SQL Server Skills and Your Company (Part 2)
SQL Server Skills and Your Company (Part 2)
Greg writes "I think you're right on track with the application DBA, from what I see with what I do.
I work in a K-12 school district, and we have, basically, 4 (full time) people that could be considered part time DBAs.
One that focuses a bit on the data, relationships between data on our two primary systems (student info system and business system), another that focuses on security - the security is not handled within the app per se, but is handled via direct SQL privs to tables/columns, so it requires a strong understanding of the application and how it works, a third person more focused on system admin of SQL, and then me - I kind of overlap with all of them. All 4 have grown up on the software/programming side mainly, but as the in-house systems have become packages developed by outside companies, in-house programmers aren't needed so much - but their understanding of the software/development world is still very relevant and important.
An OS/System Admin type person alone who can install SQL Server isn't necessarily what's needed and/or best.
But, I'm also finding that just the development side of things isn't enough either.
With many things going web-based and distributed, an understanding of the network side is also becoming more important to have on the team as well. Application DBAs don't often have this piece - the network sniffing, DNS, IIS, and port-
understanding people.
One other thing I'm seeing... departments in the past tended to handle their own departmental workgroup apps for the most part.
Once the vendor tells them they need to upgrade SQL to 2005, the department starts to turn things over more to the Tech Dept. Departmental apps seem to be getting more to a point where the departments can't handle them alone so much anymore.
I'm thinking that may be partially due to the proliferation of MSDE-based apps. Initially designed as apps that controlled their own database tasks, they seem to be getting away from that so much, and expecting somebody in-house to know a bit more about the data aspects of the app.
As an outside developer in my own company also, I'm attempting my first standalone app that will let the org decide where to put their data - local/standalone SQLite database, a central SQL server, or using a remote data storage server that I'd host - I'm thinking that would probably be PostgreSQL for cost reasons - and then I'd charge a small yearly amount for the data storage service, backups, etc..."
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12/18/2009
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Applications, DBAs and Life (part 1)
The Accidental DBA Virtual Workshop
Our next virtual workshop will be Weds Dec 30 - on that slow week over the holidays, it's a great opportunity to tune your skills about what you need to know as an accidental DBA. People are constantly writing for where to start, where to go to learn, where to find out what's important with SQL Server... this is the place. It's a great way to tune your skills or learn about the essentials - both are presented. I'll be there taking questions, making sure you get the information you need, live during the workshop. MUCH more information on the site, check it out here - Get more information or Register for the virtual workshop.
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Application DBAs, the Cloud and SQL Server/SharePoint, Government Challenges with Social Media. Also, the SQL Server Tip, SSWUG.ORG news, SharePoint news and more.
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Reader Feedback 1 on Applications, DBAs and Looking Forward
Wayne wrote in about his experiences and thoughts on the recent discussions about DBAs, applications and where things are heading...
"Amen and amen to your article about the future of Application DBAs. My question is how do you convince senior management that such a position is critical to the life of a medium sized State Agency IT department. We have requirements ranging from updating existing applications to new Sharepoint implementations complete with development projects for Sharepoint already on the plate. We have begged and pleaded for full time employee DBAs and all we can manage is part time contract DBAs who still have to blow dry the ink on their certifications.
I absolutely agree with you that Application DBAs are essential to any kind of development effort...or any other serious effort for that matter. Unfortunately, during lean times such as these, what we really need is a more efficient way to merge the tasks/skillsets of an App DBA with the tasks/skillsets of Network Operations people. Asking a developer to fill the role of anything DBA related is akin to asking the Fox to watch the chickens."
Great feedback! More tomorrow - feel free to send in your thoughts as well. Email me here...
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12/17/2009
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Why You Should Care About the Application DBA Role
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Why You Should Care About the Application DBA Role
Sometimes people wonder how I get going on some of these seemingly odd tangents for the database professional... (sometimes?! <g>) and I wanted to explain about this particular one that we've been discussing because I think it's a critical window into where the DBA positions and roles are going.
There are some key indicators that are giving very strong hints and direction as to where things are going with information, and therefore with the traditional roles of DBAs and data professionals. Take a look at this article from the AP - and think about how this applies to what you're doing with SQL Server. More than backups, this is going to be all about performance, about tuning and about understanding how tools apply to the databases you're keeping track of.
The data growth, planning, support and performance implications of devices and applications generating information are staggering. Add to that the nervous feeling you may be experiencing right now when you think about the privacy implications. Yep, security and encryption are going to be key (pardon the pun) and understanding how you can have a high-performing system while at the same time making it secure will be a huge responsibility.
This moves beyond learning how to build reports. It moves beyond tuning as we know it today. It means understanding indexes, understand how information is added to your servers so you can make sure that the information that is stored there can be correctly retrieved. Understanding *automated* processes that are digitally creating information and data elements and then storing them is going to very quickly become a major contributor to your databases I think.
What do you think? Is this the major direction of things on a grander scale?
Email me here, let me know if I'm all wet...
The Accidental DBA Virtual Workshop
Our next virtual workshop will be Weds Dec 30 - on that slow week over the holidays, it's a great opportunity to tune your skills about what you need to know as an accidental DBA. People are constantly writing for where to start, where to go to learn, where to find out what's important with SQL Server... this is the place. It's a great way to tune your skills or learn about the essentials - both are presented. I'll be there taking questions, making sure you get the information you need, live during the workshop. MUCH more information on the site, check it out here:
[Get more information] or [Register for the virtual workshop]
You can even get a hi-res DVD of the entire workshop. Check it out when you get a minute.
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12/16/2009
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Application-Centric DBAs A Clear Reality
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Application-Centric DBAs A Clear Reality
Lots of feedback already on how people are approaching the idea of being an application DBA. Send in your thoughts here and let me know what you think.
Darren writes - "Interesting discussion. Although my job title is SQL DBA, nearly every 3rd party application we buy now or upgrade has a SQL backend. However we only have dedicated application specialists doing with core systems like PMS, CRM and document management. Therefore all the other smaller applications fall into a grey area and its myself and another DBA that normally ends up dealing with these applications. This is especially true of late when we want to move some remaining SQL2000 databases on to SQL2005, but the application needs to be upgraded to work and be supported. I moved from law firm to another and most law firms use the same 3rd party software so its of benefit to me to know these applications, however if I moved out of a law firm, would probably not be beneficial.
Its quite hard sometimes dealing with all the 3rd party apps especially when you have multiple databases sharing the same SQL instance, where one app may support a SQL service pack and others don't. Also many of the ones we deal with still don't support SQL2008 which prevents you from migrating.
Interesting to see other DBA views on this subject."
Rex also chimed in with his thoughts - "An application DBA is how I presented myself.
My real expertise is in application administration and SQL Server Administration. I manage the entire application tier rather than just the SQL Servers. Things like backups and restore and integration are still my most common tasks. But I am often needed for performance improvements of SQL procs, data Automation, Database Design, release management, Systems integration, ETL, and oddly Disaster Recovery has become a new expertise for me in the last 2 years.
I am less an expert on the HW side (things like clustering and HW/IO/SCSI/Raid/SAN, ). These are things that I do but are not my specialty.
Recently I just moved to a more scripting focused job where I am taking my expertise of a legacy system and in migrating that same legacy data from .NET SQL to PeopleSoft Oracle. So I am following the application and performing "Last Rites" on it after keeping it running for the last 3 years.
This is really the main channel of the work I do on a specific system. But then I get leverage for application "best practice" expertise on dozens of other systems by many other teams."
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12/15/2009
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Are you an application DBA?
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Are You an Application DBA?
I've been seeing a trend in blog postings, posts to the list servers, discussion boards and other areas.
It's the concept of addressing application-specific DBA functions. I've heard the term batted around a few times of being an application DBA. Basically, it's providing the traditional DBA function but focused on doing so for applications. You get to know the applications from the inside-out and you also apply the DBA functions (performance troubleshooting, administrative functions, recovery, etc.) to the applications in use at your business or your client's business.
While it may seem like a "no duh!" statement, the thing that I've seen more and more is that some DBAs are becoming experts in working with specific applications or environments. SAP, CRM-based systems and others are examples where people have made an art of supporting those environments specifically and by bringing that leverage, adding real value to the DBA position.
It's worth a thought - figuring out as much as you can about the applications running and what types of procedures, systems and approaches you can build to provide support for those applications. What can you do specific to the applications in a proactive way? How can you keep those applications from ever red-lining in any way? It's an excellent way to extend your expertise and still give yourself some structure to work within.
Do you have application-specific procedures? Do you have application-aware recovery and planning models? Send me a quick email, let me know if you're approaching things this way as well.
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12/14/2009
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