Database administrator
Encyclopedia
A database administrator (short form DBA) is a person responsible for the design, implementation, maintenance and repair of an organization's database
. They are also known by the titles Database Coordinator or Database Programmer, and is closely related to the Database Analyst, Database Modeller, Programmer Analyst, and Systems Manager. The role includes the development and design of database strategies, monitoring and improving database performance and capacity, and planning for future expansion requirements. They may also plan, co-ordinate and implement security measures to safeguard the database. Employing organizations may require that a database administrator have a certification
or degree for database systems (for example, the Microsoft Certified Database Administrator). Some organizations have a hierarchical level of database administrators, generally:
Database
A database is an organized collection of data for one or more purposes, usually in digital form. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality , in a way that supports processes requiring this information...
. They are also known by the titles Database Coordinator or Database Programmer, and is closely related to the Database Analyst, Database Modeller, Programmer Analyst, and Systems Manager. The role includes the development and design of database strategies, monitoring and improving database performance and capacity, and planning for future expansion requirements. They may also plan, co-ordinate and implement security measures to safeguard the database. Employing organizations may require that a database administrator have a certification
Certification
Certification refers to the confirmation of certain characteristics of an object, person, or organization. This confirmation is often, but not always, provided by some form of external review, education, assessment, or audit...
or degree for database systems (for example, the Microsoft Certified Database Administrator). Some organizations have a hierarchical level of database administrators, generally:
- Data Analysts/Query designers
- Junior DBAs
- Midlevel DBAs
- Senior DBAs
- DBA consultants
- Manager/Director of Database Administration/Information Technology
Skills
- Strong organizational skills
- Strong logical and analytical thinker
- Ability to concentrate and pay close attention to detail
- Ability to think broadly and consider impacts across systems and within the organization
Duties
A database administrator's activities can be listed as below:- Transferring Data
- Replicating Data
- Maintaining database and ensuring its availability to users
- Maintaining the data dictionaryData dictionaryA data dictionary, or metadata repository, as defined in the IBM Dictionary of Computing, is a "centralized repository of information about data such as meaning, relationships to other data, origin, usage, and format." The term may have one of several closely related meanings pertaining to...
- Controlling privileges and permissions to database users
- Monitoring database performance
- Database backup and recovery
- Database security Stop