Dobler Consulting
Oracle DBA Services for Your Peace of Mind

For years, the principal reason for enterprises to hire managed service providers (MSPs) was to downscale costs by outsourcing certain operations to offshore resources. However, that narrative is rapidly changing as organizations seek out reliable MSPs to fill holes in their internal operations and infuse the technological expertise solely lacking among in-house resources. Assured of qualitative output, costs are rarely the determining factor for enterprises with regard to hiring MSPs. Just take the example of Dobler Consulting, one such reliable MSP that reluctantly entered the managed services space after conceding that their project-based work wasn’t enough to bootstrap them to desired heights. “We started with a project-oriented business model and had no intention of doing managed services. However, we quickly found our calling due to the recurring revenue model and the changing industry perception towards MSPs,” says Peter Dobler, founder and CEO, Dobler Consulting.

Since its initial clients required managed Oracle database administration (DBA) support, Dobler Consulting quickly carved a niche in the marketplace as an Oracle solution provider helping SMBs needing both part-time and fulltime DBA assistance. While Oracle DBA support and Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) services remain the calling cards, Dobler Consulting has added other technologies to its arsenal, emerging as a gold partner for SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft. In this interview with CIO Applications, Dobler details the evolution of his company into a reliable MSP, the pain points facing companies using Oracle, and more.

What are the pain points faced by organizations leveraging Oracle? How are you helping your clients mitigate those complexities?

I would say attrition is the biggest challenge facing organizations using Oracle. During the recession, there were abundant resources in the marketplace and no shortage of Oracle database administrators. Fast forward to today, there is a significant dearth of resources. Frequently, our clients request increased managed support so they can recover from the resignation of a DBA. We swoop in and pick up the pieces for them.

How exactly does this attrition of resources help Dobler Consulting?

This industry-wide attrition is happening at a time when there is increased demand for Oracle EBS services which works in our favor. Also, today’s economy caters to us because organizations are struggling to fill their open positions with capable DBAs. Since their businesses continue to proliferate, they can’t afford to stop processes when resources quit. Through our branded our database support titled SpectrumDB™, we are filling a specific niche in the industry, allowing organizations to sustain their operations without downtime.

Could you delve into the Oracle-based service offerings of Dobler Consulting?

We provide everything from day-to-day database support services, backup, maintenance, security, and permissions—essentially all the tasks of an Oracle data administrator. In addition to that, we have expanded into the cloud migration space. While Oracle has an ongoing initiative to migrate their on-premise app users into the cloud, organizations still need our support to ensure they can make a smooth transition.

Through transparent services, we move them from on-prem to the cloud without the loss of any data or services. We have also expanded our Oracle EBS services primarily for the midsize market, after realizing that organizations struggle to hire expensive fulltime resources to manage Oracle EBS.

On that front, how challenging is it for Oracle users to migrate to the cloud?

There is a widespread misconception that the Oracle cloud includes a lot of inbuilt features that make life easier for an Oracle DBA. However, this notion couldn’t be farther from the truth. Database support will never be included as part of cloud migration, regardless of the technology. There isn’t a cloud provider in the market that will take over the responsibility for a client’s data. They are essentially providing backup support and access security, and beyond that, the organizations are on their own. For organizations that plan to migrate to the cloud, we educate them, making them aware that they still need database support. This is true for Oracle Cloud, AWS, Google Cloud, or even Microsoft Azure.

Do you follow a specific client onboarding process? Also, what is the timeframe for Dobler Consulting to take charge of a client’s Oracle database?

We do follow a tried-and-tested process which begins with our operations and delivery teams visiting the clients for a thorough assessment. After we investigate the environment and perform a thorough health check of the client system, we document all the loopholes and the areas where support is needed. This way, we’re able to do ‘before-and-after’ documentation that the client can reference post-deployment. Based on the starting line, we provide real-time reporting on what our deployed resources are doing, the enhancements they’ve made, and more.

How do your Oracle DBA services differ from the functions of an in-house database admin?

When a client hires just a regular Oracle DBA, they don’t receive a baseline or assessment. In all my years working with big organizations, I’ve noticed that DBAs are sometimes lazy when it comes to documentation. Due to lack of documentation, organizations are typically unaware of their system and the holes within the database. The new DBA picks up the pieces of the previous DBA, creating an even bigger knowledge gap. By hiring us, clients receive comprehensive documentation, assessment, health check, and a baseline of their system. We implement enhancements and demonstrate the benefits by documenting them.

What are the key elements of your services that clients benefit from?

We provide round-the-clock support while improving a client’s ROI. We work at a lower price point than our competitors, or the market price for a professional Oracle DBA. Since we’re a gold partner with Oracle, our clients can rest assured that they are receiving only certified and skilled resources to handle their systems.

Could you highlight a success story wherein you transformed a client’s processes?

This company brought us on board for Oracle EBS support after struggling to find Oracle EBS administrative help in the marketplace. Within the third month, they lost another Oracle DBA. Due to the quality of our deployed resources, they decided to hand over the entire operations to us instead of hiring a new database administrator. It was a seamless transition since we were already aware of their environment, and there wasn’t a learning curve. We turned into an extension of their team and continue to support their Oracle system. This project proves that our biggest value proposition is business continuity. We guarantee it.

What does the future hold for Dobler Consulting? Any plans for a geographical expansion?

Besides expanding our services in database migration, platform migration, upgrades, and implementation, we have stepped up our marketing and advertising efforts. We recently branded our database support with a new trademark titled SpectrumDB™ to bring all our managed services under the same umbrella.

Is there a parting message that you’d like to convey to CIOs and prospective clients?

Over the years, we have morphed from an unknown niche market solution provider to a heavyweight in our segment. Today, we are winning contracts over larger companies due to our commitment to excellence and stellar references from existing clients.