It's not quite so "hard and fast" I'm considered a development DBA here. I design the schemas, the database layouts, the initialization parameters that are set etc
I work with a hosting company to manage the staging and production databases. I create scripts for ALL changes to any of these environments. Because we use a hosting company for our production data center, I'm also involved in creating and maintaining runbooks. I control all "emergency" fixes to the databases, no matter what the environment. I handle data problems (yea, I know, I don't WANT to but for the ecommerce website, sometimes we can't wait for the corrections to flow through the system) I work with all developers, helping to tune their code. I monitor and help tune the production databases. I manage the move of databases from one data center to another. --- "Boivin, Patrice J" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > A "development DBA" is a developer who wants to design the schemas > his/her > application will rely on. I prefer calling them application > designers, > because that's what they are. Sometimes you have another role, that > of > "Application Administrator." This second group is for larger > applications > that sometimes require constant attention, esp. if user accounts have > to be > created, or custom views etc. ... or if the application wasn't ready > for > production and was placed into production anyway -- then it will > require > constant babysitting. > > Consultants come in usually to implement new projects, or to add > features to > an existing system. That makes them application designers or > application > developers. Sometimes (rarely) consultants are hired to tune > systems, that > would be a blend of DBA and application designer. This is rare > though, > usually the database layer is working properly it seems to me, if the > DBA > has been there for more than a year, has read a book or two, and has > at > least the echo of a conscience. > > A "production DBA" is responsible for ensuring that the structure > beneath > the application stays up and is tuned properly. He/she works with > the > system administrator(s) to ensure that the hardware and the Oracle > software > (rdbms, developer server, iAS, networking,...) are all working > properly and > as expected. > > I don't fully understand why developers (some developers) strive to > be > called a DBA. Here is my guess: > > Perhaps this distinction stays fuzzy in organizations because there > is a > constant tug-of-war for control over resources between the > development and > production groups. If an overlap can be created, then there is an > opportunity to take over some of the other group's resources. Also, > when > responsibilities are not delineated clearly, there is an opportunity > for one > side to blame the other and management can never figure out who is > doing > what. I worked in a lab where we were implementing Good Laboratory > Practice > (GLP) for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there was supposed > to be > no overlap between positions. I noticed that the managers who played > games > and only thought about their own advancement didn't like GLP at all, > they > fought it tooth and nail. I liked the idea of separate each person's > circle > of responsibility myself. Why can't IT shops strive to do the same? > > Speaking as a DBA, it is my perception that developers tend to be > project-oriented. That's fine, it's why they are there. But that > tendency > also means, when they see their deadlines coming, that they sometimes > aren't > keen on thinking long term. Perhaps it's not their fault, it's > because of > the way projects are funded. Which client wants to hear that for > every > project, money will have to be allocated for ongoing costs of > maintenance, > operation, upgrades every 2-3 years? No one wants to think about > that when > they only want to think about the great new things they will be able > to do > with the new application. > > Also, no one wants to spend more money than necessary, so there is a > tendency to try to cut corners to get to the end of the project. > That is > probably why projects tend to be rushed into production. Once the > projects > are in production mode funding to finish the product dries up. That > sometimes leaves the application designer off the hook and leaves the > "production DBA" holding the bag. > > Finally, if you are designing a new project, the tendency is to try > to > retain control over as much of it as possible. If you declare > yourself to > be a "development DBA", then people are less likely to insist that > you > consult the DBA(s) during the design phase of a project. "What a > bother > that is, having to listen to other people -- it's "my" project! It > will > only slow us down... Worse, I will have to share the credit once the > application works properly. That won't be as good for my career." > If you > know that the DBA in the organization is stubborn and intractable, > then this > is the route the application designers will try to take. > > I could draw up a list of things that can go wrong when DBAs are not > involved in the design phase of a project, but I think all people > need to do > is brainstorm for ten minutes to get a list of 10 or more things that > can go > wrong... Then try to put a cost value to each of these items. > > Can you think of any examples from your work place? > > ; ) > > Regards, > Patrice Boivin > Systems Analyst (Oracle Certified DBA) > > [this is my opinion, not the opinion of my employer... etc. etc.] > > -----Original Message----- > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2003 4:29 AM > To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L > > > Hi Listers, > > I would like to know the differences between Development and > Production DBA w.r.t. Roles and Responsibilities, Scope etc. Is > there any > difference in the role(s) played by a DBA in OLTP and DSS > environments? > Your invaluable viewpoints in this regard is most welcome. > > Thanks and Regards, > > Ranganath > WARNING: The information in this message is confidential and may be > legally > privileged. It is intended solely for the addressee. Access to this > message > by anyone else is unauthorised. If you are not the intended > recipient, any > disclosure, copying, or distribution of the message, or any action or > omission taken by you in reliance on it, is prohibited and may be > unlawful. > Please immediately contact the sender if you have received this > message in > error. Thank you. > -- > Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.net > -- > Author: Krishnaswamy, Ranganath > INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Fat City Network Services -- 858-538-5051 http://www.fatcity.com > San Diego, California -- Mailing list and web hosting services > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message > to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in > the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L > (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may > also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing). > -- > Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.net > -- > Author: Boivin, Patrice J > INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Fat City Network Services -- 858-538-5051 http://www.fatcity.com > San Diego, California -- Mailing list and web hosting services > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message > to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in > the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L > (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may > also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing). > __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com -- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.net -- Author: Rachel Carmichael INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fat City Network Services -- 858-538-5051 http://www.fatcity.com San Diego, California -- Mailing list and web hosting services --------------------------------------------------------------------- To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing).
