Main Responsibilities and Required Skills for Database Administrator
A Database Administrator is a professional who installs, configures, manages and monitors databases. They design and write scripts to automate database management tasks and conduct database security administration. In this blog post we describe the primary responsibilities and the most in-demand hard and soft skills for Database Administrators.
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Main Responsibilities of Database Administrator
The following list describes the typical responsibilities of a Database Administrator:
Analyze
Analyze and develop proposals for data management component of information technology plan.
Analyze and Recommend Database Improvements.
Analyze database error messages / alert logs and implement corrective actions to resolve issues.
Analyze PHL requirements to translate needs into technical requirements.
Apply
Apply mandatory patches or upgrades.
Architect
Architect customized backup solutions.
Assist in
Assist developers for request optimisation.
Assist DevOps and SysAdmin operations (Linux System Administration & DevOps work).
Assist Engineering in optimizing queries.
Assist other team members in troubleshooting complex D ata quality related issues.
Attend
Attend relevant events for networking and business purposes.
Audit
Audit and optimize data schema, both existing and proposed for future implementation.
Automate
Automate, document, and demonstrate routine tasks and processes.
Backup
Backup and restore databases in support of patch testing.
Build
Build new database servers.
Build relationships through personal credibility, as opposed to formal authority.
Build tools and automate to ease provisioning and scaling of the Ad Cloud Analytics infrastructure.
Carry out
Carry out planned server activities (installations, updates, etc.).
Code
Code, test, and implement stored procedures and scripts which will automate selected DBA tasks.
Collaborate with
Collaborate with all members of IT to ensure successful application and database implementations.
Collaborate with stakeholders to provide GIS information services to support their business needs.
Conduct
Conduct code review sessions and use as training opportunity for the development team.
Conduct database capacity planning and database disaster recovery planning.
Conduct database security administration to ensure that data is only available to authorized users.
Conduct in depth SQL Server database monitoring and performance analysis.
Conduct research, risk analysis and recommend appropriate strategies / solutions.
Conduct system tuning, performance monitoring and database maintenance.
Contribute to
Contribute high quality work to projects.
Coordinate with
Coordinate with Infrastructure team to planned or unplanned maintenance.
Correct
Correct incidents and participate in problem analysis and implementation of solutions.
Create
Create and edit technical documentation as requested according to ATR standards.
Create and maintain all the databases required for development, testing and production.
Create and maintain SSAS cubes / SSIS packages / data warehouse infrastructure.
Create and maintain SSIS packages as required.
Create, record, maintain and audit operational data, which resides in our CRM system, Dynamics.
Define
Define and implement backup and archival strategies per data retention requirements.
Deploy
Deploy and maintain production environments that require high availability.
Deploy database schema changes in all environments.
Deploy the Databases in production and verify the platform health upon changes.
Design
Design and develop scripts to automate processes.
Design and develop SQL code, ETL processes and SSRS reports based on provided requirements.
Design and implement infrastructure as code build automation.
Design and write complex SQL Server scripts to automate database management tasks where possible.
Design data warehouses and data marts.
Determine
Determine, enforce and document database policies, procedures and standards.
Develop
Develop and enhance database utilities.
Develop and implement database backup and recovery solutions.
Develop and maintain documentation on systems management and operational procedures.
Develop and recommend standards and procedures for operating issues.
Develop automation scripts for monitoring and maintaining the platform, databases and applications.
Develop enhancements to web applications and CMS to enhance the architecture.
Develop, monitors and maintains services to eliminate service disruptions.
Develop, recommend and ensure compliance with policies.
Develop reports in SQL Server Reporting Services.
Develop, test, and ensure quality, production and the use of the latest versions.
Develop, troubleshoot and optimize T-SQL scripts.
Device
Device configuration, installation, stored procedures & packages PL / SQL and sql script writing.
Diagnose
Diagnose and resolve issues / problems related to applications, databases, and associated tools.
Diagnose and troubleshoot database errors.
Document
Document operational procedures and processes.
Document procedures that support the platform or system.
Draft
Draft and update documentation for large-scale projects and for systems and databases.
Enable
Enable shorter code delivery time to delivery.
Ensure
Ensure all production servers are properly secured and patches are applied in a timely fashion.
Ensure database infrastructure is patched and running the latest supported versions.
Ensure databases are compliant with applicable STIGS.
Ensure enhanced data integrity and data quality protocols are leveraged.
Ensure security, auditing and capacity planning of relational and non-relational databases.
Ensure that in addition to quality patient care, that compliance measures are met on a daily basis.
Ensure that OEM continues to correctly monitor Oracle Zero Data Loss Recovery Appliances.
Establish
Establish and maintains security and integrity controls.
Establish automation and monitoring processes to improve efficiency and reliability.
Establish the needs of users and monitoring user access and security.
Evaluate
Evaluate and recommends emerging technologies for data management, storage and analytics.
Evaluate requirements and recommends available DBMS products.
Exceed
Exceed customer expectations.
Extract
Extract analytics data using Google Analytics and make it available using DB tools.
Follow
Follow all SOPs pertaining to the respective business process.
Follow change control process when deploying to production systems.
Follow Change Management processes to implement database configuration changes.
Follow ITIL processes for incident management, change management and problem management.
Follow-up
Follow-up and control the performance and status of a specific IT element.
Formulate
Formulate and monitors policies, procedures and standards relating to database management.
Generate
Generate, prepare and analyze sales forecasts and reports using Excel, CRM and Salesforce.
Help
Help production team on trouble-shooting production database problems.
Help refining practices / methodologies for successful project delivery.
Identify
Identify, analyze and devise solutions to technical problems in related to the database.
Identify and implement solutions for performance problems.
Identify long term initiatives and drive strategies for meeting these goals.
Identify system trends and develop solutions to address common requests.
Implement
Implement data mining and data warehousing applications and support when applicable.
Implement Oracle High Availability Features RAC, DataGuard (Physical / Logical) , ASM.
Inspect
Inspect and adapt development processes and automation to improve data team productivity.
Install
Install and configure client database software on workstations.
Install and configure database management systems and software.
Install and configure Redis database software.
Install and upgrade Oracle database-related software.
Install, Configure, Manage and Monitor databases.
Install database software service packs and cumulative updates as necessary.
Install revised or new systems by proposing specifications and flowcharts.
Interact with
Interact with technology vendors.
Interact with customers regarding database administration needs.
Introduce
Introduce tooling to analyse, visualize and understand database performance characteristics.
Lead
Lead requirements gathering, analysis and solution development for Database Administration.
Lead role in database and server patching and currency initiatives.
Learn
Learn and stay current on the features and functionality of all databases supported by the team.
Maintain
Maintain correct configurations and parameters to ensure proper database performance.
Maintain existing technologies.
Maintain our backup and recovery policies and procedures.
Maintain security and integrity controls.
Manage
Manage and Maintain Infrastructure and Databases.
Manage client communication.
Manage day to day issues with globally distributed databases.
Manage monitoring environment using monitoring tools like Foglight / NewRelic / Kibana.
Manage the compilation, cataloging, caching, distribution, and retrieval of data.
Manage the use of disk space on the database servers.
Mentor
Mentor and develop junior levels of engineers.
Mentor and support the development of junior and mid level engineers.
Minimize
Minimise database downtime and manage parameters to provide fast query responses.
Optimize
Optimize SQL Code as necessary.
Oversee
Oversee backup, clustering, mirroring, replication and failover.
Oversee the definition, structure, integration and maintenance of data in the enterprise.
Participate in
Participate in all areas of the systems development life cycles.
Participate in On Call weekly shift supporting off hours and weekend activity.
Participate in production support rotation coverage.
Participate in SQL Database upgrades.
Patch
Patch analysis and patch application.
Patch and upgrade database systems.
Perform
Perform application performance analysis.
Perform database backup and recovery where necessary.
Perform database backup / recovery procedures and disaster recovery planning.
Perform database backups, restores, log shipping, mirroring and replication, etc..
Perform DB server software upgrades.
Perform effective and independent incident and problem resolution for databases and applications.
Perform maintenance and backups as needed.
Perform ongoing performance tuning, hardware upgrades, and resource optimization as required.
Perform query optimization tasks.
Perform regular data maintenance and review critical system updates.
Perform regular security monitoring and audits to identify intrusion potential.
Perform root cause analysis, resolves problems and recommends solutions.
Perform SQL Server integration with enterprise applications.
Plan
Plan and coordinate data refreshes from one environment to another.
Plan, implement and support company's manufacturing execution system.
Propose
Propose and implement enhancements that will improve the performance and reliability of the system.
Provide
Provide 3rd level on-call support on a rotational basis.
Provide database advisory services to stakeholders.
Provide database and associated database systems administration support.
Provide guidance and support to the junior DBA's when required.
Provide information by answering questions and requests.
Provide Level 2 SQL Database Administration and Application support to business unit.
Provide managed service support in data center setting (24.
Provide mentoring and guidance to other team members.
Provide standard onsite support with additional after hours / weekend support as needed.
Provide support on all the stages of database implementation and / or database related deployments.
Provide technical guidance and expert advice to application development teams.
Provide technical leadership and oversight of large cloud hosted infrastructure.
Provide technical support to EBS Operations, Development and OBIEE teams.
Provide third line applications support and database administration support.
Provide timely communication to staff regarding the status of their request.
Read
Read and decipher vendor documentation to determine database requirements.
Re-architect
Re-Architect and refactor existing on-premise customer SQL database.
Refine
Refine and automate regular processes and support and enhance backup and recovery procedures.
Remain aware of
Remain aware of emerging cloud database technologies and apply them where appropriate.
Research
Research and share new technologies and best practices with the team.
Research performance related problems to identify root cause and recommended tuning.
Resolve
Resolve database performance issues, capacity needs, and security concerns.
Respond
Respond appropriately to emergency situations and assists.
Respond to database and user problems.
Respond to alerts and maintenance activities as directed.
Review
Review audit reports to determine necessary data cleanup.
Script
Script and automate upgrades and patching processes.
Seek
Seek issues & DB & ERP-Apps side performance tuning.
See
See to the maintenance and administration of all aspects of database systems, including.
Serve
Serve in an on-call rotation as an escalation contact for critical production issues.
Setup
Setup and maintain documentation and standards.
Setup replication and high availability.
Support
Support, administer and maintain and enhance the SQL Server database environments.
Support and maintain existing mySQL and SQL Server production database systems.
Support application deployments to production including performance and functional testing.
Support business continuity and disaster recovery planning.
Support mFTIS replacement system performance testing, perform database tuning and profiling.
Support NOC with issue escalation and automation.
Support production databases in global data centers.
Support release rollouts / builds for application teams.
Support the Onboarding & Offboarding process.
Support third party software developer as requested and required to support the PROGRAM.
Take
Take immediate actions when database and application performance issues arise.
Test
Test and evaluate IT vendor products.
Track
Track and manage database problems with appropriate vendor support channels.
Track issues and document changes.
Train
Train and advise less skilled systems programmers and provide expert technical assistance for others.
Transfer
Transfer of knowledge to the business and other members of Technology Services as needed.
Troubleshoot
Troubleshoot performance problems.
Troubleshoot performance problems, conduct performance tuning.
Tune
Tune database parameters for optimal system performance.
Understand
Understand impact certain systems have on our business.
Understand the corporate climate & culture.
Upgrade
Upgrade OEM Agents and plug-ins to the latest available version.
Upgrade, Patching & Managing of Oracle E-Business Suite.
Use
Use software tools and material to diagnose and solve issues / outages.
Use sound judgement to make well-reasoned decisions and tradeoffs when necessary.
Work with
Work Closely with Development Teams with Regards to Database Updates and Design.
Work closely with management to prioritize business goals and information needs.
Work under minimal supervision, with general guidance from more seasoned consultants or managers.
Work with clients on database daily management as well as longer-term database projects.
Work with development teams to tune SQL queries.
Work with security team on Implementing security processes and controls.
Work with the latest cloud database solutions.
Work with vendor and Engineering to deploy Redis updates, patches and version upgrades when required.
Write
Write code as necessary to meet specified business requirements.
Write database procedures, functions and triggers.
Most In-demand Hard Skills
The following list describes the most required technical skills of a Database Administrator:
Recovery
Performance Tuning
AWS
Security
Perl
Troubleshooting
Windows
SSIS
Postgresql
Shell Scripting
Oracle 11G
Azure
Mongodb
Unix Environment
AIX
SSRS
Solaris
Unix
Cassandra
Operating Systems
Partitioning
Microsoft SQL Server
Agile
High Availability
Stored Procedures
Database Fundamentals
Pl / SQL
Tuning
Database Design
Oracle Certification
Python Programming
Most In-demand Soft Skills
The following list describes the most required soft skills of a Database Administrator:
Written and oral communication skills
Analytical ability
Problem-solving attitude
Interpersonal skills
Team player
Work independently with little direction
Organizational capacity
Attention to detail
Management
Problem identification
Collaborative
Multi-task
Self-motivated
Time-management
Problem management
Troubleshooting skills
Priority management
Flexible
Initiative
Creative
Self-starter
Resolution
Communicating to various stakeholders
Leadership
Critical thinker
