What does a Database Administrator do? A Detailed Study

The database is the heart of any application. It contains tables, views, and other objects which store data. Maintaining the database requires an expert person to perform. We will learn about database administrators and the roles of different DBAs.Database administrators (DBAs) are primarily responsible for specific databases in the subsystem. Data is stored and organized by database administrators using specialized software. The duties could include backup and data recovery, capacity planning, installation, configuration, database design, migration, performance monitoring, security, and troubleshooting. These are some of the crucial database administrator responsibilities. If this piqued your interest and you want to be a professional, opt for data management courses online and pursue your dream. 

Role of DBA

You can check the database administrator roles and responsibilities.

The role of database administrator in DBMS is as mentioned below -

• Creating and maintaining database standards and policies.
• Supporting database design, creation, and testing activities.
• Managing the database availability and performance, including incident and problem management.
• Administering database objects to achieve optimum utilization
• Defining and implementing event triggers that will alert potential database performance or integrity issues.
• Performing database housekeeping, such as tuning, indexing, etc.
• Monitoring usage, transaction volumes, response times, concurrency levels, etc.
• Identifying reporting, and managing database security issues, audit trails, and forensics.
• Designing database backup, archiving, and storage strategy.

Responsibilities of  DBA

Get in-depth knowledge of dba roles and responsibilities. Learn about the functions of Database Administrator as mentioned below-

• Find ways to store, organize and manage data in database software.
• Be an expert in Troubleshooting.
• Keeping databases up to date.
• Help with the design and development of a database.
• Managing access to a database.
• Design maintenance practices and put them into operation.

Functions of DBA

The functions of a Database administrator are as below.

1. Data policies, procedures, and standards.
2. Planning- development of organization's IT strategy, enterprise model, cost/benefit model, design of database environment, and administration plan.
3. Data conflict (ownership) resolution.
4. Data analysis- Define and model data requirements, business rules, and operational requirements, and maintain a corporate data dictionary.
5. Internal marketing of DA concepts.
6. Managing the data repository.

Duties of Database Administrator

The duties of a Database Administrator are as follows.

1. Selection of Hardware and Software

• Keep up with current technological trends
• Predict future changes
• Emphasis on established off-the-shelf products

2. Managing Data Security and Privacy

• Protect data against any accidental or intentional loss, destruction, or misuse
• Firewalls
• Establishment of user privileges
• Complicated using distributed systems such as internet access and client/ server technology.

3. Managing Data Integrity

• Integrity controls protect data from unauthorized use
• Data consistency
• Maintaining data relationship
• Domains- sets allowable values
• Assertions- enforce database conditions

4. Data Backup

• We must assume that a database will eventually fail
• Establishment procedures
• How often should the data be back-up?
• What data should be backed up more frequently?
• Who is responsible for the backups?
• Backup facilities
• Automatic Dump- a facility that produces a backup copy of the entire database
• Periodic Backup- done periodically, such as nightly or weekly
• Cold Backup- during backup, the database shuts down 
• Hot Backup- at a given time a selected part of the database is shut down and backed up 
• Backups stored in a secure, off-site location

5. Database Recovery

• Application of proven strategies for reinstalling the database after a crash
• Recovery facilities include backup, journalizing, checkpoint, and recovery manager.
• Journalizing facilities include:
• Audit trail of transactions and database updates                   
• Transaction log, which records essential data for each transaction processed against the database
• The database change log shows images of updated data.  The log stores a copy of the image before and after modification.
• Checkpoint facilities:
• When the DBMS refuses to accept a new transaction, the system is in a quiet state
• Database and transactions are synchronized
• Allows the recovery manager to resume processing for a short period instead of repeating the entire day
• Recovery and Restart Procedures
• Switch-mirrored databases
• Restore/rerun- reprocess transactions against the backup
• Transaction integrity- commit or abort all transaction changes

6. Tuning Database Performance

• Set installation parameters/ upgrade DBMS
• Monitor memory and CPU usage
• Input/ output contention
• User striping
• Distribution of heavily accessed files
• Application tuning by modifying SQL code in applications

7. Improving Query Processing Performance

These are some of the essential responsibilities of dba in dbms. The role of data administrator in dbms cannot be taken lightly and has to be treated as a crucial part in the whole process.

Duties of Share Database Administrator

Share database administrator functions are as below.

 1. Database Design

• DBA is responsible for the logical design
• DBA is responsible for the external model design (subschemas), the physical design (construction), and for designing integrity controls

2. Database Implementation

• DBA
• Establish security controls
• Supervise database loading
• Specify test procedures
• Develop programming standards
• Establish backup/ recovery procedures
• Both
• Specify access policies
• User training

3. Operations and Maintenance

• DBA
• Monitor database performance
• Tune and reorganize databases as needed
• Enforce standards and procedures
• Both
• Support users

4. Growth and Change

• Both
• Implement change-control procedures
• Plan for growth and change
• Evaluate new technologies

Duties of Datawarehouse Database Administrator

The duties of the Date warehouse database administrator are as below

• New function due to the increasing use of data warehousing
• Integrated decision support databases from various sources
• Emphasis on integration and coordination of data and metadata from multiple databases
• Specific functions
• Support decision-oriented applications
• Manage data warehouse (exponential) growth
• Establish service level agreements

Average Salary and Compensation & Qualifications

With the proper training and experience, DBA can earn a handsome salary in their respective roles. Let's check out the salary and qualifications requirements.

• Graduate database administrators mostly earn an Average of $94,440. 
• With some experience, DBAs can make up to $64,999 at an entry level.
• And with a senior-level experience, they can make over $137,215.

Qualification

• Graduation in Computer Science or Computer Engineering
• Advanced understanding of database theory and structure
• Knowledge of MSSQL and MySQL

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Conclusion

The blog gives the reader detailed knowledge of who are DBAs and the roles of DBAs, also about different types of database administrators. You will get an excellent overview of the roles and responsibilities of different types of DBA. The blog will be an excellent read for those aspiring to become a successful DBA or those wanting to know more about the role of dba in dbms. If you aspire to pursue a career in this field, get training and become a Complete Microsoft Sql Professional.