Ask the Experts

Ask the Experts

• What are ghost imaging software benefits and drawbacks?

  Ghost imaging comes in many forms, and it has reached the cloud. It helps avoid much of the manual input of unit setup, but some vendors don't support ghosted units.  Continue Reading

• How do I get started with Oracle backup scripts for RMAN?

  Using Oracle Recovery Manager for database backup and restore? Explore the Oracle backup script and command process, with options for specific scripts.  Continue Reading

• Operational data store vs. data warehouse: How do they differ?

  Operational data stores and data warehouses both store operational data, but the similarities between them end there -- and they both have a role to play in analytics architectures.  Continue Reading

• How does deduplication in cloud computing work and is it beneficial?

  The deduplication process reduces the amount of data in a storage system, but dedupe in the cloud may be more valuable to the cloud provider than the customer.  Continue Reading

• Flash backups: What are the best use cases, and why?

  Flash storage arrays consume less power than traditional disks, and could be used to significantly decrease an organization's backup window and appliances.  Continue Reading

• How easy is a Veritas Backup Exec 16 upgrade from another version?

  With the right planning, transitioning to Backup Exec 16 from an earlier version can be smooth sailing, preserving data directories and retaining most settings.  Continue Reading

• How do I design and initiate a call tree procedure?

  A call tree can be an important piece of disaster recovery planning. Follow these steps for call tree design and execution to ensure your company is ready for unplanned events.  Continue Reading

• What are key features for choosing the best ETL tools for your needs?

  Choosing the right ETL tool for your data integration requirements can be a challenge. Here's a rundown on what to look for in ETL software and potential vendors to consider.  Continue Reading

• What are some new data deduplication techniques?

  Copy data management is just one technology utilizing recent innovations in the backup deduplication space, combatting sprawl and managing snapshots.  Continue Reading

• How can I improve my SaaS backup strategy?

  Migrating to software as a service can benefit an organization, but there are some questions administrators need to ask when considering a cloud-to-cloud backup.  Continue Reading

• When does storage snapshot technology work best?

  Snapshots do not replace backup, but they can be used to enhance a data protection strategy if you use them at the right time and for the right tasks.  Continue Reading

• What is NetBackup Instant Recovery for VMware?

  Symantec's NetBackup Instant Recovery for VMware feature can provide organizations with instant recovery capabilities, but backup server power issues can be a concern.  Continue Reading

• Would you ever perform Oracle backups without RMAN?

  While RMAN is typically used for Oracle backups, it is possible and sometimes necessary to use a different backup method.  Continue Reading

• Which vendors support Oracle RMAN backup and recovery?

  It's important to carefully analyze if a given backup software platform supports Oracle RMAN backup and recovery, as the level of support varies from vendor to vendor.  Continue Reading

• Why does Oracle Recovery Manager matter for backup?

  Oracle Recovery Manager not only handles underlying maintenance tasks, but increases database backup and recovery performance.  Continue Reading

• What is Oracle Flashback Technology and is it a form of backup?

  With Oracle Flashback Technology, users can return data to a past status without traditional backup or restoration. But it's not a backup replacement.  Continue Reading

• How do you choose between file- and block-level replication?

  Block- and file-level replication each offer important benefits, but for different applications. Learn the use cases of each in this Expert Answer.  Continue Reading

• Are there tools that help users migrate from one backup product to another?

  Backup software vendors such as CommVault offer services and/or software that assist customers with migrating from a competing product.  Continue Reading

• How do you perform Docker backup?

  Few backup software providers offer Docker container backup support, but is there a way to back up Docker containers with any backup software?  Continue Reading

• Five steps to implementing an MDM program

  Instituting a master data management program involves discovery, analysis, construction, implementation and sustainment processes, according to MDM expert Anne Marie Smith.  Continue Reading

• Dealing with Active Directory restore challenges

  What are the biggest challenges with backing up Active Directory?  Continue Reading

• What does CommVault Simpana 10 error code 19:757 mean?

  What does CommVault Simpana 10 error code 19:757 mean and how do I resolve it?  Continue Reading

• What does CommVault Simpana 10 error code 19:861 mean?

  What does CommVault Simpana 10 Error code 19:861 mean and how do I resolve it?  Continue Reading

• What are the top five ways to train personnel in disaster response?

  What are the five best ways to ensure personnel are trained in disaster response and ready to respond to a disaster event?  Continue Reading

• What is Data Domain Boost and what is it used for?

  SearchDataBackup Senior Site Editor Andrew Burton explains what EMC's Data Domain Boost software is designed for, how it works, and which products it supports in this Expert Answer.  Continue Reading

• What is Simpana OnePass and how does it work?

  Learn about this feature of CommVault's Simpana backup software platform aimed at streamlining backup and archiving processes and reducing the amount of data stored across the two.  Continue Reading

• What are some common VMware High Availability configuration errors?

  What are the most common mistakes people make when configuring VMware High Availability?  Continue Reading

• Design a business intelligence system properly -- for business users

  Rick Sherman explains how to avoid common mistakes when planning and designing BI systems, saying that the varying needs of different business users must be front and center.  Continue Reading

• Why the change management process is important for DR

  Paul Kirvan discusses the importance of the change management process for disaster recovery in this Expert Answer.  Continue Reading

• Do predictive analytics projects require data scientists?

  Expert Mark Whitehorn explains what skills are required for predictive modeling -- and whether business users can do the work of data scientists.  Continue Reading

• Hypervisor-based replication in VMware and Hyper-V

  Independent backup expert Brien Posey discusses native hypervisor-based replication in VMware and Hyper-V, in this Expert Answer.  Continue Reading

• Resolving CommVault Simpana error code 91:29

  Independent backup expert Brien Posey details what causes CommVault Simpana error 91:29 and how to resolve it in this Expert Answer.  Continue Reading

• Crash-consistent vs. application-consistent backups of virtual machines

  Marc Staimer of Dragon Slayer Consulting compares crash-consistent and application-consistent backups of virtual machines in this Expert Answer.  Continue Reading

• IPhone vs. Android backup

  Eric Slack of Storage Switzerland compares iPhone and Android backup in this Expert Answer.  Continue Reading

• Should you back up Google Drive contents?

  George Crump of Storage Switzerland discusses whether it is necessary to back up Google Drive contents in this Expert Answer.  Continue Reading

• Should you back up Dropbox contents?

  George Crump of Storage Switzerland discusses whether it is necessary to back up Dropbox contents in this Expert Response.  Continue Reading

• Key issues to consider when building a data warehouse

  There are numerous issues, both technical and cultural, that organizations need to consider before building a data warehouse. Learn what they are from our data warehousing expert.  Continue Reading

• Six tips for improving data warehouse performance

  Get six expert tips for improving data warehouse performance. Learn how database engines, SSDs and MOLAP cubes can affect your data warehouse performance.  Continue Reading

• Maximum tolerable period of disruption (MTPOD) vs. RTO and RPO

  Learn what maximum tolerable period of disruption (MTPOD) means for disaster recovery planners vs. the terms RTO and RPO.  Continue Reading

• Seven aspects of a successful business intelligence (BI) architecture

  Knowing what makes for a successful business intelligence (BI) architecture can help you plan and expand your current BI system. Learn what your BI architecture should include.  Continue Reading

• What is the difference between data definition language (DDL) and SQL?

  Learn the difference between a data definition language (DDL), also known as data descriptive language, and the Structured Query Language (SQL). Find examples of both DDL and SQL.  Continue Reading

• What is a business impact analysis questionnaire and what types of questions should be included?

  Harvey Betan explains that a BIA questionnaire is used to gather valuable and important data about a company, the industry and other background information in this expert response.  Continue Reading

• Steps for converting a logical data model into a physical data model

  Learn how to convert a logical data model into a physical data model via data modeling best practices. Find out how DDL and your data modeling practices play a role in conversions.  Continue Reading

• What are aggregate tables and aggregate fact tables?

  Here you'll see examples and read definitions of aggregate tables and aggregate fact tables. You'll also learn how to use aggregate tables in data warehouses and databases.  Continue Reading

• Data warehouse concepts: Data flow and sending data to source systems

  Learn about a data warehouse concept: data flow. And find out if it's a good idea to flow data from your data warehouse or data marts back to source systems.  Continue Reading

• What's the difference between a disaster recovery plan and a business continuity plan?

  Kevin Beaver describes the difference between disaster recovery and business continuity planning in this ask the expert response.  Continue Reading

• What is the difference between a logical and physical warehouse design?

  What's the difference between logical design and physical design? Get an expert's take, plus learn about three data warehouse models -- the user model, physical model and logical model -- and how they differ.  Continue Reading

• Six criteria for master data management (MDM) tool evaluation

  Starting to evaluate MDM tools and software? Know what six areas you should look at to make sure you choose the best vendor and tool for your business needs.  Continue Reading

• Is it better to have a centralized or decentralized master data structure?

  Should your master data be centralized or decentralized? Get an expert's take, plus find out how different MDM architecture styles affect your master data and MDM hub.  Continue Reading

• How to select an MPP database: DB2 vs. Teradata

  Should you run a massively parallel processing (MPP) database with DB2 or Teradata? Find out how to compare DB2 vs. Teradata and how to choose a database system and with advice from a data warehouse expert.  Continue Reading

• Four must-have master data management project skills

  There are four important master data management project skills needed for MDM projects and development efforts. Discover what they are and learn about MDM job roles and responsibilities in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Defining dimensional vs. normalized database design, dimension vs. fact tables

  Find out if your existing database is in dimensional style or normalized database design style, learn the benefits and drawbacks of fact-dimension and normalized database schemas and read a comparison of dimension tables vs. fact tables.  Continue Reading

• What are the most common system implementation mistakes?

  Learn about some of the biggest mistakes in system implementation and why successful implementations are few and far between. Find out how to avoid these pitfalls with careful planning and more tips from our project management expert.  Continue Reading

• What are the components of service-oriented architecture (SOA)?

  What are the components that make up service-oriented SOA? Find out in this expert response.  Continue Reading

• What's the difference between SOA and Web services?

  How are Web services and service oriented architecture (SOA) different? Find out in this expert response.  Continue Reading

• Definition of data abstraction and data abstraction layers

  Data abstraction simplifies database design. Learn the definition of data abstraction and find out the three formal kinds of abstraction layers, from a database expert.  Continue Reading

• Using BETWEEN with DATETIMEs in SQL

  Expert Rudy Limeback is asked if SQL can be used to retrieve data between two dates, including the two dates.  Continue Reading

• How to evaluate data warehouse software in five steps

  Get five steps to evaluating data warehouse software from a data warehouse expert.  Continue Reading

• Enterprise versus project level conceptual data modeling

  Learn the differences between enterprise level and project level conceptual data modeling, and find out how both approaches are compatible.  Continue Reading

• Data warehousing, data mining and data querying: Terms and definitions

  Learn the difference between data warehousing, data mining and data querying.  Continue Reading

• Data model conversion: Conceptual design to logical design using an ER model

  Learn two common approaches to converting a data model from a conceptual design to a logical design.  Continue Reading

• Can a dimension table be a fact table for another data mart?

  Find out if a dimension table can be a fact table for another data mart -- and get an explanation of the answer.  Continue Reading

• The ETL process and MySQL

  Get advice on the ETL process and ETL tools for transforming raw data in MySQL.  Continue Reading

• What are the benefits of a conceptual data model?

  Learn the functions and potential benefits of a conceptual data model, from data modeling expert Pete Stiglich.  Continue Reading

• Data mining tools: Advantages and disadvantages of implementation

  Learn the advantages and disadvantages of data mining tools and of implementing data mining technology.  Continue Reading

• LOB tables missing with exp/imp move of schema

  I have a problem when moving a schema using exp/imp. After import, the tables with LOBs are missing.  Continue Reading

• How to increase SGA_MAX_SIZE in Oracle

  How to increase SGA_MAX_SIZE in Oracle? I got the error "ORA-03113: end-of-file on communication channel" during startup.  Continue Reading

• Employees with the same first and last names in SQL

  How do I SELECT a list of employees who have the same last and first name in SQL?  Continue Reading

• When will support for Oracle 9i be discontinued?

  When will general support for Oracle 9i be discontinued?  Continue Reading

• Sorting a clob column

  I'm trying to sort a column type asc as well as desc. I'm able to sort the clob column desc but not able to sort it asc. Can you please help me out?  Continue Reading

• ON DELETE RESTRICT

  I would like to know where we use DELETE RESTRICT?  Continue Reading

• Multiple instances on a single database

  Is it possible for Oracle to have parallel servers (single database, multiple instances)? Is it impossible to have the inverse (that is, multiple databases, single instance)?  Continue Reading

• Purpose of roll forward and roll backward

  What are rolling forward and rolling backward in backup and recovery?  Continue Reading

• ORA-12801 and ORA-01652 errors on running query

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• PL/SQL to display all tables

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• Telling EXECUTE IMMEDIATE to commit

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• How to validate zip code, city, and state code

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• FIRST N rows, TOP N rows, LAST N rows, BOTTOM N rows...

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• Age constraint on a date column

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• COALESCE on three columns

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• Getting a row number in a group

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• Checking if row is locked before using it in a procedure

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• Assignment operators explained

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