Databases and Tools
Each of the 5 themes involves practical work using primarily Oracle databases and tools. This has involved a considerable amount of work over the years in setting up the databases, accounts, schema, privileges etc. This can be seen from the actual information given to the students in DBs & Tools Access.
The distributed database, in particular, required much work to implement. Refer to the design and implementation models in the UIG to get a sense of this.
However, the use of SQL scripts and a stable Oracle implementation has resulted in relatively little maintenance. Access to DBA tools in the class room also enables immediate resetting of accounts, increasing of tablesizes and other straightfoward tasks that in the past would have lead to time-consuming and frustrating delays because of a dependence on others to resolve.
Heliping with technical issues experienced by the students also requires balance and judgement with respect to how much help to give to a relatively large cohort of final year students who need ultimately to be self-sufficient.
Has the effort been worth it? Yes in the sense that the student experience is richer and most of the work has been done!