SFIA 8 defines four levels of responsibility for the DBA which you can map to your career development roadmap: Performs standard database maintenance and administration tasks Uses database management system software and tools to collect performance statistics Develops and configures tools to enable automation of database administration tasks
In this context, the role of the Database Administrator (DBA) has likely evolved over time, given the evolution of data sources, types, and storage options. Let’s review the current status and see what the future holds for DBAs. What is a DBA?
According to SFIA 8, database administration involves the installing, configuring, monitoring, maintaining, and improving the performance of databases and data stores. While design of databases would be part of solution architecture, the implementation and maintenance of development and production database environments would be the work of the DBA.
While design of databases would be part of solution architecture, the implementation and maintenance of development and production database environments would be the work of the DBA. (Read our data architecture explainer .) What does a DBA do? The day-to-day activities that a DBA performs as outlined in ITIL ® Service Operation include:
The digital age has resulted in the huge growth in unstructured data such as text, images, sensor information, audio, and videos, on account of e-commerce, IoT, AI and social media. As a result, the job title ‘database administrator’ seems to be giving way to ‘data administrator’, to cater for management of both structured (database) and unstructured (big data) data sets.
Relevant database technologies include SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, IBM Db2, and MongoDB, among others. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to be certified in all of them, but a working knowledge of a few of them is required.
Short for database administrator, a DBA designs, implements, administers, and monitors data management systems and ensures design, consistency, quality, and security.
The rise of DevOps as the preferred model for end-to-end product management means that the DBA must become a comb-shaped specialist, working in an autonomous environment with platform engineers to develop automated self-service tools that software developers can utilize to create the data solutions they require for their applications.
And because of the sheer volume of data, as well as the ability to access AI/machine learning solutions to digest such data, the preferred data storage mode for most digital organizations is cloud based . Therefore, the modern DBA must become fully conversant with cloud architectures and technologies, including data lakes and big data solutions like Hadoop.
Develops and maintains procedures and documentation for databases. Contributes to the setting of standards for definition, security, and integrity of database objects and ensures conformance to these standards
Acts creatively to develop applications and to select appropriate technical options. Accounts for others development activities. Optimizes application development, maintenance and performance by employing design patterns and by reusing proved solutions .