Working as a Database Administrator

As the applications of databases have grown within the organizational environment, so too has the need for specialists to manage the growing complexity; and thus the database administrator (DBA) came into existence. The roles fulfilled by the database administrator vary from one organization to the next, as does the position of the DBA within the organizational structure. This is because database technology changes so rapidly that organizational style must change as well. The basic functions of the database administrator are as follows:


· Physical design of the database and implementation
· Operations, maintenance, troubleshooting, installation, etc.
· Defining and enforcing standards and procedures
· Logical and transaction design
· Testing and debugging
· Training and support
· Managing data integrity and quality
· Implementing and maintaining database security
· Tuning and performance monitoring
· Maintain backup and recovery policies and procedures
· Plan growth and changes
· Data distribution and use management

Roles

The roles of the database administrator can be divided into three categories: Operations, development, and data administrator. It is possible for one person to fulfill all three roles, but each is unique. Let’s look at each respectively:

Operations DBA: This role involves ongoing maintenance, and is generally characterized by scheduled checklists. The maintenance tasks are related to detecting, preventing, and resolving problems. By nature, this is a role of routine.

Development DBA: The architect develops the software architecture for the database design and really has nothing to do with operations. Some of the tasks of the development DBA are table design/redesign/modification, security design, impact design, etc.

Data Administrator: The primary function of this role is the management of metadata. This is a critical role is a data warehouse context because good metadata improves the quality of the data flow and shortens project time. As Mohit Sahgal of Andersen Consulting explains: “Metadata is the connective tissue of information” (Cox, n.d.).

Security

Security is a vital feature of a database, and so we should consider the role the DBA has to ensure the organizations data is secure. Security falls into three categories: Confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Confidentiality is about making sure that all data is protected from any unauthorized access. The position if data security officer is held to ensure that the database remains in compliance with the organization’s desired level of confidentiality.

Integrity is keeping the data free of anomalies and errors. “Maintaining data integrity is a process that starts with data collection and continues with data storage, processing, usage, and archiving” (Coronel, Morris & Rob, 2013, p. 663).

Availability is ensuring that data can be accessed by authorized users when needed. To ensure that the data is available the DBA must protect the system from interruption and degradation.

Pay

Here are some figures retrieved from the BLS website to give you an idea of the pay you can expect as a database administrator. 

Conclusion

Since data is an extremely valuable organizational asset, the role of the database administrator is not to be taken lightly. It is said that good data produces good information, which is the foundation for business intelligence in the corporate world today. Primarily, databases are a vital component of organizational operations and so effectively managing data flow is critical for the success of any organization.






References:

Coronel, C., Morris, S., & Rob, P. (2010). Database Systems: Design, Implementation, and Management (10th ed.). New Jersey: Cengage Learning, Course Technology, Inc.

Cox, T. (n.d.). White Paper: The role of the database administrator. Computer Weekly. Retrieved from http://www.computerweekly.com/feature/White-Paper-The-role-of-the-database-administrator