an important part of SOX adherence – the data itself, and thus, the database that houses it, is just as critical. An inability to track and manage changes made to database structures and other objects, or a lack of control over who accesses database elements, can lead to non-adherence.
The key to extending formal compliance to not only your applications, but the associated databases, is through the use of an innovative, next-generation Oracle db change management solution, like dbMaestro TeamWork™, that leverages the proven principles of software change management, and applies them to the database.
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Thursday, October 28th, 2010
We often highlight customer use cases, to let our readers see how companies leverage dbMaestro TeamWork™ to support their day-to-day Oracle database change management activities. One client has an internal application that automatically updates both the structure and content of the underlying database, based on internal metadata.
Before implementing TeamWork, database version control, particularly the “drop” to the internal QA version, was a harrowing task. The DBA and his team would have to prepare the drop several times in order to get a successful result. And, the database schema would often be changed or altered in some way during the incorrect runs, forcing the DBA to manually re-create the schema before attempting the run again.
The database would also have to be backed up before the first run, and then again before each subsequent run, because the DBA would need to restore to the prior version if the run proved unsuccessful.
But, with the dbMaestro TeamWork Deployment Manager in place, the schema can be moved to integration mode before the application run is executed. If the run fails, the Deployment Manager can review the schema and any content that may have changed, automatically create a rollback script, and re-run it. When the application run ends successfully, the schema can be resumed from integration mode, and the changes can be checked in.
The IT team then has a script that can be run in any other environments that may need to be upgraded to include those changes.
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Tuesday, October 19th, 2010
In database development scenarios that involve more than one database administrator (DBA) and multiple project teams, the need to use a next-generation database version control solution is apparent. But, what about those cases where there is only one DBA assigned to handle Oracle database change management? Is database version control needed then?
The answer is a resounding YES! Just as one lone software developer should use a software change management (SCM) solution, one single DBA must have database change control to facilitate proper database configuration management.
Why? Because any changes made to database schemas or objects, and the reasons behind them, need to be logged and audited in full detail. Questions or issues may arise down the road, and the DBA can’t be expected to remember what he did – and why – months earlier. Additionally, database version control helps to ensure that the DBA is adhering to all database development policies. This, in turn, can increase efficiency and reduce total development time.
Using a comprehensive and innovative database version control solution, like dbMaestro TeamWork™, can also automate and accelerate the completion of important, but often cumbersome and labor-intensive tasks. For example, dynamic auditing of all database changes can speed up the generation of database deployment scripts, and enable DBAs to more rapidly report to management about database modifications (what was altered, when, by whom, and why).
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Monday, August 30th, 2010
We are proud to release a new version of dbMaestro Teamwork™. Some of the exciting new features include:
- Added an internal security mechanism – Access Roles, which enables the administrator to set permissions on object types and action to a specific user within a specific project.
- Viewing the Database Schema from a Module Point of View provides database administrators (DBAs) with a view of the database schema from the point of view of a module. This significantly increases efficiency, making the jobs of both the DBA and database developers much easier.
- The managed schema’s password can now be saved in TeamWork client, eliminating the need to enter it repeatedly.
- Adding Search functionality in Source Control window, which allows you to find objects in specific status, for example: pending changes, objects being checked-out by different user and so on.
- New platforms added:
- Windows 2003 (64 bit) , 2008 (32 and 64 bit)
- Windows 7 (32 and 64 bit)
Additional fixes in the new version include:
- Several issues in content management.
- Supporting truncate command.
- Known Issue: Add-In will not start when using ODAC 10g on 64bit. Click to see the solution.
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Tuesday, August 17th, 2010
There are many important steps that must be followed when working within a database version control solution. But, perhaps one of the most critical activities is the management of table content.
In many cases, the content of a parameter, lookup, or metadata table will have a profound impact on the behavior and performance of the application being developed. When altering any of those objects as part of a version update, developers must treat those modifications in the same way they would any other changes to code or database structure.
Yet, many developers keep a complete set of updates for other objects, but fail to do the same for the relevant data changes. This often leads to bugs and other malfunctions that can result in downtime.
dbMaestro TeamWork™, our innovative change management software, helps developers overcome this challenge by allowing them to define which tables are crucial to application behavior. TeamWork’s comprehensive content management capabilities will then be automatically applied only to those specified tables.
From then on, developers will be required to “check-out” and “check-in” table content, in order to change the values of the data within that table (i.e. insert, update, delete, etc.). As a result, they can leverage truly complete Oracle change management, with the ability to recreate tables when needed for debug, crisis recovery, investigation of changes, and more.
Visit our Web site to learn more TeamWork’s content management functionality, as well the other features of this unique database management software.
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Monday, August 9th, 2010
Every development project is fraught with risk. Without the right product in place, the potential for information loss, delays in due dates, or an inability for management to obtain an accurate picture of product progress is quite high, and can ultimately lead to project failure.
Solutions for database version control were created for this very reason. In addition to improving developer productivity and accelerating the release of revisions and updates, database change management solutions also help development teams to better manage and mitigate risks by automating key activities, and empowering project managers with unhindered visibility into all modifications. So, they can detect which areas of the product are not stable, monitor how frequently changes are being made over time, and determine who is making the majority of those alterations.
A next-generation database version control, dbMaestro TeamWork™, takes the same type of insight provided by software change management solutions, and applies them to the database world. TeamWork dramatically improves risk management by:
1. Facilitating the creation and enforcement of formal, standardized change policies
2. Providing end-to-end tracking, with proactive dynamic alerts, of all schema and object changes
3. Enabling automatic rollback to other versions when errors are made
4. Documenting and auditing all modifications and related information – who made them, when they were performed, why they were made, etc.
5. Allowing developers to analyze the impact of database version changes, before they are deployed
With our next-generation database change management solution, dbMaestro TeamWork™, companies can significantly reduce the risks associated with their database development efforts.
Visit our Website for more information about the powerful risk management features of TeamWork, or to learn more about the benefits of this innovative solution.
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Thursday, August 5th, 2010
In many development scenarios, database development teams must work with several different database schemas to achieve the desired results. But, what is the best way to manage these situations? Should a separate project be created to address the needed modifications for each schema? Or, should changes to all relevant schemas be handled as one project?
In order to ensure success, creating one project that includes all relevant schemas is the best approach to take. Next-generation database change management solutions, like dbMaestro TeamWork™, provide a variety of features that make it simple and easy to effectively manage projects with multiple schemas.
For example, TeamWork provides an intuitive sidebar, conveniently located on the right side of the console/screen. Through this sidebar, developers can create a module, then assign multiple objects from different schemas to it. These modules then serve as a sort of display filter for objects, showing users only those associated with the project at hand. This saves time and increases productivity by making it easier for them to locate only those objects to be worked on, instead of manually browsing through all objects to find what they need.
TeamWork also offers advanced permission capabilities that empower database administrators (DBAs) with greater control over their environments. Unauthorized, accidental, or incorrect changes to schemas and related objects can be proactively avoided through granular access permissions, with each member of an IT or development team being assigned rights for only certain portions of each schema, based on their role and responsibilities in the application.
Want to find out about TeamWork, and its unique ability to apply proven software change management (SCM) principles to the database world? Visit our Web site to learn more.
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Tuesday, July 27th, 2010
One of the many benefits of dbMaestro TeamWork™, a next-generation database change management, is its ability to provide database administrators (DBAs) with a view of the database schema from the point of view of a module. This significantly increases efficiency, making the jobs of both the DBA and database developers much easier.
TeamWork allows relevant objects to be filtered, so they are easier to locate and retrieve. For example, developers can view only the code associated with a certain project, instead of having to browse through the code for the entire database to find what it is they need. This not only makes those developers currently involved in the project more productive, it enables new developers to join the effort seamlessly and get up to speed quickly on which database elements are being worked on.
The ability to view a portion of database schema from a module point of view also simplifies the transition when there is a switch from one DBA to another during the course of a project. The new DBA will be able to quickly and easily find all relevant objects, instead of having to review the entire database and figure everything out on his own.
Visit our Website to learn more about the ability to view database schemas from the point of view of a module, as well as the other innovative features of dbMaestro TeamWork.
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