Chris Warticki's Blog - Oracle Support

Hi Chris,

I've been trying to encourage my company to use Configuration Manager, but unfortunately it has been rejected due to security concerns. The fundamental issue is that Oracle could provide us with a patch (eg provided directly by an Oracle support analyst for an SR) which affects the data transferred by Configuration Manager so it sends personal information (eg credit card details) to an alternative location.

Whilst I believe the risk of this occurring would be very very small, it is enough that my company will not allow us to use Configuration Manager. Do you have any information that would help me convince our security managers that Configuration Manager does not pose a security threat?

Thanks for any help!
Andrew

How about,

we keep all the easy to use functionality of Metalink2 and ADD the features of MOS & CM.

Converting to flash instantly makes the site extremely difficult to use.

I use in-page find features of my browser and the one-time use CSI searches all the time, flash is slow, doesn't allow me in-page searching and multiple CSI's must be "Filtered" and locked in, and i have to actively go clear it out.

not to mention, upload doesn't work on a regular basis. Page panes overlay each other incorrectly etc.

Like the ADDED functionality of MOS but don't like what i takes away and will use Classic metalink until you take it away.

In the same vein

Why do i have to install Flash to use the support site when I'm in a server room ?

Why are Oracle getting rid of HTML Metalink when it's all everyone I know uses ?

But I don't WANT a different result. I'm happy with classic MetaLink. The Flash based interface of My Oracle Support is slow. The screen is too busy, and search is unwieldy. If it ain't broken, DON'T FIX IT.

Wow! I don't remember a post that generated so many comments before.

Allow me to reply one by one.
1 - With regards to security concerns...You can opt to use disconnected mode and attach the .xml file to an SR individually. Therefore, the information is viewable, editable before attaching/uploading AND, you still get the benefits of the system details and system healthchecks. For more information on security concerns, read the following documents - Oracle Configuration Manager Security Overview and Collections Overview Doc ID: 728982.1

Also, post a question to our moderated community on this topic. https://communities.oracle.com/portal/server.pt/community/using_my_oracle_support/221#

The real irony here is that customers have been uploading files, like RDA's for years without the security option enabled and RDA has 500x more information than OCM does presently. Nobody has said boo until now.

2 - We've actually been doing that (almost), for the past four years. SCM has had prior evolutions in the classic version. For problems using the flash version or comments on My Oracle Support please post to the Community Forum - https://communities.oracle.com/portal/server.pt/community/using_my_oracle_support/221
There's a post at the top soliciting your feedback.

3 - The newer version is developed on Flex/Flash. I know, change is a PITA. Read my previous posting. Oracle Support has evolved this site to our customer's feedback and enhancements, not because we had nothing else better to do. See Community Links above for feedback to our program offices.

4 - I understand. I too was in that same boat. I'm a creature of habit. But, change is happening all around us. Ever read, "Who moved my cheese"? See Community Links above for feedback to our program offices.

-Chris Warticki

I'm sorry, but that's not entirely relevant.

installing Flash on a server in a locked down server farm is something you have to justify.

The flash variant looks like Metalink for Manager-type dummies.

Keep the HTML variant and let people use the appropriate tool, forcing people never works. We have enough "change" without reliable tools like Metalink causing hassgle.

Please join me in a Security Due Diligence discussion I started on the My
Oracle Support Usage Community.
https://communities.oracle.com/portal/server.pt/community/using_my_oracle_support/221

My Oracle Support, the page everybody is waiting for. Well, waiting for it to load I mean. Clearly it must be a joke to have people stare at a screen with the text "faster problem resolution" for half a minute.

I'm sorry I've really tried but it just can't like anything about it. It's slow, it's messy.

Hope it will go away.

To elaborate on my comment from juli 2nd (just above this one) some more information on how I use metalink.

To support consultants that run into problems with a database somewhere in the field, I usually start up metalink in search of an answer. Therefore I want metalink to be as clean and fast as Google. I want Oracle to spend time building a search engine that delivers relevant information based on my search. I don't want to have to wait for a whole lot of stuff I don't use or only seldomly use.

My second use of metalink is to search for patches. These screens haven't changed in the new My Oracle Support. But they are now shown in a frame so less information fits on a screen. I fail to see the better here.