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TonyTheDBA
Posting Yak Master
121 Posts |
 Posted - 2006-10-20 : 05:54:17
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Simple VersionWhat is a DBA, and what principles do they follow/work to?RegardsTonyP.s. - The Long version(*GASP*)Well things have finally calmed down here (Implementing a Stretched SQL Server 2000 Cluster) so that I can get my head above water before the next phase of the project.In the past in our organisation there has never been a DBA, and teh developers have had direct access to the SQL Servers to do pretty much what they want. (Yeah we do ALL of the worst practices). I knew it would be a challenge to drag them kicking and screaming into the right way to do things . . . but never anticipated how hard.In order to repair a couple of bridges between the DBA Team (ME!) and one of the developer teams, we are having a lunchtime session to discuss quote:
Developing and Supporting in-house developed computer applications and interfaces
, and as the DBA I have 15 minutes to present my standards and the working practices I want the developers to adopt, and worse still justify them. Simple things like NO database gets created on any server until the data model and design has been sanity checked by Me.No the developers DO NOT need access tothe Live environmentYes you will adopt MY naming conventionHowever I want to open with a simple definition of just what a DBA is and what principles they work to.So what is a DBA?-- RegardsTony The DBA |
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nr
SQLTeam MVY
12543 Posts |
Posted - 2006-10-20 : 06:03:20
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| 1. Keeps the live environment running (to the agreed sla) 2. Gives an environment for developers to develop and migrate work to production (see 1.)2. implies that the dba needs to help prevent one developer or team stopping another developer or team working.That can mean giving rules for people to work, QA'ing all code, agreeing architecture or writing all the code or being in charge of development.==========================================Cursors are useful if you don't know sql.DTS can be used in a similar way.Beer is not cold and it isn't fizzy. |
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AndrewMurphy
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker
2916 Posts |
Posted - 2006-10-20 : 09:02:23
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| "So what is a DBA?"....he/she is the nanny who has to wipes everybody elses ass....and still make management come out shining when the sh*t hits the fan.In short they are the building blocks of the organisation. They build, test and implement disaster plans, they secure the company assets, they future-proof the organisation with their planning, they optimise existing apps, they activate new plans, they educate up wards and downawards.... in short they need a pay-rise!! |
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X002548
Not Just a Number
15586 Posts |
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nr
SQLTeam MVY
12543 Posts |
Posted - 2006-10-20 : 10:56:54
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| Think the windw cleaning would be considered another job.Would mean a vast pay rise if it was included in a dba's role.==========================================Cursors are useful if you don't know sql.DTS can be used in a similar way.Beer is not cold and it isn't fizzy. |
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X002548
Not Just a Number
15586 Posts |
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mcrowley
Aged Yak Warrior
771 Posts |
Posted - 2006-10-20 : 11:05:29
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| A DBA's job is partly to prevent bugs/performance/security from going in in the first place, and partly finding/fixing/mandating fixes for problems that get by him/her. Mainly, it is keeping the servers running smoothly, making sure performance is within acceptable limits, and databases have enough room to grow. You can see how the first parts feeds into the second part.If you have developer groups that are relatively isolated as far as their projects/databases, you can be a bit flexible with the naming standards. The only naming standards that I mandate here is "only alpha-numeric characters and underscores shall be used for object names. Exceptions: None." The developers eventually come to agreements among themselves. Usually soon after they have to support some thing that broke at 2:00 AM. |
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mfemenel
Professor Frink
1421 Posts |
Posted - 2006-10-20 : 12:09:05
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| Tony I agree with what you said above but I wouldn't take too firm a stand on the naming stuff. Maybe more like what matt suggested,give them guidelines(reasonable ones) but leave them some room. Depending on how your organization is structured, you may need these guys to help you fix something later on. If you're too rigid you're going to get lots of responses along the lines of "You're the dba i'm just a developer, good luck". I used to have a boss that would ask me "Are you willing to die on that hill?", meaning only fight for it if it's truly critical.Mike"oh, that monkey is going to pay" |
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Michael Valentine Jones
Yak DBA Kernel (pronounced Colonel)
7020 Posts |
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blindman
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker
2365 Posts |
Posted - 2006-10-20 : 12:54:18
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| Michael, that is hilarious.STAR SCHEMAS ARE NOT DATA WAREHOUSES! |
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pootle_flump
1064 Posts |
Posted - 2006-10-20 : 13:04:07
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| I liked Silence of the DBAs myself. Can't find it now of course. Just in case the op was thinking that being a dba was all glamour and high living....EDIT - ah found it:http://www.sqlteam.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=63071 |
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snSQL
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker
1837 Posts |
Posted - 2006-10-20 : 14:08:30
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http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=define%3Adba |
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Michael Valentine Jones
Yak DBA Kernel (pronounced Colonel)
7020 Posts |
Posted - 2006-10-20 : 19:59:24
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quote:
Originally posted by pootle_flump
I liked Silence of the DBAs myself. Can't find it now of course. Just in case the op was thinking that being a dba was all glamour and high living....EDIT - ah found it:http://www.sqlteam.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=63071
Oh yes, the classics.Maybe it would help to hear about the my background to know what a typical Evil DBA is. The details of my life are quite inconsequential, but very well, where do I begin? My father was a relentlessly self-improving C++ consultant from Belgium with low grade lycanthropy and a penchant for pointer bugs. My mother was a fifteen year old French-Canadian recruiter named Chloe with a specialty in web designers. My father would spam C++ newsgroups, he would drink Jolt, he would post outrageous claims like he invented the compiler. Some times he would accuse database servers of being lazy, the sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. My childhood was typical, summers in San Jose, Pong lessons. In the spring we'd make class libraries. When I was insolent I was placed on tech support hold and forced to listen to instrumental versions of “The Gambler”, pretty standard really. At the age of 12 I received my first PDA. At the age of fourteen, a online avatar named Vilma ritualistically trashed my blog. There really is nothing like a trashed blog, it's breathtaking, I suggest you try it.You know, I have to stop.CODO ERGO SUM |
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TonyTheDBA
Posting Yak Master
121 Posts |
Posted - 2006-10-23 : 06:40:35
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| ROTFPML!!Thank you guy's you've made my day, Now to clean the cappuccino from the laptop :(-- RegardsTony The DBA |
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propanecan
Yak Posting Veteran
60 Posts |
Posted - 2006-10-23 : 21:15:15
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| Pong lessons?....that was funny my friend. And to think that the world thinks DBA's don't have a sense of humor. |
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TonyTheDBA
Posting Yak Master
121 Posts |
Posted - 2006-10-25 : 11:41:00
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| Thanks all, My 15 minute presentation lasted one and a half hours(!) what with all the 'discussion'. Still at least the team I was having the difficulty with are actually going to meet with me to discuss my proposed changes to thier latest database :) proably all end in tears anyway :(-- RegardsTony The DBA |
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Define a DBA?