Database administrator

Database administrators (DBAs) use specialized software to store and organize data.[1]

Database administrator

Occupation
Names	Database administrator, database analyst
Activity sectors	Information technology, information systems
Description
Competencies	Databases design and implementation, programming skills, database theory, networking basics, analytical skills, critical thinking

The role may include capacity planning, installation, configuration, database design, migration, performance monitoring, security, troubleshooting, as well as backup and data recovery.[2]

Skills

List of skills required to become database administrators are:[3][4][5]

• Knowledge of database queries
• Knowledge of database theory
• Knowledge of database design
• Knowledge about the RDBMS itself, e.g. Microsoft SQL Server or MySQL
• Knowledge of structured query language (SQL), e.g. SQL/PSM or Transact-SQL
• General understanding of distributed computing architectures, e.g. Client–server model
• General understanding of operating system, e.g. Windows or Linux
• General understanding of storage technologies and networking
• General understanding of routine maintenance, recovery, and handling failover of a database

Database administrators benefit from a bachelor's degree or master's degree in computer science. An associate degree or a certificate may be sufficient with work experience.[6]

Certification

There are many certifications available for becoming a certified database administrator. Many of these certifications are offered by database vendors themselves. Database administrator certifications may be earned by passing a series of tests and sometimes other requirements. Schools offering Database Administration degrees can also be found.[7]

For example:

• IBM Certified Advanced Database Administrator - DB2 10.1 for Linux, Unix and Windows[8]
• IBM Certified Database Administrator - DB2 10.1 for Linux, Unix, and Windows[8]
• Oracle Database 12c Administrator Certified Professional[9]
• Oracle MySQL 5.6 Database Administrator Certified Professional[10]
• MCSA SQL Server 2012[11]
• MCSE Data Platform Solutions Expert [12]

Duties

A database administrator's responsibilities can include the following tasks:[13]

• Installing and upgrading the database server and application tool

• Allocating system storage and planning storage requirements for the database system
• Modifying the database structure, as necessary, from information given by application developers
• Enrolling users and maintaining system security
• Ensuring compliance with database vendor license agreement
• Controlling and monitoring user access to the database
• Monitoring and optimizing the performance of the database
• Planning for backup and recovery of database information
• Maintaining archived data
• Backing up and restoring databases
• Contacting database vendor for technical support
• Generating various reports by querying from database as per need
• Managing and monitoring data replication
• Acting as liaison with users

See also

• Comparison of database tools

References

1. "Database Administrators". 11/04/2015. Bureau Of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
2. "What does a DBA do all day?". 11/04/2015. techrepublic.com. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
3. Spenik, Mark; Sledge, Orryn (20 March 2001). "What is a Database Administrator? (DBA)". Developer.com. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
4. "Oracle DBA job skills". Burleson Consulting.
5. "Roles and Responsibilities - Oracle FAQ".
6. "Database Administrator: Job Description and Requirements". 11/4/2015. study.com. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
7. "How Do I Become a Certified Database Administrator?". learn.org. learn.org. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
8. "IBM Professional Certification Program". ibm.com. IBM. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
9. "Oracle Certification Program". oracle.com. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
10. "Oracle Certified Professional, MySQL 5.6 Database Administrator". oracle.com. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
11. "MCSA: SQL Server". microsoft.com. Microsoft. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
12. "MCSE: Data Platform". 11/4/2015. microsoft.com. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
13. "Oracle DBA Responsibilities". Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 6 February 2012.