Best Practices Every DBA Should Know

Copyright © 2006 Quest Software

By Bryan OliverSQL Server Domain Expert

1

DBA 101: Best Practices Every DBA Should Know

• With the continued popularity of SQL Server, more and more people are becoming SQL Server DBAs, whether they planned to or not.

• Many new DBAs come from the development side, while others come for the IT/networking side.

• What these new DBAs have in common is a lack of a basic knowledge of what it really means to be a DBA.

• In this session, you will learn the basics of what it means to be a DBA, with pointers on how to make becoming a DBA a smart career choice.

2

My assumptions about you

• You currently aren’t a DBA, but are interested in becoming one.

• You are a part-time or accidental DBA, and you want to find out more about the career of DBA.

• If you are a DBA, and you want to learn how to advance in your career as a DBA.

3

Our approach for today

• Let’s make this session highly interactive with lots of give and take.– Feel free to ask questions at any time.– Feel free to offer your opinion at any time.– Feel free to tell us about your experiences.– Feel free to disagree with me, but promise you will explain why you

disagree.

4

Here is what we are going to discuss today

• Benefits of Becoming a DBA• What Exactly is a DBA?• What Do DBA’s Do?• Specializing as a DBA: You Can’t Do It All• Characteristics of the Successful DBA• Honing Your Skill Set• Is Professional Certification Really Necessary• Participate in the SQL Server Community• Manage Your Career, Don’t Let it Manage You

5

Benefits of becoming a DBA

• Why should anyone want to become a DBA?– DBAs earn from US $60,521 to $102,933 per year on average– Developers earn from US $47,911 to $74,626 per year on average– Network administrators earn from US $45,555 to $75,032 per year

on average• Data from www.salary.com as of May 2008. Assumes moderately

experienced to very experienced personnel.– DBAs tend to be the last laid off during company lay offs, and are

less likely to be outsourced.– Experienced DBA’s opinions are often considered highly valuable

by management. They often influence major IT decisions.– Because DBAs are usually held in high esteem at most

organizations, this often gives them a higher probability for advancement into management.

– Being a DBA often affords you the opportunity to travel; to work for small and big organizations, or to be a consultant

6

What exactly is a DBA?

• A DBA (Database Administrator) is an IT Professional who is responsible for the ongoing operations of an organization’s databases and the applications that access the databases.

• The position encompasses many different job functions and job titles, and these vary widely from one organization to the next.

• In short, there is no "standard job description" to which a DBA can refer. This is partly because the job title of DBA doesn’t have a long history and partly because the functions of the DBA are quickly evolving.

7

Typical DBA tasks #1

• Archiving Data• Attending Meetings• Auditing• Application Integration• Backup and Recovery• Business Intelligence/Data Warehousing• Capacity Planning• Database Application Development• Database Modeling and Database Design• Developing and Maintaining Best Practices

8

Typical DBA tasks #2

• High Availability• Installing, Configuring, and Upgrading SQL Server

Software• Installing and Configuring Hardware and OS• Load Balancing• Maintaining Documentation• Managing People• Managing SQL Server-based Applications• Managing Test Environments• Monitoring

9

Typical DBA tasks #3

• Needs/Requirements Analysis• Performance Tuning• Project Management• Protector of the Data• Report Writing• Running (and Creating) Jobs• Security• Scripting• SSIS/ETL

10

Typical DBA tasks #4

• Testing• Training Users• Troubleshooting (fighting fires)• Working with Teammates

11

Specializing as a DBA: you can’t do it all

• Choose one of the following specialty areas:– DBA Administrator– DBA High Availability Specialist– DBA Database Designer/Architect– DBA Developer– DBA Business Intelligence Specialist– DBA SSIS Specialist– DBA Reporting Specialist– Among others

– Many of the above overlap

12

Characteristics of successful DBAs #1

• Enjoys Technology• Enjoys Challenges• Enjoys Problem Solving• Good with Details• Embraces Change• Enjoys Learning• Accepts Responsibility• Maintains Professionalism• Trustworthy

13

Honing your skill set

• Formal education• Gaining technical skills• Getting experience• Mastering DBA soft skills

Becoming a successful DBA includes a blend of skill setsthat can be gained in many different ways

14

Formal education

• Very few educational institutions offers degrees in database administration.

• In most cases, the best formal foundation to become a DBA is a degree in IT Management, Computer Science, or Application Development.

• There are many successful DBAs who don’t have a degree in the above, but who have other four-year degrees.

• Most employers will substitute a four-year degree in computers for related job experience.

15

Gaining technical skills

• Most DBAs are self taught, and have little or no formal training in database administration. Options include:– Formal classroom training (college credit or non-credit)– Seminars and workshops (1-5 day events)– Conferences– SQL Server/Code Camps– Online training– Attending user groups– Self-study by reading books and practicing on your own– Magazines and other publications– Websites, blogs, forums, RSS feeds– Learning on demand (looking up what you need to know in BOL or

the Internet as the need arises

16

Getting experience

• Practical experience as a DBA is the key to not only becoming a successful DBA, but also to finding DBA jobs.

• As with most careers, gaining experience is the hardest obstaclepeople must overcome.

• Some options include:– Find an entry-level DBA job that doesn’t require experience.– Volunteer for DBA-related work at your current job, gaining it as you can.– Try to transfer to a DBA-related job when available. Hopefully previous

experience with your company will demonstrate your ability to take on such a new job.

– Accidently falling into a DBA position. This happens more often than you think, especially when SQL Servers are installed in your company and there is no part-time or full-time DBA to manage the SQL Servers.

17

Mastering DBA soft skills

• Mastering soft skills is just as important as learning SQL Server technical skills. Key skills include:– People skills– Teamwork skills– Leadership skills– Project management– Time management– Writing skills– Speaking skills– Knowledge of legal responsibilities

18

Is professional certification really necessary?

• According to Microsoft, as of early 2008:– 149,590 people have received the SQL Server 2000 MCDBA

certification (to be phased out in early 2009)– 24,939 people have received the MCTS: SQL Server 2005

certification (one test required)– 801 people have received the MCTS: Business Intelligence

certification (one test required)– 4,006 people have received the MCITP: Database

Administrator certification (three tests required)– 1,596 people have received the MCITP: Database

Developer certification (three tests required)

When SQL Server 2008 is released, the certification options will change somewhat

19

Is professional certification really necessary?

• While you don’t have to have professional certification to be a successful DBA, it does provide these benefits:– Helps to focus your training efforts– Broadens your knowledge– Distinguishes you from other DBAs– Some organizations require DBAs to be certified– Helps when you lack practical experience– Company recognition and rewards– Peer recognition– Needed to become a Microsoft Certified Trainer– Microsoft gives you some benefits (You become an MCP)

20

Participate in the SQL Server community

• There are many benefits to participating and contributing to the SQL Server community. They include:– Increase your depth of knowledge– Make new contacts– It’s fun to help others– Help’s build your resume of professional experience– Critical, if you ever want to be considered as a Microsoft MVP

21

How to participate in the SQL Server community

• Participate in forums and news groups• Write and share scripts• Join and participate in a local and national user’s

group• Speak at SQL Server events, both local and national• Write articles or books• Write a blog• Create a SQL Server-related website

22

Manage your career, don’t let it manage you

• If you find that you enjoy DBA work and want to make it your career, consider the following:– Take control of your career, don’t let it just happen to you. – Decide what you want from your career, and take actions to make it

happen.– Set realistic, short-term goals in order to reach major milestones in

your career plan.– If you don't follow through with your goals, then nobody else will do

it for them. You need to be self-motivated and ready to take action.– Realize that career plans and goals can change, and regularly

reevaluate and revise your career path.

23

Final notes

• Making a career as a DBA can be a very rewarding decision for many people.

• My recommendation:– If becoming a DBA meets your career goals, work hard to become

the best DBA you can become.– If you are a DBA by accident, and it doesn’t really meet your career

goals, change your job as soon as you can.– Life is too short to be doing something you don’t enjoy!

24

Find out more

• Check these out:– How to Become an Exceptional DBA (free e-book)– www.SQL-Server-Performance.Com– www.SQLServerCentral.com– www.Simple-Talk.com– http://www.microsoft.com/sql/2008/default.mspx

25

Q & A

• Send questions to me at: bryan.oliver@quest.com• Send broader technical questions to: info@quest.com• For sales questions, go to: www.quest.com

THANK YOU!