Career Track: Database Administrator

Database Administrator Roles and Responsibilities:

A Database Admininstrator, Database Analyst or Database Developer is the person responsible for managing the information within an organization. As most companies continue to experience inevitable growth of their databases, these positions are probably the most solid within the IT industry. In most cases, it is not an area that is targeted for layoffs or downsizing. On the downside, however, most database departments are often understaffed, requiring adminstrators to perform a multitude of tasks.

Depending on the company and the department, this role can either be highly specialized or incredibly diverse. The primary role of the Database Administrator is to adminster, develop, maintain and implement the policies and procedures necessary to ensure the security and integrity of the corporate database. Sub roles within the Database Administrator classification may include security, architecture, warehousing and/or business analysis. Other primary roles will include:

• Implementation of data models
• Database design
• Database accessibility
• Performance issues
• Capacity issues
• Data replication
• Table Maintainence

Database Administrators are often on-call and required to work as needed. This position carries an enormous amount of responsibility.

Potential opportunities for advancement :

Typically, Database Administrators either move into management or more specialized roles such as data warehousing, security or analysis.

Educational Requirements:

Normally, Database Administrator positions require a college degree, 1-3 years of technical experience and 1-3 months of formal training. Potential candidates should have excellent mathematical skills, and will be required to work independently. Database Administrators will be required to work within the framework of the organization, making teamwork a must. Candidates should also have the ability to change directions, priorities and focus quickly without losing productivity. Most positions require expertise in one or several of the following systems :

• Windows NT
• Oracle 8 Enterprise Server
• TMS
• PL/SQL
• UNIX
• Informix
• DB2

It is an excellent idea to focus on one speciality area. Security, for example, is a very hot industry today. A specialization will not only increase your value but will also enhance your marketability.

A Bachelor's degree in computer science or M.I.S. is preferable to a general degree and will add weight to your resume, salary negotiations and advancement potential. It is also extremely important to stay current regarding the IT industry and potential changes. A strong background in business is a definite plus as well as any previous experience in data modeling, fulfillment, mail order or distribution.

Salary Potential :

(As reported by the U.S. Dept. of Labor)

Industry Certifications :

It is highly recommended that any potential Database Administrators take the time to obtain certifications. Microsoft and Oracle seem to be the favored ones here. Oracle DBA's are currently earning some of the highest six-figure salaries on the West Coast. An added plus is to diversify training and certifications within design, programming and data warehousing. The most recommended certifications include:

Master CIW Enterprise Developer

MCDBA

Oracle8i DBA OCP

Oracle9i DBA OCA

Oracle9i DBA OCP

Oracle9i OCM

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