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Index > Other 3rd Party Tools > Software Tools > DBAConnect

DBAConnect by DataSparc, Inc.

Topics

  • Summary
  • Product History
  • What is great about this product
  • Supported Operating Systems and Versions
  • Installation
  • What it does?
  • Who should use it?
  • Competitive products
  • Detailed review
  • Shortcomings
  • Cost and where to buy
  • Support
  • 17 October 2002
    Author:
    Iftikhar Ahmad Lodhi

    Rating


    Summary

    DBAConnect is a web based Oracle Database management tool that provides convenient administration of your Oracle database through any web browser. DBAConnect allows the database administrator to execute any administration command and to control user sessions. DBAConnect allows the developer to execute any SQL statement. DBAConnect is designed for fast performance and to preserve system security.

    Once installed and configured, DBAConnect can be used for convenient access to the Oracle Database from anywhere. The ease of browser-enabled clients allows a low maintenance method to handle third parties, consultants, or project staffing fluctuations. DBAConnect provides immediate productivity gains through the elimination of client license maintenance, improved response time to system issues, and increased convenience for database administrators.

    There are some other remote database administration tools but DBAConnect is a unique one due to its platform independent architecture, enhanced security features and its ease of use.



    Usefulness to DBA
    Usefulness to developers
    Functionality, how much does it do
    User interface, intuitive/friendly
    Software quality, integrity, robustness
    Documentation quality and scope
    Technical support availability
    Value for money
    Ease of integration with other tools and systems
    Overall rating
    Screen shots:

    Screen shot - Object Browser


    Screen shot - DBA Utility


    Screen shot- Developer Utility

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  • History

    DBAConnect 1.0 was released in June 2002, developed by DataSparc, Inc. based in OR, USA. There was "SQL Browser", an earlier product with the same functionality that is modified and renamed to "DBAConnect" with enhanced features.

    This review is based on the freeware version of DBAConnect 1.0, with limited technical support.

    DataSparc also provides following services:

    • Oracle Development
    • Oracle Database Administration
    • Java Development
    • EJB, Servlets, JSP, JDBC, XML Development
    • Wireless software Development

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  • What is great about this product

    The product is ideal to access Oracle database from anywhere using Internet browser. Once installed and configured with your web server and oracle database, you can access as many databases as you want using a single administration console but one at a time.

    DBAConnect simplifies the most common database management tasks, such as creating/modifying/deleting schema objects, creating and executing efficient DBA scripts and monitoring process information.

    Provides easy security administration for granting, revoking and assigning roles and privileges.

    Provides users with an efficient means to view key instance statistics instead of querying V$ views manually. Drilling down to related views really helps in saving a lot of time.

    GUI interface with auto-generated scripts allows novice administrators to learn DDL syntax.

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  • Supported Operating Systems and Versions

    As it is developed using Java Technology So it is completely platform independent.

    Its flexibility allows you to connect and administer all the oracle database versions ranging from 7.3.x to 9i with TCP/IP protocol and NET8 configuration.

    A web server , installed Java Runtime Environment JRE 1.1 or later, is required to run the application again it works with all the web servers including Weblogic, Apache, OAS 8i, OAS 9i, IBM's websphere and Iplanet. You can get a freeware Tomcat web server that is simplest to configure for DBAConnect.

    Web browser Internet Explorer 5 or higher, Netscape 6 or higher, is required to run the application.

    A Pentium CPU with 64MB of RAM (128 recommended) is sufficient to run the application.

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  • Installation

    Installation was easy and swift. You required to have a web server and Java Runtime Environment JRE1.1 or later, including any Java 2 platform system. I tried it with Tomcat that comes with evaluation version. After installation it opens automatically a readme file in a browser that describes all the installation and configuration process and guide you how to run the application. You also need to have a classes12.zip file in JDBC driver folder that comes with oracle or you can down load it. Now you are ready to run the application. Just start web server and launch the DBAConnect. It opens in your default browser. Enter your Oracle database access parameters that are service name, port and host computer address. If you get a message, requesting to copy classes12.zip file to \DataSparc\lib folder and change its name to classes12.jar, just do it and you are connected.

    Remember DBAConnect does not allow the use of TNS names, rather use Oracle SID.

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  • What it does

    DBAConnect allows you to access an Oracle database and perform any administrative task over the Internet using web browser. Here are some of the features of DBAConnect:
    • Object Browser: you can browse through the database objects like, Schema, Tables, Packages, Sequences, Views, Procedures, DB Links, Synonyms, Functions and advanced objects like java resources, Java sources, Java classes, libraries etc.

    • DBA Utilities: Allows DBAs to perform administrative tasks in a convenient way and most of the time with just clicks. It allows you to create Tablespaces, Rollback Segments, Users and redo log files. DBAConnect also allows you to manipulate all the information regarding an instance, SGA, Block, Free space and to alter wherever it is needed.

    • Developer Utilities: Allows you to perform the developers related actions like creating tables, views, synonyms, DB Links, Procedures, Functions, Packages and Types. It allows you to execute any SQL command through an editor window. Also provides search facility to find any object, dependencies, relationships between tables and privileges.

    • DBAConnect Help: It provides an HTML help window which you can open any time. It describes all the functions of DBAConnect in an easy to understand way.

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  • Who should use it?

    Oracle DBAs, Consultants and Developers can make a great use of this product, as you don't need to be present there for administrative tasks. You can do it now any time anywhere.

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  • Competitive products

    There are also other tools like InternetDBA from The Net DBA, Hot-Query but they don't have as much features and sound architecture as DBAConnect has. The real competition is with AutoDBA from Insession Technologies, SmartDBA cockpit from BMC Software formerly known as WebDBA.

    Oracle also has a product called Oracle DBA studio. It can work from within Enterprise Manager. It has modules like schema manager, security manager, storage manager, etc. The products are well integrated with each other and have gone through significant improvements. It also supports database administration from Web Browser.

    The edge DBAConnect has over all above products is, it is free of cost and it does not harm to the features of the product that are compete able with any costly product in the market.

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  • Detailed review

    Here is a detailed review of all the features of DBAConnect:

    Object Browsing:

    After connecting users can choose a schema from a drop down list, it pulls all the objects of that schema into related drop down lists. Now you can choose any object to see its details. Wherever further details are present, a link is given to proceed. You can perform following tasks in Object Browser window:

    • Browse Tables, Views, Synonyms, Packages, Procedures, Functions, Sequences, DBLinks, Java (Sources, Classes, Resources), Types, Type Bodies, Libraries, and Clusters
    • Get Data for any selected table or view.
    • Create new constraints, new indexes, new triggers
    • Get DDL scripts for Tables, Views, Synonyms, Sequences, and Database links
    • Modify and compile Packages, Procedures, Functions, Types, and Type Bodies
    DBA Utilities:

    After connecting only users with DBA privileges will be able to see active DBA Utilities link. Using DBA Utilities screen you can perform following tasks:

    Instance Monitoring & Space Management: includes active and running jobs, SGA information (Shared pool, Library cache, UGA space used, Data Dictionary, Redo log buffer cache, Database buffer cache), Free space information, Locks, Redo log files, Object and Data files, Rollback segment, Session information, User information, Table Space and Data files. It displays the space usage in two colors. You can change or alter any information by clicking on the active link for example to drop a user or to kill a session or even to change control files.

    Tuning and Diagnosis: includes Block information, open cursors, Process information, sharable memory, SQL trace ON / OFF, unused columns. You can work on performance issues. It facilitates users by giving analysis features, you can analyze a schema for getting statistics or validating structure for tables or columns or indexes.

    To Create and Manage: Tablespaces, Rollback segments, Users and redo logs. DBAConnect provides a GUI to perform these actions, you can also invoke SQL editor by clicking

    Preview SQL: this option gives you to look at SQL syntax and gives you the options to directly execute or save the script.

    Dynamic Tables: enables you to retrieve data using user-friendly GUI rather than writing SQL statement to query from V$ views.

    Developer Utilities:

    These are the utilities for common application developer related tasks. A developer can

    • Execute any SQL statement
    • Find any object, column, or text in a stored program
    • Create any database object
    • View grants, parent/child relationship, and dependencies.
    • Use describe to get any table or view
    Offline efficiencies:
    • Local SQL scripting
    • Save/Retrieve script locally
    • Export query result for later analysis

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  • Shortcomings

    The product works well, but some new features and improvements can be added.
    • The connection and configuration method can be made easier.
    • There is no report generation method for different administrative statistics.
    • Some windows are too congested to give a friendly look.
    • You can't open two oracle instances at a time, however, you can open two different instances of the web browser, and connect to two or more differen oracle instances.
    As an advanced version is on the way to deal specifically with high volumes, I hope that would eliminate all these deficiencies.

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  • Cost and where to buy

    You can download a 30 day free trial of DBAConnect from www.DataSparc.com. The product costs $799 for the first license copy, $99.00 for additional licenses. This price includes 3 months E-Mail based support.

    General or Business Inquiries:
    Contact Datasparc at http://www.datasparc.com/contactus.html

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  • Support

    The freeware version of DBAConnect has limited technical support but e-mail or phone based full technical support can be purchased on a nominal fee.

    For purchase or technical support contact sales@datasparc.com

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  • About the Author

    Iftikhar Ahmad Lodhi is an Oracle Certified Professional, working as Software Engineer at Xorlogics, Inc. Pakistan. You can contact him at ialodhi@hotmail.com or be a member of his community.

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