Updated July 6, 2023
Introduction to Database Administrator
A Database Administrator is a person who takes care of a database. A database is used to store and run a huge amount of data. Database administration involves a set of activities the administrator performs to ensure the database is always available when needed. The main task of a database administrator is to maintain the complexity of the database. A database administrator is responsible for administering, maintaining, and ensuring the database’s successful environment. They have a variety of responsibilities, including database management and the use of generalized software for related tasks. The ultimate goal is to keep the data secure.
Database Administrator Overview
A database administrator, commonly known as a DBA, is responsible for numerous organizational tasks. They are responsible for creating and designing the database, analyzing and monitoring requirements, and troubleshooting issues. Their major task is to secure the data’s security. DBAs are essential in dealing with database-related issues.
Workplace of a Database Administrator
There are different types of workplaces for data administrators that are given below. So in computer system design and related services in the organization, many data administrators are working on it, like internet service providers and data-processing firms, and another DBA is working in the organization with huge databases. Also, some database administrators are working in insurance companies to handle the database of the account holders. In retail companies, database administrators also need to keep track of the information about buyers and credit card holders. In the banking sector, there is also a need for DBAs to handle vast amounts of data as this sector is large. Maintaining it is a very complex task, so DBAs make it easier for hospitals to track patient data and account-related information.
Types of DBAs
There are different types of DBAs:
1. System DBA
The role of the system DBA is to handle more technical issues and fewer business issues. They perform typical tasks like installing new versions and setting the system’s parameters. The system DBA’s role does not encompass direct involvement in the actual database and application implementation. Instead, they focus on change management. If the application is not working correctly, they have to perform tuning of the database with the application and alter the operating system’s parameter for tuning with it.
2. Database Architect
Database architects take charge of implementing and designing new databases. However, their involvement in maintaining and tuning existing databases and applications is limited. They perform tasks such as working on the logical data model, including the object model and converting it into the physical database design. Also, they have to analyze the data access requirement by ensuring the best database design and systematic SQL access.
3. Database analyst
The database analyst performs the same role as the database architect occasionally; the database analyst can be another person instead of a database administrator as they work with the database technologies.
4. Application DBA
The role of the application data administrator is to plan the database and support the subtype of applications. To be an application DBA, we must be skillful in writing and debugging compound SQL queries; every organization does not have this requirement.
5. Task-oriented DBA
The task-oriented data administrators are the dedicated DBAs as they perform particular administrative tasks like taking backup and recovery of the database and creating backup plans, including testing the backup script; in a large area of Information Technology, data administration is rare.
6. Performance analysts
The performance analyst is another distinct type of task-oriented DBA; the enforcement or the performance of the data administrator is most usually to monitor and improve the performance of the applications is the main task of the performance analysts. They are masters in SQL coding, so if anyone wants to be a performance analyst, we must focus on coding SQL.
7. Data warehouse administrator
This role can be completely able to do by the DBAs of the day-to-day pursuit of running computer software with particular knowledge and expertise in monitoring and supporting the environment of the data warehouse. If we want to work as data warehouse administrative, we must realize the distinction between the database supporting OLTP and the data warehouse.
8. Cloud DBA
In an organization, the cloud DBA is the well-liked role to migrate the workload in the cloud, they perform specific tasks like implementing cloud database on AWS and Microsoft Azure, and the cloud DBA must understand the cloud provider’s backup and security services.
Database administrator careers/salary
The salary of the data administrator is gainful. As per the U.S. Bureau of labor statistics, the average annual salary of the DBA is $90 070. Still, it can vary from $50 340 to $130,320 as the experience increases. As per the survey, it is observed that the employment of the database administrator is growing from 2018 to 2028, which is faster than all other occupations; in the study regarding jobs, it is observed that DBA is at number 48 overall and under the five best technologies, we can make a good career in this field because it has job flexibility and life balancing in which it has an average level of stress that is associated with the job.
Skills of Database Administrator
- DBAs grant authorizations to individuals, enabling them to access databases. DBAs assign authentication levels, such as reader, writer, and viewer, based on roles to prevent unauthorized data manipulation. They create user profiles and assign multiple authorizations to each user to facilitate easy tracking of database usage and data modifications. Security is the main concern while giving authentication to the developers and others, as unauthorized people should not investigate the data in the database. This is very important in a database management system as the data should be consistent and not face any changes from previous forms of data. DBA can establish tight control of the data.
- In most cases, centralized databases are utilized, and the DBA must handle the control of this centralized database with utmost precision. This helps them manage the data and provide specific standards to those who access it. Centralization is crucial in ensuring data availability to multiple applications simultaneously without any latency in the applications or databases. Consequently, monitoring the data involved in the process and maintaining its security is essential. When storing current information in the database, regular updates are necessary to ensure its availability when needed. It is also important to test the complexity of the data to ensure seamless accessibility.
- For all the data being stored in the database, it is very important to have a backup of the same and, if possible, more than one backup. It will take up storage space, but it is not easy to recover lost data. DBA should take care of the data backup and the storage space required for the backup data. Having a backup allows individuals to verify the details in case of accidental data deletion at any point.
- DBA does not care for the data present in the database. They can take care of the presence of data in the database and recover the same in case the data is missing from the database. DBA should look into the procedures to update the database for mandatory maintenance and do the necessary update so that the work is not stopped at any point. DBA can make the database complex or simple, but whatever the queries they run in the database, it should not affect the actual content.
- In addition to designing databases, DBA should also be able to design Database servers based on the organization’s requirements. DBA should deploy the servers and monitor and manage the same servers, as it is an integral part of database management. The distribution of this data should occur among various accounts and applications. Hence, data distribution is another skill a DBA should possess.
- DBA must learn any of the query languages to manage and query the data in the database. This will save DBA from all the manual work related to the table. It can be SQL Server, Oracle or MS SQL, or any other query language based on their organization. Also, dataflow diagrams, normalization, entity relationships, and data maps are a few different database-related activities that a DBA should be aware of.
- The database, server, and related applications should be upgraded and maintained always so that the data is not corrupted. The database should note and have access to the network requirements to ensure availability at all times and minimize maintenance periods. Technical support should be available for anyone who asks for database support at any point in time. The work of DBA is 24 X 7, where they are always ready to work on the database whenever needed. Database licenses also should be checked in between so that there will not be any license issues or agreement withdrawals while working with the database and its servers.
- DBAs should acquire the skill of creating reports, as they must provide professional reports to clients upon request. Each customer’s specific requirements determine the customization of these reports. Some reports focus on the application front, providing details about the number of databases, servers, and tables involved in a particular project. Fortunately, these reports are pre-formatted, requiring minimal effort to generate.
- Several tools will be associated with the database, which should be familiar to the DBA. They should know the details of the tools, both automated and manual, and should work with those tools to make database administration easier for all. In some cases, data migration from native database to cloud instances happens, and DBA should be aware of the steps involved in this process.
The work of Database Administrator is not easy as they are always responsible for the database and the storage space plus security involved with the same. Also, they must ensure that the database is always up and running, as many applications will depend on the database for data retrieval and processing.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed very important points related to data administrators’ working careers and salaries, the type of DBA, and the workplaces available. If anyone wants to make a career as a data administrator, then this article will be helpful for them.
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