A database administrator (DBA) manages and maintains computer databases, requiring certification or a degree in a specific database system. DBAs design, optimize, secure, and troubleshoot databases, using database management system software to improve their effectiveness. There are three variations of the job: systems, development, and applications, with responsibilities varying depending on the organization’s size and needs.
Database administration is a job whose primary function is the general support of a computer database. These support tasks are performed by a person called a database administrator or DBA. Databases require constant management and maintenance, and a DBA is specially trained to perform all the necessary functions to do so. A DBA is normally required to have a certification or degree in supporting a specific type of database system, such as Oracle or Microsoft SQL Server. Typically, you will use a database management system, or DBMS, a software package containing programs designed to aid in database administration.
There are numerous responsibilities involved when performing database administration. DBAs are typically responsible for the overall design, layout and implementation of the database itself and must plan for any necessary future changes or growth. They monitor the performance of the database and related applications, optimizing and making the necessary changes to ensure that everything is running optimally. They establish and document database security policies and procedures, as well as those for backup and recovery. DBAs must have in-depth knowledge of database software, features, and products, how to troubleshoot them, and how to install, configure, and update them.
Using a database management system software package greatly improves the DBA’s ability to effectively support the database. These programs allow you to easily manage, organize and retrieve data in your database. They can interact with different types of database models, such as network or relational models. They provide a convenient means of querying the data stored there, as well as an easy method for inserting, updating, and deleting records. Database management systems also help maintain data integrity and control access.
The three main variations of the basic database administration job include systems, development and applications. Responsibility for all physical aspects of database administration, such as updates, backups, monitoring, and performance tuning, typically falls to a systems DBA. Development DBAs are usually responsible for the activities involved in designing and implementing a new database. When a company uses software from an external vendor to interact with the database, an applications DBA is typically in charge of ensuring that they work well together. A database administrator may specialize in one of these types or may be responsible for all of them depending on the size of the organization and its needs.
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