What makes a good Database Administrator (DBA)?
A Database Management System (DBMS) is a set of software tools that allow users to organize, manage, and administer databases. Almost all websites rely on databases to function, making DBMS an essential part of modern technology.
Purpose of a DBMS
A DBMS is used for all tasks related to database management, including:
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- Creating and managing databases (deleting, modifying, merging);
- Storing data in a structured format and the required form;
- Protecting data from unauthorized changes and hacking attempts;
- Loading and sorting data using filters;
- Backing up data, restoring databases after failures, and maintaining overall integrity.
Types of DBMS
- By Location:
- Local: Data stored on one computer (usually the company’s server).
- Distributed: Data is spread across multiple computers (e.g., in the cloud).
- By Data Structure:
- Relational: Data is stored in tables with relationships between them.
- Key-Value: Data is stored with a unique identifier (key) and its corresponding value.
- Document-Based: Stores data in documents with structured text and syntax (e.g., logs, archives).
- Graph-Based: Stores data as relationships (often used in social networks).
- Column-Based: Data is stored in columns rather than rows.
Choosing the Right DBMS
The choice of DBMS depends on the nature of your project. Here are some examples:
- Relational DBMS: Best for handling large numbers of short transactions and normalized data.
Examples: Oracle, MySQL, SQL Server. - Key-Value DBMS: Ideal for caching data and quick access to simple structures. Examples: Redis, Memcached.
- Document-Based DBMS: Suitable for storing objects with varying structures or JSON-based formats.
Examples: MongoDB, CouchDB.
- Graph-Based DBMS: Great for recommendation systems or social media data. Examples: Neo4j, Amazon Neptune.
- Column-Based DBMS: Best for large data sets and complex analytical queries. Examples: SAP IQ, Google Bigtable.
It’s often best to use a combination of DBMS types to meet various needs in a system. An experienced specialist can guide you in selecting the most appropriate DBMS for your project.
What is Database Administration?
A Database Administrator (DBA) is responsible for the design, implementation, efficient use, and maintenance of a database, including managing user accounts and ensuring protection from unauthorized access.
In large organizations with advanced IT infrastructures, a DBA role may be filled by a team of specialists. In smaller companies, the DBA’s duties may be an additional responsibility for other IT professionals, which can lead to scaling issues and difficulty implementing changes.
In such cases, hiring an external DBA consultant can be a valuable solution. A DBA can take on all or part of the database administrator’s duties.
What does a DBA do?
Key responsibilities of a DBA include:
- Monitoring the DBMS to ensure performance and availability.
- Monitoring SQL queries that consume abnormal resources.
- Regularly checking DBMS health against recovery time objectives (RTO), recovery point objectives (RPO), and security standards.
- Reporting issues to management.
- Automating DBMS management tasks, maintenance, and data collection.
- Controlling access to the DBMS and making changes to the system.
- Planning updates and upgrades for the DBMS and operating system, including adding new features to enhance performance.
DBServ offers comprehensive database support and administration services, including for Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL and DevOps.