What knowledge does it take to become a DBA? What books do you need to read?

DBA database administrator requirements

In recent years, I have been dealing with database administrators and directly interviewed many DBA positions. This paper wants to summarize the requirements of IT industry for DBA and the current situation of domestic DBA's new capital. To be sure, becoming a senior DBA is a very good career. If you plan to become a DBA, then I hope this article can play a role in attracting jade.

What is DBA?

Database Administrator, English is Database Administrator, abbreviated as DBA. This position has different meanings for different people. Compared with a large company with a highly detailed division of labor, the DBA of a small software development studio has wider responsibilities. A company, whether it develops its own application software or buys the application software of a third party, as long as it involves the database (how many applications do not involve the database? Database is the soul and brain of business), you need to decide whether to hire one or several DBAs. Understanding the requirements of DBA position is very important for defining this position or future DBA in the enterprise. Below I list some responsibilities of DBA:

Install and upgrade database servers (such as Oracle and Microsoft SQL server) and application tools. Database design system storage scheme, and make the future storage demand plan. Once a developer designs an application, a DBA is needed to create a database tablespace. Once a developer designs an application, a DBA is needed to create database objects (tables, views, indexes). According to the feedback from developers, modify the database structure if necessary. Register users of the database and maintain the security of the database. Ensure that the database is used in compliance with laws and regulations related to intellectual property rights. Control and monitor users' access to the database. Monitor and optimize database performance. Make database backup plan, recover database information in case of disaster, and maintain archive or backup data on appropriate media. Back up and restore database, contact database system manufacturer and track technical information. Personality characteristics of database administrators

Many times managers ignore the personality characteristics of DBA, and they only pay attention to the technical ability of DBA. In fact, every responsibility mentioned above means that DBA needs to deal with all kinds of people, which may be manufacturers, users, developers or managers. This shows that DBA must have the following personality characteristics:

Self-confidence, curiosity, strong willpower, maturity, self-drive and attention to detail. Why are these personality traits important?

I have several underlings who lack confidence. They asked me every detail over and over again. They have no confidence to make even the smallest decision. They also lack the initiative to work. This may not be a big problem for junior DBAs, but for those senior DBAs, if they lack self-confidence, who can they rely on to help them make decisions? In the interview of DBA, even if you can't answer a technical question, you should show enough confidence. The most fatal thing is not that I don't know the answer to the question, but that I don't know where to find the answer.

Almost all database systems are constantly updated. However, not all updates have technical documentation. For a good DBA, curiosity is necessary. DBAs who have no curiosity and thirst for knowledge are always waiting for someone to tell them the answer. And a curious DBA will install the latest version of the database system, and immediately start searching for even subtle differences and enhancements in function and performance, so as to improve his work. An inevitable question asked during the exam is: What reference materials do you have at hand? How do you use them? There is no doubt that if you only answer the documents in the database, or if you haven't even read them, your "stock market value" will drop greatly. Curiosity will drive database administrators to understand data dictionaries, management tools or other packages.

DBA often encounters difficulties. Looking for answers is a character characteristic that requires perseverance and can withstand beating. I often see questions raised by DBA in some discussion groups or forums. These problems can often be solved by questioners themselves, if they have a tough personality and try to find the answers to the questions.

Self-driving is very important for everyone, especially DBA. DBA should be able to find a way to make problems appear instead of waiting for them to appear. Self-driven DBAs often try to obtain or write some necessary scripts to monitor projects including table size and table space usage. If these projects are ignored, they will be in trouble. When taking exams, DBAs are often asked about their experience in PL/SQL, SQL or SQL*PLUS. These questions will distinguish you from DBAs who have never written the required scripts.

Needless to say, you need to be sophisticated enough to deal with users, even programmers and managers. A DBA who knows nothing will not do you any good, but will only ignite the fire of hostility in your department. Sophistication is such an ability, you advise a person to die, haha, and finally this person leaves with a vision. Many times, developers, managers and users will put forward unreasonable demands, which need the clever guidance, correction and persuasion of DBA. When you take an exam, your reaction can tell you whether you are sophisticated or not.

Finally, it is very important to pay attention to details. Detail-oriented DBA, neatly dressed, has his own schedule, and has done research on the units he applied for before the exam. Detail-oriented DBA has a deep understanding of the core of the database and can understand the relationship between views and tables.

The level of database administrator

The level of DBA is not very strict. According to my understanding of the database, it can be simply divided into three levels: primary, intermediate and advanced.

Junior DBA, also known as DBBS, is the abbreviation of English database nanny. Junior DBAs are often part-time. They are usually programmers or engaged in other jobs at the same time. Junior DBAs often write excellent resumes and participate in many database-related projects or jobs. But these projects or jobs are often: third-party software vendors have installed and configured the database, and they only do some monitoring work. They can handle some simple problems, but most of the time they will ask the application software vendor for help. Junior DBAs prefer graphic database management or monitoring tools. They like the simplicity of desktop databases like Access, and simply apply the experience of these small databases to the work related to large databases.

Junior DBAs are best distinguished. It is not easy to distinguish between intermediate DBA and advanced DBA. Their differences lie in their different experiences, personality characteristics and abilities. There are many intermediate database administrators who can do most of the work of senior database administrators, including:

Database installation, database configuration and management authority setting, security management, monitoring and performance adjustment, backup and recovery to solve general problems, intermediate DBA often works for about one year and is familiar with the database under a certain operating system environment. Because for intermediate DBA, Windows NT and Unix are very different. Intermediate DBA is familiar with SQL. They bought several books about databases and made an in-depth study of them. Intermediate DBAs often work as database programmers at the same time, and their pursuit of performance, stability and security is basically not very high. They often cooperate with senior DBAs to do some daily work.

Senior DBA is very rare in China. They bought too many English materials about the database, maybe they asked their friends to buy them from Amazon. Compared with their remuneration, the money spent on books is a small part. Senior DBAs are generally familiar with several large databases under many operating platforms. They know the advantages and disadvantages of different databases in different environments and can make decisions on the choice of database platform and database environment. They are usually familiar with the system architecture and database design, and can optimize the database at all levels. Senior DBAs are generally equipped with assistants, who are more inclined to make decisions and plans. Senior DBA often plays an important role in key business processing fields that require high stability, security and performance, such as banking, insurance and online trading.

In many cases, it is not very important to obtain the certificate of database expert certification. I know many database vendors will get certificates as long as you go to training. There are many companies that provide business training, and the service quality is good or bad. So certificates are not particularly meaningful.

Several popular database systems

The simplest database system-Microsoft SQL Server

If you plan to be a DBA, I suggest you choose those database systems that are popular now. This means that you will have more employment opportunities, exchange and training opportunities, and you will be popular for your own reasons, so you can worry a lot. Of course, the pressure of employment competition is also relatively high. Generally beginners choose Microsoft SQL Server, which is a very suitable database system for small and medium-sized enterprises. Readers who are familiar with Access can easily use Microsoft SQL Server initially and become DBBS. J

The quotation of Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 is 5 users 1399 USD, and each user 127 USD when adding users.

The most "difficult" database-unknown Oracle

If you can get in touch with Oracle Bone Inscriptions, this is a good opportunity. Oracle is the most promising database vendor at present. Because of its powerful function and configurable and manageable ability, the salary of Oracle DBA is generally higher than that of other database administrators. Moreover, the key application of Oracle in large and medium-sized enterprises is becoming more and more common. Oracle can run on Windows NT, Sun Solaris, Linux and other platforms. In many cases, you are required to be familiar not only with NT, but also with Unix. Oracle Bone Inscriptions's unfriendly interface and boxes of Oracle Bone Inscriptions product data may also be an obstacle.

The quotation of Oracle 8i standard edition, if running on Windows NT, with JServer and interMedia, supports 5 concurrent users, and the quotation is $3925 per CPU. When adding concurrent users, it is $785 per user. When additional designated users are added, each user is $392.5.

The Noble of Database System ——IBM UDB/DB2

As the result of 30 years of database research, IBM DB2 can indeed be called "the aristocrat of database system". Whether it is a small business system or a large banking system, you can sit back and relax with DB2. With the newly released version of DB2 6. 1, the management and adjustment tools are better and easier to use. DB2 can run on Intel architecture or IBM's S/390 mainframe computer. If your industry especially respects IBM machines, I suggest you learn IBM DB2.

DB2 has two versions: Workgroup Edition and Enterprise Edition. The workgroup edition is $999 per server and $249 per concurrent user. Enterprise edition per CPU 12500, unlimited concurrent users.

Java-centered database-Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise (ASE)12.0

The upcoming Sybase ASE 12.0 is directly for Java programmers. This Java-centered database system will be the best choice for those enterprises that are ready to build enterprise applications under the Java platform. However, ASE is not a leader in the field of database, although it is much improved than the previous version, supports multiple CPUs and more concurrency, and has many new functions. But the scenery of Sybase seems to be gone.

Informix Centaur worth looking forward to

Sometimes "first" just means that your opponent needs to wait longer to catch up with you. This is exactly what Informix, founded in 1997, is facing. Informix is one of the first large database vendors to add multimedia features to relational database systems. But now, IBM, Oracle and Sybase have all crossed this concept. Therefore, Informix must seek new support to distinguish itself from other database vendors. This is Informix Centaur's goal. Informix Centaur combines the object-relational database of Informix Dynamic Server 7.3 and Informix Universal Data Option 9.1for better adaptability and multimedia support. We will wait and see what the specific situation is!

DBA's salary

There are many factors that will affect DBA's salary:

The level of DBA is determined by your experience and ability, your familiar database system, your personality and potential. The following table gives the basic salary of DBA staff in China, and explains the influence of DAB level and database system you are familiar with on DBA salary. Of course, this is only my personal understanding and can only represent the average level of the industry to a certain extent.

Annual salary of junior DBA (10,000 yuan), intermediate DBA (10,000 yuan) and senior DBA (10,000 yuan) Oracle 481Microsoft SQL Server 358 IBM DB 24810 Sybase 3.568 Informix 4710 Note: According to/kloc-0 every year. The figures in the table are the average annual salary.