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JUNE 11, 2007

The Oracle Fusion DBA

This article wi! introduce the role of the Oracle Fusion DBA and the future opportunities open to someone with these ski!s.

A pose ad esse

of opportunities for individuals that Oracle Fusion is Oracles next-generation contain these skills. It is important for applications based on open technology. DBAs to understand the important role they need to play with Oracle Fusion The skill sets needed to environments. Also why their support Oracle Fu s i o n DBA skills are very important to applications mirror the skill enterprise multi-tier environments. demand being seen in most multiThis article does not contain code tiered database environments. snippets. There are a million web Organizations are going to sites for that. This article is going str ug gle to find people that to focus on the evolving role of the contain the skills to mana ge DBA and the changing skill sets DBAs need enterprise multi-tiered environments. This to acquire and why as an industry they need is going to create a lot to acquire these skills.

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Enterprise Middle-tier Solutions

.NET or anything that touches these languages impacts DBAs. This could New applications written today are being not be further from the truth. written as web applications using application servers for the deployment of Oracle DBAs have always been involved these web applications. with availability, performance, scaleability, backup/recovery and security Enterprise middle-tier environments are around Oracle database environments. increasing the use of the following com- Each one of these areas also needs to ponents as organizations need to supbe successfully managed in the middleport more complex applications. tier. It doesnt matter how well the da Application servers tabase is running if nobody can access J2EE and Java Frameworks the data because there are problems Portals with the middle-tier. Design Patterns Web Services There is a rising need for enterprise Object Relational Mappers level people to manage the infrastruc Service Oriented Architecture ture of multi-tiered Oracle database en eXtensible Markup Language vironments. This means being able to Security Assertion Markup Language manage the infrastructure surrounding Business Process Execution Language the application server. Oracle is taking these open technologies and is offering an integrated solution using the following Oracle products. Oracle Application Server JDeveloper TopLink Application Development Framework BPEL Process Manager SOA Suite Identity Management Suite BI Suite Web Center Oracle Portal Single Sign-On Grid Control Most DBAs are taking a Doesnt Include Me (DIM) view of all of these features being used in enterprise multi-tier environments. DBAs do not believe Java, ALL RIGHTS PROTECTED
There has probably not been a gun built large enough to force Oracle DBAs to write Java code. Managing the infrastructure of the middle-tier has a lot of similarities to managing an Oracle database server. Its not just about Java. The problem is most DBAs know the application server runs Java so when they think of an application server they think of some evil machine built by the antichrist whose main objective is to cause pain in an Oracle DBAs life. At this point most DBAs have seen the word Java once to often in this article. Before you quit reading this article, wait till I get to the part about making more money.

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Oracle Fusion Review Before we get to the good stuff about making more money, we need to increase your pain threshold a little bit. So we are going to do a quick review of Oracle Fusion terminology for those DBAs who have been on a sabbatical and have not been on the Internet for over a year. If you are already familiar with Oracle Fusion terminology or you have a low pain threshold you can skip the next two pages. Oracle Fusion Terminology: Oracle Fusion Applications is the integration of Oracle applications such as E-Business Suite, PeopleSoft, JD Edwards, Siebel, Retek, Stellent, etc. into a set of next generation applications based on open industry standards. This set of next-generation applications will be based on the Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). Oracle Fusion Middleware is the underlying technical platform used to build Oracle Fusion applications. This is also referred to as the Oracle Fusion Technical Platform. Oracle Fusion Architecture is the entire Oracle technology stack. It is the blueprint that ties together the Oracle applications, middleware platform and grid technology. Oracle Fusion DBA is someone with DBA skills and can manage the infrastructure of the Oracle Fusion middle tier. This is also referred to as a Database Infrastructure Administrator (DIA). ALL RIGHTS PROTECTED

Oracle has essentially bet the tall corn (for those of you from Nebraska) on their next-generation applications using Oracle Fusion middleware. Oracle DBAs who understand performance tuning and backup and recovery have almost become a commodity. These are the skills you see being out sourced more and more. Every new release of Oracle and 3rd party software is also making it easier to do basic administration, performance tuning and backup and recovery for Oracle databases. I am not saying that these skills are not valuable, it is just these are not the highly sought after skills the way they were in the .com explosion days. Today, DBAs who understand RAC, Data Guard, Oracle Streams, Grid Control and can manage complex enterprise issues are in hot demand. Why should you as an Oracle DBA care about Oracle Fusion middleware? Because in the near future, people that can manage multiple tiers of an Oracle enterprise environment are going to be in very hot demand. Do I still have your attention? As an Oracle professional you dont have to be an expert in the definitions on the following page but you should know what they are and the role they play in Oracle Fusion middleware. For example, if in your next meeting someone mentions TopLink you should at least know it is an Object Relational Mapper and not a rock band from Milwaukee.

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Oracle Fusion Components Review

XML - XML has become the universal language for transmitting data strucOracle JDeveloper - This Integrated tures independent of the environment. Development Environment is the base J2EE, Web Services, SOA and BPEL use development platform used by Oracle XML. developers to build Oracle Fusion apWeb Services - Web (software) Servplications. JDeveloper contains interices uses XML standards and transport faces for development with J2EE, SQL, communication protocols to exchange PL/SQL, HTML, Web Services, SOA, data between applications. Web servJSF, ADF, etc. This IDE should be ices allow different types of applicalooked at as a development environtions to communicate. Web services ment for developing database and are standards that define the semanInternet applications and not just a tics for how software communicates. Java development tool. Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) SOA is an architecture that defines J2EE is an industry standard for develhow loosely coupled software services oping enterprise multi-tiered applicacommunicate with each other. SOA intions. J2EE is an architecture and creases reusability, that allows differframework for enterprise wide applicaent software services to identify and tions. J2EE applications include JSPs, communicate with each other. Business Process Execution Language JSFs, ADF Faces, EJBs, etc. Oracle Application Development (BPEL) - BPEL is a standard for organFramework (ADF) - ADF is a J2EE deizing reusable web services into more velopment framework that is based than one type of process flow. upon best practice design patterns for Identity Management - Identity Manbuilding Web applications. ADF is agement provides enterprise managebased upon the Model-View-Controller ment of user identities across rethat separates User Interface, Business sources inside and outside the firewall. Single Sign-On (SSO) - SSO provides and Data logic. J2EE frameworks can be complex and it can be difficult to unified authentication allowing a user determine how to organize different to logon once and SSO will manage components. ADF helps organize J2EE single sign-on capability across applicomponents into a well organized Web cations. application. ADF Faces provides a Web Grid Control - Oracle Enterprise Manuser interface similar to the Oracle ager provides administration across Forms and Reports interfaces. the database and all middle tiers. Grid TopLink - TopLink is an Object RelaControl provides monitoring of datational mapper that manages the combases, application servers, web servmunication between Java (objectices and applications. oriented) applications and the Oracle database (relational).

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Traditional Oracle DBA The traditional Oracle DBA has needed expertise in the following key areas: Database administration Performance tuning Backup and Recovery Security Scaleability High availability Oracle Net Services Supporting database developers

Oracle Fusion DBA Oracle Fusion environments are going to need people with skills to manage the Oracle application server environment surrounding Oracle Fusion middleware.

Managing an application server at the enterprise level is every bit as complex as managing the database tier. The following areas of the Oracle Application Server need to be managed: Application server administration Oracle DBAs who have experience have Performance tuning Backup and Recovery also acquired skills in Unix administration, storage management and other ar- Security Scaleability eas surrounding Oracle databases. High availability Knowledge in areas surrounding Oracle Oracle Net Services databases helps in troubleshooting and Supporting web developers diagnosing issues in Oracle environments. Clustering, load balancing, application Oracle Fusion applications are going to fail-over are just as important in an aphave a much higher cost to an organiza- plication server environment as a datation than the Oracle database licenses. base server environment. So whoever understands Oracle Fusion applications, the Oracle Fusion infraThe demand for Identity management structure and Oracle Fusion middleware and enterprise security are going to conare going to have a much larger role in tinue to increase. Portals are increasdecision making in organizations. ing in importance. These are key areas that will be managed from the middleMoney talks, and there is going to be a tier. lot more money surrounding Oracle Fusion applications and Oracle Fusion mid- The enterprise level skills Oracle DBAs dleware than Oracle databases. have acquired are similar skills that are going to be needed to manage the infrastructure of the Oracle middle-tier. Oracle Fusion middleware is going to present a fantastic opportunity for Oracle DBAs that make the leap to to these new areas.

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A Blending of Skllls

have skills where the three circles intersect are going to be in very high deThe role of Oracle DBAs, System Admin- mand. It is the center circle that each istrators, Storage Managers and Develcircle intersects with, is the one with the opers are going to change. There is high demand skills. going to be a growing need for people with a blending of skills. Individuals with DBA skills, that can manage the infrastructure of the middle Todays current environment has packtier and work with applications are going aged and custom applications that acto be invaluable in organizations. cess the database, but most DBAs are isolated from the web based applicaAs databases become easier to manage tions. and Oracle Fusion applications become available, there will be an increased demand for individuals who can manage Oracle Database Layer the middle tier where custom and Oracle Fusion applications run.
(managed by DBAs)

Packaged Apps
(EBS, PeopleSoft, Siebel, JD Edwards, Stellant,Retek, etc)

Custom Apps
(or apps from smaller ISVs)

This shows how the stacks of a database enterprise infrastructure will be managed. Oracle Fusion DBAs (DIAs) are going to play a key role.

The upcoming future environment is going to create more interdependence among the three circles. People that

Database Tier
(managed by DBAs and DIAs)

Application Server and Middle Tier

(managed by DIAs and developers)

Business Applications
(managed by DIAs and developers)

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Conclusion There are production DBAs and development DBAs. For managing Oracle Fusion applications there are going to be Oracle Fusion DBAs that support the Oracle Fusion infrastructure. There are also going to be Oracle application server administrators that focus more on the web developers and support the deployment and running of the web applications. Oracle Fusion DBAs are going to be administrators that can manage multiple tiers of an Oracle environment. This involves being able to manage the database and application server. Oracle Fusion applications run in the middle tier so an Oracle Fusion DBA needs to know the middle tier. If you got a headache reading this article, this is a good thing. It means your brain absorbed a lot of the information. I dont know about you but when working with RAC, Data Guard, Oracle Streams, Grid Control, etc. I wonder how those Oracle V5 databases used to keep us so busy. Oracle 11g is getting ready to release this summer. With all the information an Oracle DBA needs to know, I think the future Oracle Fusion DBA is going to have an oversized large bald head with an oversized brain and will look like an alien to everyone but other Oracle Fusion DBAs.

This article was written by George Trujillo at Trubix Inc. Think Fusion, Think Trubix, www.trubix.com a company specializing in Enterprise training solutions for Oracle, SQL Server, Linux, Java and The following contains the education middle-tier (Fusion) technologies. path for acquiring the skills to be able to George Trujillo: support multiple tiers of an Oracle envi- Has over 19 years of Oracle DBA and ronment. development experience. Oracle Fusion Management for DBAs I Is on the Independent Oracle Users Oracle Fusion Management for DBAs II Group Board of Directors. Grid Control Is on the International Oracle Fusion Council. Is on the Oracle Beta Program leaderThe following is the education path for developers to be able to make complex ship team. customizations to Oracle Fusion applications. Trubix Inc. offers the widest range of Java Fundamentals Oracle database and Oracle Fusion train J2EE Workshop ing solutions in the world outside of XML Workshop Oracle. Contact us to see how we offer Web Services you training solutions in advanced Ora SOA cle database servers and Oracle Fusion BPEL middleware.

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