Important Phone Numbers
Oracle Support (US).................................................. 800-223-1711
Oracle
Support (
Oracle Customer Care............................................... 800-645-3509
Support
Sales......................................................... 800-833-3536
Oracle
Sales Department............................................ 800-ORACLE1
Oracle
Magazine Subscriptions...................................... 650-506-9182
PRN
(Partner Resource Network).................................. 800-323-7355
Oracle
Consulting Services.......................................... 888-283-0591
International
Oracle Users Group (IOUG) HQ..................... 312-245-1579
Oracle
Application Users Group (OAUG)........................... 404-240-0897
Useful Oracle Web Sites
Oracle
Corporation Home Page.......................... http://www.oracle.com
Oracle
Support Services........................ http://www.oracle.com/support
Web-based
Customer Support (MetaLink).......... http://metalink.oracle.com
Oracle
Store........................................ http://oraclestore.oracle.com
Oracle
Consulting............................. http://www.oracle.com/consulting
International
Oracle Users Group.......................... http://www.ioug.org
Oracle
Development Tools User Group.................. http://www.odtug.com
Oracle
Applications Users Group........................... http://www.oaug.org
Oracle
AppsWorld............................ http://www.oracle.com/appsworld
OracleWorld................................. http://www.oracle.com/oracleworld
Oracle
Magazine......................................... http://www.oramag.com
Important Definitions for Support
Activities
CSI Number - CPU
Support Identification Number - The CSI number references your support
maintenance level and its duration, CPU, and all other information relevant to
the Technical Contact, such as installed-at location, billing address, licenses
and platform. Without a valid, supported
CSI number, Oracle cannot provide support.
iTAR -
Technical Assistance Request - A request by a supported client for help with a
technical or non-technical problem. Each
iTAR is assigned a unique number (iTARs are also referred to as TARs or
Service Requests)
Severity
Levels - Describes the level of impact an iTAR has on the
customer’s business, and defines the resources to be engaged by both parties as
well as the rules of engagement for the resolution of the iTAR.
Sev 1:. Problem or product defect causes complete loss of service, regardless of the customer environment, and work cannot reasonably continue
Sev 2:. Severe loss of service, no acceptable workaround; however, operation can continue in a restricted fashion
Sev 3:. Minor loss of service, impact is an
inconvenience which may require a workaround to restore functionality
Sev 4:. No loss of service, minor error that
does not impede operation of system
For more
complete severity level definitions, please see
http://www.oracle.com/support/policies.html
Oracle Support recommends using iTAR (logging a Technical Assistance Request on MetaLink) for all issues including Sev 1’s. The severity will be determined by the system, based on the answers to a series of questions. If the issue is critical and urgent, we encourage you to follow up with a phone call to request immediate attention. Also note that Sev 1’s require a 24X7 commitment from the customer.
Oracle
MetaLink - Provides Oracle Product Support customers access to
· Your portal to our Global Knowledge Base complete with answers to known problems and previously asked questions. Includes product alerts, de-support notices, step-by-step installation instructions, white papers, product documentation, search engines, iTAR and bug query and much more.
Important Definitions for Support
Activities – cont:
·
The tool is used to facilitate and track
communication between you and
Access Oracle MetaLink at:
Using Oracle Support Services (
1.
The relevant customer CSI number
2.
Area Code and phone number
3.
Software release levels of the operating system and
all Oracle components
4.
A description of the business impact to help
determine the severity
5.
A detailed description of the problem, including
copies of session logs, trace files, or other diagnostic information
1. To obtain Product Version Updates
2. To resolve problems with Product
Shipments
3. To inquire about Product
Availability or specific Account Information
4. To obtain a CSI Report or Licensing
Information
5. To update Address & Contact
Information
6. To obtain training on Oracles’
Electronic Services including MetaLink & Oracle Store
7. To inquire about the best practices
to use in working effectively with Oracle Support
To reach the group, dial the Oracle Customer Service number and select the “Other Customer Issues’ option; or log an iTAR in MetaLink and select the appropriate non-technical problem type from the drop down menu in step 2 of the iTAR creation process. The iTAR is not created until a TAR number has been assigned.
Oracle Support is your link to Oracle Development. The Technical Support Analyst will convey the details of the bug to the appropriate Oracle Product Development team and attempt to offer you a suggestion or workaround to circumvent the issue.
All technical correspondence and/or documentation regarding
the iTAR or Bug should be coordinated by the Technical Support Analyst.
Some good
questions to ask yourself before logging an iTAR to file a bug are:
1.
Is the problem reproducible?
2.
Has the errant behavior occurred consistently in
your application?
3.
If not, what has changed since the last time that it
worked?
4.
Does the situation change if you remove this newly
added functionality?
5.
Do you still have a copy of the previously working
version to compare?
6.
Did this functionality work in a previous version of
the product?
The TAR Escalation Process is in place to assist our customers who are not satisfied with the resolution or response to an iTAR. You can work with the appropriate Technical Support Analyst for iTAR escalations.
· Call an
analyst to request escalation of an iTAR.
NOTE that you must speak with an analyst – it is not sufficient
to leave a message.
·
The analyst will page the appropriate Duty Manager
who will call you within 30 minutes of the request. The manager will listen to your issue and
work with you to create an acceptable resolution plan.
·
The
manager will document the conversation and the plan in the iTAR.
·
The
manager will follow up to ensure the plan is followed and/or reset the
customer’s expectations.
· The escalation is owned by the
manager who contacted the customer until the issue is resolved or escalated to
a higher management level.
Using Oracle Support Services (cont.)
· Update the iTAR to say you called to
request the duty manager.
· Escalate
in a timely manner
· Provide
reasons for the escalation in business terms
· Agree on
an acceptable plan to resolve the issue
Escalating an issue brings management attention to it, and when appropriate, more resources. This does not automatically mean that the severity level of the iTAR will be changed. If the severity level of the iTAR becomes inappropriate over time, it may be adjusted in the same manner it was originally established, by mutual agreement between the Technical Support Analyst and the customer.
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Oracle Support Services Offering Summary
Oracle Support Services offers a
comprehensive portfolio of focused services that support the IT infrastructure
your organization needs to meet the demands of e-business. The following is a summary of the services
provided. For more detailed information on these services, please refer to our
web site: www.oracle.com/support/
Updates
Subscription Service
· Annual subscription service with rights to Oracle product upgrades, maintenance releases and patches released during the subscription period.
· Oracle MetaLink’s rich, web-based technical resources. Note: The ability to log and track Service Requests or iTARs is NOT included in this service.
· Purchase of the Updates Subscription Service is a prerequisite for all other Oracle Support Services.
Product
Support
· 24x7 problem diagnosis and resolution through web and telephone access to Oracle technical information and Oracle analysts.
· Rich web-based technical resources and the ability to log and track Service Requests or iTARs - using OracleMetaLink.
· Access to non-technical customer service during normal business hours.
Advanced Product Services (APS)
deliver expert services to help you manage and maintain your Oracle
environments, allowing for more proactive service and problem avoidance. APS
let you plan for system maintenance and enhancements, helping your organization
to not only prevent problems but also to minimize risk. APS will not only
improve the performance of your system, but also help you serve your customers
more effectively. Oracle offers the following Advanced Product Services:
· Assisted Services- Customized assistance for support, enhancements, and improving processes
· Technical Assessments- Configuration and performance analysis with focused service delivery reviews
· Business Critical Assistance- Additional services for personalized support and proactive recommendations
·
Outsourcing
Services: Let Oracle manage and maintain your Oracle software so you
can focus on strategic business priorities. When we manage your Oracle
software, you can save up to 50% on IT management costs, more accurately
forecast spending, and focus your IT professionals on helping improve the
bottom line. Since we develop and support the software, we are able to help you
achieve 50% faster problem resolution compared to customers who manage Oracle
software themselves.
Tips for Efficient Use of Oracle Support
Services
1. Be prepared to
have access to ALL information that a Technical Support Analyst might need to
help in resolving your issue, including: the appropriate CSI number, phone
numbers of affected and/or interested individuals within your organization,
plus pertinent contract information.
2.
Identify the
problem area precisely and attempt to isolate the issue to a specific group of
Oracle products and operating system configurations, i.e. RDBMS, Tools,
Applications, UNIX, Desktop, Midrange, etc.
3.
Create a brief
subject statement summarizing your request which includes the essence: 1. The
Object – this defines what part of Oracle is problematic. 2. The Defect – this describes the associated
anomaly or ill behavior of the object.
4.
Decide upon a
Severity Level (1-4) to be assigned to the issue based on a reasonable analysis
of the business impact.
5.
Keep your
implementation configuration information easily accessible to the Technical
Support Analyst at all times.
6.
Complete the
templates in MetaLink thoroughly. The answers to the questions will be
needed. Sooner is better.
7.
Include all
information. Details of the environment, steps taken prior to logging the iTAR.
More information is better.
8.
Provide any error
messages and symptoms that may allow the Technical Support analyst to resolve
your issue quickly. Also, attach any pertinent error logs, alert logs and trace
files to your initial iTAR.
9.
Provide test
cases if at all possible, so Oracle can recreate the problem if required.
10.
Always refer to
your issue by referencing the assigned iTAR number and keep an active list of
all your currently open iTARs.
11.
Keep track of
your technical issues in MetaLink. Whenever possible, use MetaLink to log,
track and update your issues.
This allows for more effective information transfer and more efficient iTAR
resolution.
12.
Ensure that all
relevant individuals within your organization are available for immediate
consultation when you contact the Support Analyst.
How to Log a Non-Technical iTAR
· Log in to MetaLink and Select TARs from the menu.
· Select <Create a TAR>.
· Enter TAR header information manually or select a TAR profile to enter the information automatically and select <Continue>.
· Select <Order Product Updates> or choose any other appropriate non-product related options from the drop down list in the <Type of Problem> field.
· Enter a one-sentence description of the problem in the Subject Statement field and select <Continue>.
· The system will return a list of knowledge base documents that may assist in solving the problem as if this were a technical iTAR - disregard and select <Continue with TAR creation>.
· Enter the details of the problem and answer the series of online questions as required.
· When you have finished answering all the questions, select <Continue> to verify the iTAR information.
· Use the back button to make any changes.
· Click the <Open TAR> button. The TAR Confirmation/Create a TAR message is displayed - please note the iTAR number.
How to Learn More
Register for a Free Online
Seminar: Working Effectively with Support Seminar
http://www.oracle.com/start/metalink/evite.html
Review
the MetaLink Features List
http://www.oracle.com/support/metalink