Path: utzoo!mnetor!tmsoft!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!fub!tmpmbx!utopia!sunrise!hotte From: hotte@sunrise.in-berlin.de (Horst Laumer) Newsgroups: comp.unix.admin Subject: Re: Who's in charge here: Oracle or Unix? Keywords: Oracle, system, files Message-ID: Date: 12 Feb 91 00:52:41 GMT References: <635@uswnvg.UUCP> <237@raysnec.UUCP> <1991Feb11.163233.14408@infonode.ingr.com> Organization: HL EDV-Beratung Lines: 69 tensmekl@infonode.ingr.com (Kermit Tensmeyer) writes: >In article <237@raysnec.UUCP> shwake@raysnec.UUCP (Ray Shwake) writes: >>gbarnet@uswnvg.UUCP (Gary Barnette) writes: >>>Request for open discussion: >> >>>There has been a battle going on around here on administrating >>>some of the system flat files associated with Unix. The file of concern >>>are /etc/passwd, /etc/group, /etc/hosts, and some configuration files >>>used by a menuing system. >> >> Well, I cast my vote strongly with the SA staff - and not just >>because I've spent much of my UN!X career as an administrator. For years >>I've blasted programs that usurp system priviledge without cause. >> >>uunet!media!ka3ovk!raysnec!shwake shwake@rsxtech >Most of use already use scripts to generate new users. What's wrong with >using some database to store the information and make some use of the >confonded information. For instance if the user information is stored in >some table it should be easy to delete the person when he leaves the system. >Recreating the afflicted area is easy, when the data is stored elsewhere. [ stuff about BSD/SysV deleted ] >Oracle is most likly overkill for the problem. However as a oracle >application, Sys Admin might be easier and less problem prone than it currently >is now. >Kermit Tensmeyer | Intergraph Corporation No. Simply no. The only thing I admit is your statement 'Oracle is .. overkill for the problem', and so is with any *DBMS. It's OK for an application to mirror things like /etc/passwd or /etc/, but only *mirror* it (i.e. reflect, what authorized institutions put there). Since all the well-known *DBMSes run on various platforms, the only way I could imagine is to call trusted (sic) SA-routines to manage these things (BTW, did you ever try getpwent() on an IBM 370 running OS/VS ? on VMS ?). Such interface-routines might be managable in cases of changes in the OS, or would you prefer to keep track of these changes in the application ? Also, they could be developed by *authorized* persons. I only remember an OS update (only a PC box), that added /etc/shadow to the needed files, and an older app was used to add/delete users ..... I had to do the installation from scratch, re-install the app, get the application-data from a tape that was 4 weeks old ..... I think, that's sufficient to simply say NO ! But, it would be really *great* to imagine that a fired DBA enters the SQL Interpreter and says: delete from ; commit ; Leave the jobs to those who are payed for it; it's far more better to let them work TOGETHER. Horst -- ============================================================================ Horst Laumer, Kantstrasse 107, D-1000 Berlin 12 ! Bang-Adress: Junk-Food INET: hotte@sunrise.in-berlin.de ! for Autorouters -- me -- UUCP: ..unido!fub!geminix!sunrise.in-berlin.de!hotte