enterprise product develepment (concept to rollout)

Hi

I am involved in a product development and want to understand the current best practices from the conception to product rollout. I have few questions. Appreciate your help and suggestions

Our project in a nutshell: Our team has developed the apps. using GUI-Oracle Forms & DBMS-Oracle 8i/9i with weblogic, Corba, windows 2000 server environment. Its meant for 1000s of users with million of data. We are trying to integrate additional services/capability - messaging (wireless, chat etc.). As per the initial plan we have a central database and users will be using a local footprint database. The deltas (the changes) will be synchronized with the central database at a frequency say daily or nightly... We are concerned that having the database at the users desktop could leave the door wide-open for others to take a look at our code/design...

Questions:

1. UML case tools-- Whats the best tool available in the market as we want to revisit the design phase and identify the things that have been missed out in the prototype-(which was developed by a third-party)?
So far we have used ERWIN to extract the data model...

2. How can we eliminate the need to have a local footprint database at the users desktop.?. Since there is a lots of data, retrieving the data via internet could be very slow for users? (hope this is the case!) Thats what led our team to think of having a local database at the users desktop. Someone suggested to use the data files or caching the data.. Appreciate if anyone shed some light on this.. Is there a better way to do it?

3. Client connectivity: What are the softwares needed at the users PC. Since we use Oracle Forms to develop the application, do we need to install the oracle clients at the users PCs? how to establish the connectivity from the Users PC to our server and to the database. IF we have to use the oracle client, does that require licenses for every User? What do we need to consider from the network connectivity stand point.

4. Application Rollout: how to package our finished product - application exe that is installable across wide array of environment. (we thought of install shield). how do we test it for accuracy etc.,

5. Database optimization: In addition to DBA help, is there any product or proceedures to ensure dataModel optimization, SQL query performance etc.,

Appreciate you sharing your valuable thoughts on this with us..Well, This is a SQL Sever forum...

But architecture is architecture...

And that sounds like a house of cards...

What does the app do?

Are you using packages and procedures?

We buile an benefits enrollment app with 10's of millions of options, and 40k users via the web (Java and WebSphere)..

Of course the users wainted to the last day...so 40k were banging away at the last minute...

NT couldn't handle it...had to go unix for the load...

Again what does the app do?sql

Enterprise Manager Substitute

Is there a product I can use that would allow me to connect to a remote database and manage data locally? I downloaded the trial version and am using enterprise manager, but once the trial has expired, I"ll need something else. My database is hosted at a
commercial hosting company and I don't need to do any further development. I just need to get into the database and make minor data modifications. Is there something more affordable than purchasing the entire SQL Server suite?
Try this:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en
Geoff N. Hiten
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Senior Database Administrator
Careerbuilder.com
I support the Professional Association for SQL Server
www.sqlpass.org
"Cindy" <cindy@.penchina.com> wrote in message
news:1087340B-6AB2-4831-B9E1-72F281FCC6CB@.microsoft.com...
> Is there a product I can use that would allow me to connect to a remote
database and manage data locally? I downloaded the trial version and am
using enterprise manager, but once the trial has expired, I"ll need
something else. My database is hosted at a commercial hosting company and I
don't need to do any further development. I just need to get into the
database and make minor data modifications. Is there something more
affordable than purchasing the entire SQL Server suite?
|||http://www.aspfaq.com/2442
Aaron Bertrand
SQL Server MVP
http://www.aspfaq.com/
"Cindy" <cindy@.penchina.com> wrote in message
news:1087340B-6AB2-4831-B9E1-72F281FCC6CB@.microsoft.com...
> Is there a product I can use that would allow me to connect to a remote
database and manage data locally? I downloaded the trial version and am
using enterprise manager, but once the trial has expired, I"ll need
something else. My database is hosted at a commercial hosting company and I
don't need to do any further development. I just need to get into the
database and make minor data modifications. Is there something more
affordable than purchasing the entire SQL Server suite?
|||Thanks Aaron. I wanted to send you an email off the list but your email address got bounced so if you can send me your email address, that would be great.
|||Take out the TRASH.
Aaron Bertrand
SQL Server MVP
http://www.aspfaq.com/
"Cindy" <cindy@.penchina.com> wrote in message
news:ACA8D9A0-6807-47F8-8E27-B8B981F980F2@.microsoft.com...
> Thanks Aaron. I wanted to send you an email off the list but your email
address got bounced so if you can send me your email address, that would be
great.

Enterprise Manager Substitute

Is there a product I can use that would allow me to connect to a remote data
base and manage data locally? I downloaded the trial version and am using en
terprise manager, but once the trial has expired, I"ll need something else.
My database is hosted at a
commercial hosting company and I don't need to do any further development. I
just need to get into the database and make minor data modifications. Is th
ere something more affordable than purchasing the entire SQL Server suite?Try this:
A332CB7F959&displaylang=en" target="_blank">http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...&displaylang=en
Geoff N. Hiten
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Senior Database Administrator
Careerbuilder.com
I support the Professional Association for SQL Server
www.sqlpass.org
"Cindy" <cindy@.penchina.com> wrote in message
news:1087340B-6AB2-4831-B9E1-72F281FCC6CB@.microsoft.com...
> Is there a product I can use that would allow me to connect to a remote
database and manage data locally? I downloaded the trial version and am
using enterprise manager, but once the trial has expired, I"ll need
something else. My database is hosted at a commercial hosting company and I
don't need to do any further development. I just need to get into the
database and make minor data modifications. Is there something more
affordable than purchasing the entire SQL Server suite?|||http://www.aspfaq.com/2442
Aaron Bertrand
SQL Server MVP
http://www.aspfaq.com/
"Cindy" <cindy@.penchina.com> wrote in message
news:1087340B-6AB2-4831-B9E1-72F281FCC6CB@.microsoft.com...
> Is there a product I can use that would allow me to connect to a remote
database and manage data locally? I downloaded the trial version and am
using enterprise manager, but once the trial has expired, I"ll need
something else. My database is hosted at a commercial hosting company and I
don't need to do any further development. I just need to get into the
database and make minor data modifications. Is there something more
affordable than purchasing the entire SQL Server suite?|||Thanks Aaron. I wanted to send you an email off the list but your email addr
ess got bounced so if you can send me your email address, that would be grea
t.|||Take out the TRASH.
Aaron Bertrand
SQL Server MVP
http://www.aspfaq.com/
"Cindy" <cindy@.penchina.com> wrote in message
news:ACA8D9A0-6807-47F8-8E27-B8B981F980F2@.microsoft.com...
> Thanks Aaron. I wanted to send you an email off the list but your email
address got bounced so if you can send me your email address, that would be
great.

Enterprise Manager Substitute

Is there a product I can use that would allow me to connect to a remote database and manage data locally? I downloaded the trial version and am using enterprise manager, but once the trial has expired, I"ll need something else. My database is hosted at a commercial hosting company and I don't need to do any further development. I just need to get into the database and make minor data modifications. Is there something more affordable than purchasing the entire SQL Server suite?Try this:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=C039A798-C57A-419E-ACBC-2A332CB7F959&displaylang=en
Geoff N. Hiten
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Senior Database Administrator
Careerbuilder.com
I support the Professional Association for SQL Server
www.sqlpass.org
"Cindy" <cindy@.penchina.com> wrote in message
news:1087340B-6AB2-4831-B9E1-72F281FCC6CB@.microsoft.com...
> Is there a product I can use that would allow me to connect to a remote
database and manage data locally? I downloaded the trial version and am
using enterprise manager, but once the trial has expired, I"ll need
something else. My database is hosted at a commercial hosting company and I
don't need to do any further development. I just need to get into the
database and make minor data modifications. Is there something more
affordable than purchasing the entire SQL Server suite?|||http://www.aspfaq.com/2442
--
Aaron Bertrand
SQL Server MVP
http://www.aspfaq.com/
"Cindy" <cindy@.penchina.com> wrote in message
news:1087340B-6AB2-4831-B9E1-72F281FCC6CB@.microsoft.com...
> Is there a product I can use that would allow me to connect to a remote
database and manage data locally? I downloaded the trial version and am
using enterprise manager, but once the trial has expired, I"ll need
something else. My database is hosted at a commercial hosting company and I
don't need to do any further development. I just need to get into the
database and make minor data modifications. Is there something more
affordable than purchasing the entire SQL Server suite?|||Take out the TRASH.
--
Aaron Bertrand
SQL Server MVP
http://www.aspfaq.com/
"Cindy" <cindy@.penchina.com> wrote in message
news:ACA8D9A0-6807-47F8-8E27-B8B981F980F2@.microsoft.com...
> Thanks Aaron. I wanted to send you an email off the list but your email
address got bounced so if you can send me your email address, that would be
great.

Enterprise manager security?

Our product has the middleware conduct transactions with the SQL server usin
g a special account. The developers know the account and password in order t
o code it in their apps. The problem is that they are not allowed access to
the platform once an app g
oes into production (we are in the banking industry). However, they use Ente
rprise Manager and as long as they know the account name and password, they
can still get to any of the databases.
Anyone know how to stop a connection to a SQL DB (by user) with Enterprise M
anager?It is bad practice to code the account and password in application. This
should be stored in an ini file or the registry (and encrypted of course) so
it can be changed easily. In that case you can set up a new account with the
same permissions and delete the old account, and make your application use
it by changing the username and password in the registry or ini file. If you
would like to store the username and paswword encoded in the application for
some reason, at least store it in a separate class, so that you can build a
secure release version by only including a different file for that class.
Blocking them from Enterprise Manager doesn't help much, how long do you
think it takes a not even very talented developer to knock up a basic app
that allows you to view tables in any database? Or they can use Query
Analyzer or osql.
Which bank uses this btw, I hope it's not mine ;-)
Jacco Schalkwijk
SQL Server MVP
"rick m" <anonymous@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:03A80E82-BAF0-4055-AEA7-9C33AEB30DB8@.microsoft.com...
> Our product has the middleware conduct transactions with the SQL server
using a special account. The developers know the account and password in
order to code it in their apps. The problem is that they are not allowed
access to the platform once an app goes into production (we are in the
banking industry). However, they use Enterprise Manager and as long as they
know the account name and password, they can still get to any of the
databases.
> Anyone know how to stop a connection to a SQL DB (by user) with Enterprise
Manager?|||Rick,
You have stumbled onto one of the most overlooked internal security problem
with SQL Server. Appliction developers often know logons and passwords and a
re able to connect to production databases outside of the application using
Enterprise Manager, Query A
nalyzer, Access, a custom app. etc. If you cannot get the app developers to
use Windows authentication, you really need to store the login and password
in a safe ini file or registry setting and make sure the password changes as
the application goes into
production.
Your not the only one with the same question, many other have written the sa
me question and apparently the problem with application developers being abl
e to review production data is starting to become a problem.
Sorry, there is not a good answer to your question, it is a application deve
lopment process change and not just a setting that will eventually keep appl
ication developers out of your production database.
About the only thing you can do in the short-term is have management send ou
t a warning that no app developer should be in production and then audit ent
ry into your production db and have the offending developers "taken" care of
.
Randy Dyess
www.Database-Security.Info|||"rick m" <anonymous@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:03A80E82-BAF0-4055-AEA7-9C33AEB30DB8@.microsoft.com...
> Our product has the middleware conduct transactions with the SQL server
using a special account. The developers know the account and password in
order to code it in their apps. The problem is that they are not allowed
access to the platform once an app goes into production (we are in the
banking industry). However, they use Enterprise Manager and as long as they
know the account name and password, they can still get to any of the
databases.
> Anyone know how to stop a connection to a SQL DB (by user) with Enterprise
Manager?
No direct way, you'd be better off blocking (or simply removing any security
permissions) for user connections to the server running SQL Server. I agree
with the other posts, the main thing to emphasize -- use Windows
Authentication! That eliminates the need to hard code user names/passwords.
Security can be implemented and secured based on NT groups.
Steve

Enterprise ETL "Appliance"

At least one company has developed such a product. Here's a link: http://www.dataintegrityinstitute.com/copula.htm

I am interested to read your thoughts on this.

DISCLAIMER: I don't work for the aforementioned company and don't benefit from them in any way.

this website looks suspicious to me. sry, i don′t think these guys are reliable.|||Duane,
Please tie this post back to SSIS, or it will get deleted. This is an SSIS forum, not a bulletin-board.|||

Phil Brammer wrote:

Duane,
Please tie this post back to SSIS, or it will get deleted. This is an SSIS forum, not a bulletin-board.

Ok. My understanding is that ETL appliances are the wave of the future and that many of these devices work with ETL software tools. Considering that SSIS is an ETL software tool, I am curious as to whether SSIS can work in tandem with such devices. In as much as this is a forum dedicated to SSIS, I believe that any discussion regarding the role of SSIS in the marketplace is indeed relevant to this forum. Since many of the people who visit this forum work in an ETL capacity, I believe that this topic would be of considerable interest to them. I believe that this forum wasn't intended to be strictly focused on SSIS. But rather that this forum was intended to serve an audience who are interested in using SSIS in their overall technical solutions.

If you disagree with anything that I've stated, please feel free to post a reply to that effect.

Enterprise ETL "Appliance"

At least one company has developed such a product. Here's a link: http://www.dataintegrityinstitute.com/copula.htm

I am interested to read your thoughts on this.

DISCLAIMER: I don't work for the aforementioned company and don't benefit from them in any way.

this website looks suspicious to me. sry, i don′t think these guys are reliable.|||Duane,
Please tie this post back to SSIS, or it will get deleted. This is an SSIS forum, not a bulletin-board.|||

Phil Brammer wrote:

Duane,
Please tie this post back to SSIS, or it will get deleted. This is an SSIS forum, not a bulletin-board.

Ok. My understanding is that ETL appliances are the wave of the future and that many of these devices work with ETL software tools. Considering that SSIS is an ETL software tool, I am curious as to whether SSIS can work in tandem with such devices. In as much as this is a forum dedicated to SSIS, I believe that any discussion regarding the role of SSIS in the marketplace is indeed relevant to this forum. Since many of the people who visit this forum work in an ETL capacity, I believe that this topic would be of considerable interest to them. I believe that this forum wasn't intended to be strictly focused on SSIS. But rather that this forum was intended to serve an audience who are interested in using SSIS in their overall technical solutions.

If you disagree with anything that I've stated, please feel free to post a reply to that effect.