To Ensure Your Business Success

1. Working Effectively with Global Support Services OracleMetaLink To Ensure Your Business Success

2. Agenda • Goal: To improve your working relationship with Global Product Support • Support Terminology and Tools • OracleMetaLink • Working Effectively with Support • Escalations • Summary • Quick Reference • Q & A

3. Support Terminology and Tools • Support Acronyms and Terminology • A CSI number • SR number and Severity Definitions • SR Status Codes • MetaLink • Diagnostic Tests • OCS

4. Service Request Severity Definitions No loss of service or resources (doc error, product enhancement request) Minor loss of service or resources (customer acceptable workaround) • Severe loss of service or resources w/o acceptable workaround (restricted operations) • Complete loss of service or resources regardless of environment and work cannot reasonably continue - the work is considered “mission critical” (data corruption, critical documented function unavailable, indefinite system hangs and repeated system crashes causing unacceptable/indefinite delays for resources/responses) Use MetaLink to log SRs for all Severities

5. SR Status Codes Support: Customer: Development: • NEW New SR • ASG Assigned to a Support Engineer • WIP Work In Progress • RVW Review • 1CB 1st Callback • 2CB 2nd Callback • IRR Immediate Response Required • INT Awaiting Internal Response • WCP Waiting for Customer to apply Patch • CUS Waiting on Customer • SLP Sleep until Customer Available • LMS Left Message • SCL Soft Close • HCL Hard Close • DEV Assigned to Development

6. SCL vs. HCL • SCL is an inactive status used when a solution has been provided that should fix the problem • The SCL’d SR can still be updated by the customer • SCL does not signify that you are in agreement that the issue is resolved but rather that a solution has been provided • The default time for a SCL SR to change automatically to HCL is 14 days. • An SR in a HCL status cannot be updated via web • If you need additional time before your SR moves into a HCL status, ask your Support Engineer to SCL the SR for a time period you are comfortable with.

7. OracleMetaLink metalink.oracle.com

8. Diagnostic Tests • Remote Diagnostic Agent (RDA) - Server • Diagnostic Support Pack - Applications • Gathers detailed information about Oracle environment • Enables faster, better problem routing • Problem solving agents embedded in software • Context sensitive problem determination and analysis • Access databases for answers • Capture environment that triggered issue

9. Oracle Collaborative Support (OCS) • Faster Resolution Time • On Demand Connection • Instant Online Collaboration via Web Conferencing • Customer access to scripts, tools and instruments • Customers can join via MetaLink • Proactive Service • System monitoring and maintenance

10. Working Effectively with Global Product Support

11. What Does a Support Engineer Do? • Works a queue of current customer issues in a variety of statuses • Provides resolutions and / or workarounds • Responds to new incoming SRs. • Acts as liaison between customer and development • Contributes to Knowledge base content in MetaLink • Does not replace Education or Consulting

12. SR Process Engineer finds Solution

13. Best Practices • Shared ownership in resolving the issue • Quality and quantity of communication • Joint planning on problem resolution Lessons learned from our customers…

14. Each Environment is Unique! • Always test solutions BEFORE introducing them into your production environment. • The data, software and hardware configurations, patch combinations, and integration points are different for every customer. • We depend on our customers to manage their environments and help us understand them. • Customers control the quality and quantity of information about their environment

15. Help Us Understand Your Environment • Do you have MetaLink access? • Have you tested OCS or dial-in access? • For database/server technology issues, have you downloaded, executed, reviewed, and uploaded RDA output to your TAR? • For application issues, have you executed, reviewed, saved, and uploaded the ACT (Applications Collection Tool) output report to your TAR? • Do you have a test environment? • Does your test environment mirror production? • Does your schedule allow adequate time for testing? • Does your team have the skills for the products installed? • Do you maintain a system log book to track changes, manage patches and patch testing?

16. Communicating the Issue • Clear problem statement: Cause & Effect • All known facts • Is the issue reproducible? • Detailed history of environment and changes • Answer all Template questions • Review our knowledge base on MetaLink • Top Tech Docs • Forums • Contact Support – iSR A problem well stated is a problem half solved

17. Oracle Diagnostic Methodology (ODM) • Problem / Solution SR • Standard Approach to problem solving • Identify the Issue • Determine a Cause • Identify Effective Solutions • Identify the Best Solution • Provides a single consistent approach to solving reported problems • MetaLink Note: 312789.1

18. Benefits of ODM

19. Successful Communication • Minimize SR ‘tag’ or ‘pinging’ • Documentation is essential • Answer all questions • Action plans after each update and define who owns each action • Monitor changes in SR status and severity • Escalate concerns via the Escalation process

20. Escalations Bringing Management Attention to your Service Request

21. Raising Severity vs. Escalations • Escalating an issue brings more management attention to it, and when appropriate, more resources. This does not automatically mean that the severity level of the SR will be changed. If the severity level of the SR becomes inappropriate over time, it may be raised by mutual agreement between the Oracle Support Engineer and the Customer.

22. Escalations • Encounter critical roadblocks • Communicate business issues to managers within Oracle Support   • Dissatisfied with resolution or response • Escalate issues in a timely manner • Quality of escalation criteria is key: • Project deadlines? • Lost Revenue? • Government reporting? • Users at your door

23. Escalation Process Call US: 800 223 1711 Other Global Support Hot Lines: http://www.oracle.com/support/contact.html V.P. or Executive Senior Manager or Director Manager / Escalation Manager Support Representative Customer

24. Summary • Understand Support Terminology • Know Severity Level Definitions • Access MetaLink!! • Run Diagnostic Tests • Use Oracle Collaborative Support • Communicate the issue effectively • Implement the Escalation Process when necessary

25. Quick Reference • MetaLink: http://metalink.oracle.com/ • WEWS User Guide – Doc ID: 166650.1 • Escalation Process – Doc ID: 199389.1 • Diagnostic Tools Catalog – Doc ID: 178043.1 • RDA Info – Doc ID: 314422.1 • Oracle Diagnostics Support Pack – Doc ID: 167000.1 • My Configs and Projects – Doc ID: 250434.1 • Maintenance Wizard – Doc ID: 215527.1 • Quarterly Critical Security Patch (10/18/05) – Doc ID: 333953.1 • Oracle Apps Current Patchset Comparison Utility – Doc ID: 139684.1 • Severity Definitions and Support Policies:http://www.oracle.com/support/policies.html • OCS Website: https://conference.oracle.com • Quick Tutorial – located in the Quicklinks box on the right

26. Q & Q U E S T I O N S A N S W E R S A