Quest Central® for Oracle

Version 6.5

Release Notes

July 2007


Contents

Welcome to Quest Central for Oracle

Known Issues

Upgrade and Compatibility

System Requirements

Global Operations

Getting Started

For More Information


Welcome to Quest Central for Oracle

These release notes cover changes to version 6.5 of Quest Central for Oracle, Quest Central’s integrated database management solution for Oracle. They identify requirements, features and enhancements, known issues, and bug fixes.

Quest Central for Oracle, version 6.5, comprises the Quest Central Common Components and Oracle Product Components. Links to the release notes for each of the Oracle product components are included in the Oracle Product Components section below.

Quest Central Common Components

Refer to the Quest Central Common Components release notes.

Oracle Product Components

Quest Central for Oracle components provide functionality specific to the Oracle database platform. The links below point to the release notes for each of the product components.

The following Oracle product components are included in the Quest Central for Oracle 6.5 release:

 

Compatible Quest products that, if installed, can be run in-conjunction with the Quest Central console:

 


Known Issues

The following is a list of Oracle-specific issues known to exist in the Quest Central Console at the time of the Quest Central 6.5 release.

Note: For a list of known issues in the console that affect all database platforms, see Known Issues in the Quest Central Common Components release notes.

Database/Product

Known Issue

Change Request

Oracle Launching Analyze Trace from Spotlight on Oracle. To launch Analyze Trace from Spotlight on Oracle:
  1. In Spotlight on Oracle, go to the Top Sessions grid on the Top Sessions page.
  2. Use the Column Organizer to display the Server PID column in the Top Sessions grid.

You should now be able to launch Quest Central Analyze Trace from the right-click menu in Spotlight on Oracle.

N/A
Space Usage. This functionality no longer exists in the Quest Central Console. Equivalent functionality is now available in Toad for Oracle. N/A

Quest Central Properties page. The Quest Central Properties page does not display all database information when connected to an Oracle 806 database as SYSDBA.

Workaround: Connect to the database as a Normal user.

CR119889/CR126045

Creating a Support Bundle for Oracle databases when using a names server. When creating a support bundle for Oracle databases when using a names server, you must run the Support Bundle for only one database at a time. If you attempt to create a support bundle for more than one database when using a names server, the information about the databases selected will be incomplete. CR125354

Cannot launch Script Runner or any Common UI action from Cluster Instance node. When attempting to launch the Script Runner or any Common UI action from a Cluster Instance node, you may receive the following error:

“There is no validator specified in CoreDBActions.xml for this profile.”

To proceed: Run the SQL Editor from the cluster database node.

CR121290/CR122504
Connecting as SYSDBA or SYSOPER. Do not connect as SYSDBA or SYSOPER unless you need to start or shut down a database. Some other operations will not function properly if you are logged in as SYSDBA or SYSOPER. N/A
Job_queue_processes. If the Oracle parameter Job_queue_processes is set to zero, the Job Manager might display the message “The entered PL/SQL block is invalid” when the Enter key is pressed during attempts to enter PL/SQL code for a job. CR17155
Database startup and shutdown. Quest Central’s ability to startup and shutdown Oracle databases relies on the appropriate commands being accessible from the Oracle client software. Quest Central generates the appropriate commands for you and executes them via SQL*Plus. In general, if a particular instance cannot be started or stopped from within SQL*Plus, it will not be able to be started or stopped from within Quest Central. N/A
OS login authentication not supported. Quest Central requires a username and password during login. Attempting to start some functionality in Quest Central using OS authentication results in an “ORA-01005: null password given, logon denied” error. CR15771
Oracle 10g Quest Central hangs when attempting to view Tablespaces on a 10g database. This is due to the view dba_free_space. This view is very slow in 10g, if you have not purged the recycle bin on a regular basis. This problem is a known Oracle bug and occurs on Oracle 10.0.1 and 10.1.2; it is fixed in Oracle 10.1.3.

Workaround: You can either:

  • Apply the 10.1.3 patch

Or

  • Purge the recycle bin regularly. To purge the recycle bin, connect as sysdba user and issue the following command:

purge dba_recyclebin;

CR122496
Oracle 9i Starting remote 9i instance from non-9i client. When starting a remote Oracle9i instance from a non-9i client, the following message might display: “ORA-32006: MTS_DISPATCHERS initialization parameter has been deprecated.” You can ignore this message. N/A
Oracle9i home directory. On client machines with multiple Oracle home directories, where one of the homes is Oracle9i, the message “File not found: …\TNSNAMES.ORA” might display if the Hosts node is expanded a second time. N/A
07_DICTIONARY_ACCESSIBILITY when installing objects. You may experience problems installing Instance or Repository objects when the O7_DICTIONARY_ACCESSIBILITY option is set to FALSE and the Oracle client is 9i. To resolve this issue, change the Oracle home to 7.x or 8.x, or set the O7_DICTIONARY_ACCESSIBILITY option to TRUE. N/A
Remote login by SYSDBA. If the user name in the dialog box prompting for the SYS password is blank, then the Oracle’s O7_DICTIONARY_ACCESSIBILITY parameter is set to FALSE and your database does not allow remote login by users with the SYSDBA privilege. To resolve this issue, provide remote database administration capability before you install server components. To do this, create an authentication password file for the database and set the REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE parameter to EXCLUSIVE for the user who will be the owner of the objects. CR27014
07_DICTIONARY_ACCESSIBILITY and SELECT ANY TABLE. If the 07_DICTIONARY_ACCESSIBILITY option is set to FALSE, the SELECT ANY TABLE privilege will not be sufficient for a non-DBA user to access objects belonging to themselves or other schema's for which they have privileges via the Visual Object Editors. To resolve this issue, grant the non-DBA user either the SELECT ANY DICTIONARY privilege or SELECT_CATALOG_ROLE role. N/A
Oracle 8.1.7 Oracle parallel query option stats. There is a known issue with V$STATS on Oracle 8.1.7 when running the Oracle parallel query option. SGA stats on the database node viewport and property sheet will not be accurate when it is run in Quest Central. CR30032
Spotlight on E-Business

If you install Spotlight on E-Business Suite from the Quest Central installer, Spotlight will not work in non-Admin mode on the client PC. This also causes other Spotlights (for example Spotlight on Oracle) that are installed with Spotlight on E-Business Suite to not work in non-Admin mode.

Workaround: Install Spotlight on Oracle (or any other Spotlight) into a separate side-by-side Spotlight console, using the standalone installer available separately from Quest Central.

CR217544/CR729
Spotlight on Oracle

Spotlight on Oracle profiles. Quest Central Console does not recognize Spotlight on Oracle profiles created outside of Quest Central console (that is, profiles created in Spotlight on Oracle).

Workaround. Create a new profile when prompted and Spotlight on Oracle will connect correctly.

N/A

Launching Spotlight on Oracle. Launching Spotlight on Oracle from the Quest Central Console causes the following error:

Unknown ProductID in established Connection Profile

Workaround. Launch Spotlight on Oracle from outside the Quest Central Console. Use the Spotlight on Oracle desktop icon or the menu item on the Windows Start menu, or launch Spotlight from Quest Central Explorer.

N/A

 


Upgrade and Compatibility

Platform Overview

Quest Central for Oracle is compatible with the following operating systems and databases (check the website for the most up-to-date platform information):

 

Quest Central for Oracle 6.5

Operating Systems Windows HP-UX AIX Sun Tru64 Linux
Capacity Manager for Oracle X - - - - -
Space Manager with Live Reorg X X X X X X
Spotlight on Oracle X X X X X X
SQL Optimizer for Oracle X X X X X X
Toad for Oracle trial X - - - - -

 

Client Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows 2003 Citrix XP
Capacity Manager for Oracle X X X X
Knowledge Xpert for Oracle Administration X X X X
Knowledge Xpert for PL/SQL X X X X
Space Manager with Live Reorg X X X X
Spotlight on Oracle X X X X
SQL Optimizer for Oracle X X X -
Toad for Oracle trial X X X -

 

Database Oracle 8.0.6 Oracle 8.1.7 Oracle 9.0.1.3 Oracle 9.2.0.2 OPS 8.1.7 RAC 9.2.0.2 Oracle 10.0 Oracle 10.1 Oracle 10.2
Capacity Manager for Oracle - - - X - - X X X
Space Manager with LiveReorg X X - X X X - X X
Spotlight on Oracle X X X X X X X   X
SQL Optimizer for Oracle - X X X X X X   X
Toad for Oracle trial X X X X -   - X X

 

Notes:

Some databases are supported by applying an agent software patch available from Quest Support.

 

Specific operating system compatibility data

This section contains detailed compatibility data for various versions of the following systems:

Legend :

C – Client Only connection. If OS or agent level access is not needed.

Y – Agent or Direct OS access

N – No Support

 

AIX

Operating Systems AIX 5.1 AIX 5.2 AIX 5.3
Space Manager with LiveReorg Y Y Y
Spotlight on Oracle C C C
SQL Optimizer for Oracle C C C

 

HP-UX

Operating Systems HP-UX 10.2 HP 11 HP 11i HP 11i Itanium Tru64 4.0f Tru64 4.0g Tru64 5.0a Tru64 5.1
Space Manager with LiveReorg N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Spotlight on Oracle C C C C C C C C
SQL Optimizer for Oracle C C C C C C C C

 

Linux

Operating Systems SUSE Linux SUSE Linux v7 SUSE Linux v8 Linux Red Hat 6.x Linux Red Hat 7.x Linux Red Hat 8.x Linux Red Hat 9.x Red Hat AS 2.1 Red Hat AS 3.0 Red hat AS 4.0
Space Manager with LiveReorg N N Y N N N N Y Y Y
Spotlight on Oracle N C C C C C C C C  
SQL Optimizer for Oracle N C C C C C C C C  

 

Sun

Operating Systems Solaris 6 Solaris 7 Solaris 8 Solaris 9 Solaris 10
Space Manager with LiveReorg Y Y Y Y Y
Spotlight on Oracle C C C C C
SQL Optimizer for Oracle C C C C C

 

Windows

Operating Systems Win 98 Win NT 4.0 Win 2000 Win XP Win 64 Win 2003 Itanium Win 2003
Space Manager with LiveReorg N Y Y N N Y Y
Spotlight on Oracle N N Y Y Y Y Y
SQL Optimizer for Oracle N N C C C C C

 


System Requirements

Before installing Quest Central, ensure your system meets the following minimum hardware and software requirements:

Note: System requirements can vary among features and database platforms. Additional requirements may be needed for specific product components. It is recommended that you check for requirements specific to the product components that you are installing prior to proceeding with the installation.

Platform Minimum Pentium 4 or compatible processor.
Memory Minimum 512MB.
Hard Disk Space Minimum 1.5 GB disk space required for a full installation of the Quest Central suite, which includes temporary setup files that are removed at completion of install.

Minimum 975 MB disk space required for a full installation of Quest Central for Oracle.

Operating System Windows 2000 Professional SP4, Windows XP Professional SP1 or later, Windows Server 2003.
Additional Software Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or later.
Other requirements

Tahoma font

CD-ROM drive or Internet connection (required for installation only).

VGA monitor, 1024x768 resolution, small fonts.

Printer (optional) for printing graphs and reports.

Sound card and speakers (optional) for receiving audible alerts.

Mouse (required to access all features.)

Administrator privileges are required to install Quest Central.

Oracle client software to connect to server(s) — 8.0.6, 8.1.7, 9.2, 10.1, 10.2.

Citrix Support

Citrix products supported include:

For installation notes on installing Quest Central in a Citrix environment, see “Appendix A” of the relevant Quest Central for Oracle Installation Guide.

 


Global Operations

This section contains information about installing and operating this product in non-English configurations, such as those needed by customers outside of North America. This section does not replace the materials about supported platforms and configurations found elsewhere in the product documentation.

This release supports any single-byte character set. Double-byte or multi-byte character sets are not supported. In this release, all product components should be configured to use the same or compatible character encodings and should be installed to use the same locale and regional options. This release is targeted to support operations in the following regions: North America, Western Europe and Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe.

This release has the following known capabilities or limitations: Individual components of Quest Central may also include more specific information in the Globalization section of their readme or release notes. This product was tested and is supported with the Latin-1 (WE8ISO8859P1) character encoding. Other encodings, including most single-byte and Western European character encodings may work correctly, but they are untested and may not be fully supported.

 


Getting Started

Installation Instructions

Refer to Quest Central for Oracle Installation Guide for installation instructions.

You can find Quest Central installation guides at:
http://www.quest.com/quest_central/documentation_links.asp.

 


For More Information

Contacting Quest Software:

Email info@quest.com
Mail Quest Software, Inc.
World Headquarters
5 Polaris Way
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
USA
Web

http://www.quest.com

Refer to our Web site for regional and international office information.

Contacting Quest Support:

Quest Support is available to customers who have a trial version of a Quest product or who have purchased a commercial version and have a valid maintenance contract.
Quest Support provides around the clock coverage with SupportLink, our web self-service. Visit SupportLink at http://support.quest.com.

From SupportLink, you can do the following:

View the Global Support Guide for a detailed explanation of support programs, online services, contact information, and policy and procedures.
The guide is available at: http://support.quest.com/pdfs/Global Support Guide.pdf.

 


This document contains proprietary information protected by copyright. The software described in this guide is furnished under a software license or nondisclosure agreement. This software may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of the applicable agreement. No part of this guide may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for any purpose other than the purchaser’s personal use without the written permission of Quest Software, Inc.

 

© 2007 Quest Software, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Quest, Quest Software, the Quest Software logo, Aelita, AppAssure, Benchmark Factory, Big Brother, DataFactory, DeployDirector, ERDisk, Fastlane, Final, Foglight, Funnel Web, I/Watch, Imceda, InLook, IntelliProfile, Internet Weather Report, InTrust, IT Dad, JClass, Jint, JProbe, Knowledge Xpert, LeccoTech, LiteSpeed, LiveReorg, Matrix Insight, Matrix.Net, MIQ, NBSpool, NetBase, Npulse, PerformaSure, PL/Vision, Quest Central, RAPS, SharePlex, Sitraka, SmartAlarm, Speed Change Manager, Speed Coefficient, Spotlight, SQL Firewall, SQL Impact, SQL LiteSpeed, SQL Navigator, SQLab, SQLGuardian, SQLProtector, SQL Watch, Stat, Stat!, StealthCollect, Tag and Follow, Toad, T.O.A.D., Vintela, Virtual DBA, Xaffire, and XRT are trademarks and registered trademarks of Quest Software, Inc in the United States of America and other countries. Other trademarks and registered trademarks used in this guide are property of their respective owners.

 

Information about the third party libraries, re-distributables, and files used in the creation of Quest Central can be found at http://www.quest.com/quest_central/documentation_links.asp.

 

If you have any questions regarding your potential use of this material, contact:

Quest Software World Headquarters
LEGAL Dept
5 Polaris Way
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
Email: legal@quest.com

Disclaimer

The information in this document is provided in connection with Quest products. No license, express or implied, by estoppel or otherwise, to any intellectual property right is granted by this document or in connection with the sale of Quest products. EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN QUEST'S TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS SPECIFIED IN THE LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR THIS PRODUCT, QUEST ASSUMES NO LIABILITY WHATSOEVER AND DISCLAIMS ANY EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY WARRANTY RELATING TO ITS PRODUCTS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL QUEST BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION OR LOSS OF INFORMATION) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THIS DOCUMENT, EVEN IF QUEST HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. Quest makes no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this document and reserves the right to make changes to specifications and product descriptions at any time without notice. Quest does not make any commitment to update the information contained in this document.