PDB_DBA has DBA role, but no quota on tablespace

Question

Hi all,
I have weird situation and I can't find in doco why is that:
I have created PDB with role DBA for admin user, I can see that PDB_DBA role has DBA role. I can  create table in admin user schema, but can't insert rows there, as there are no quota on tablespace. If I grant DBA to admin user directly- I can insert rows - so, I got "quota unlimited" as part of DBA role:
SQL> conn / as sysdba
Connected.
SQL> create pluggable database P1 admin user a identified by a roles=(dba);
Pluggable database created.
SQL> alter session set container=P1;
Session altered.
SQL> alter pluggable database P1 open;
Pluggable database altered.
SQL> create table a.t(id integer);
Table created.
SQL> insert into a.t values(1);
insert into a.t values(1)
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-01950: no privileges on tablespace 'SYSTEM'
SQL> select * from dba_role_privs where grantee = 'A';
GRANTEE
GRANTED_ROLE ADM DEL DEF COM
A
PDB_DBA YES NO  YES NO
SQL> select granted_role from dba_role_privs where grantee = 'PDB_DBA';
GRANTED_ROLE
DBA
SQL>
SQL> grant dba to a;
Grant succeeded.
SQL> insert into a.t values(1);
1 row created.
SQL> revoke dba from a;
Revoke succeeded.
SQL> insert into a.t values(1);
1 row created.
SQL>

Answer 1

What is the full version of Oracle 12c that you are using?
That does seem odd. Especially since revoking the direct grant leaves the privilege intact which could only come from the role.
What happens if you bounce the DB after the initial INSERT failure? Does it continue to fail if the direct grant isn't made?
Also - did you specify FILE_NAME_CONVERT as an init parameter?
If you have a MOS account I suggest you search to see if there are any bugs related to PDB privileges.
There have been some known issues with the whole PDB metadata link thing. System tables only exist in the root and the PDBs only have metadata links to the actual system entries. It's possible that the metadata link didn't get created or propagated properly after the PDB was created.
That is why I ask if you can try bouncing the database to see if the problem still persists.
The other, related, test to try is to first create the PDB (no other action at all such as grants, users, or anything). Then open the PDB and then shut it all down.
When you restart the entire DB and open the PDB then perform your test and see if you get the same results. The intent of that test is to see if the metadata entries are properly created and propogated AFTER the PDB actually exists.
Unfortunately (for you at least for now) there are so many nuances to the whole multitenant thing in the way privileges (among other things) work it will be a while until they all get sorted out.
Many of those are the management of privileges (roles, grants, etc) for PDBs given that some PDBs aren't open at the time the privilege change is made. If a PDB isn't open and you modify a common privilege there won't be any replication to that PDB and you will later have to update that PDBs privileges manually.