The University of Botswana has overcome skills shortages in its IT department with the deployment of two locally developed software solutions from Johannesburg-based PM Tech, a company that supplies services, skills, hi-tech solutions and equipment.
The software effectively allows the university to optimise the database administrator (DBA) skills of senior administrators, while giving junior staff meaningful access to real-time data, without jeopardising data security or integrity.
It also enables the university DBAs to manage the university`s Oracle database environment more efficiently to maximise time for planning, development and expansion.
"There is a particularly high demand for Oracle DBA skills worldwide and the university, like other global institutions and companies, is experiencing a DBA skills shortage," says Mike Leeuwen, director of PM Tech.
"Recruiting full time staff is expensive and time-consuming, plus it is difficult to retain them when they are trained. Without access to Oracle DBA expertise, the university`s IT systems may not achieve full performance."
The university, which has about 12 000 students, opted for two products from PM Tech; PM Ora Professional and PM Monitor.
Ora Professional
PM Ora Professional includes a DBA solution, which enables the centralised administration and monitoring of the Oracle database through a browser.
The solution contains a suite of DBA tools - browser, preventative maintenance, performance and health checker, as well as capacity management and versioning.
In addition, the university`s Oracle Version 7.3.4 database can be managed and administered from any Web-enabled client.
"PM Ora Professional also comes with several modules containing key features for administering the database. Running the versioning technology allows university staff to take defined snapshots of the database, save it and use it for comparison against another database at anytime," says Leeuwen.
"Also, as PM Ora is Web-based, there is no need for any client software to be installed, and the management of the database can be done remotely."
PM Monitor
Leeuwen points out that proactive management of the Oracle environment prevents the university`s database from crashing and eliminates application-processing problems. "PM Monitor monitors the database for the university DBAs and identifies potential problems before they occur.
"The university DBAs now have early notification of database problems and better performance during student registration period - the busiest time of the year.
"Other benefits of PM Tech`s solutions for Botswana University include the enhancement of current skills and resources, the development of DBA skills, and growth of the database disk space," Leeuwen adds.
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