DBA's responsibilities

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I would like to know what a DBA's responsibilities are or would be in a shop with approximately nine (9) SQL 6.5 Servers. Currently everyone takes care of their own SQL 6.5 Servers. This includes problems, installs, configuration, patches, etc. We are looking at moving a person into a DBA slot but were not sure what a DBA's primary and secondary responsibilities are, as well as general duties. Any help in this area would be appriciated.

-- Anonymous, January 20, 1999

Answers

Mel,

I like this question. I get to tell of my experiences rather than just look up an answer.

Currently, as a technical consultant with Analysts International, I am on assignment to the Washington State Department of Transportation as a SQL Server DBA. We are running about 20 SQL Servers to support applications state wide.

My particular duties consist mainly of creating SQL Server logins and granting them access to required databases (that is, creating database users). On my resume I describe my duties thus, "The wide range of services I provide for this SQL Server/PowerBuilder Client environment include: creating, expanding, renaming, moving, and dropping databases; troubleshooting SQL Applications; creating and assisting with stored procedures; restoring databases from backup; adding and changing SQL Server logons, users, and groups; and converting Access Databases to SQL Server Databases."

In addition to myself, the Washington State Department of Transportation has a full time employee, Tim Crabb who also acts as SQL Server DBA. In addition to the same sort of things that I do, Tim's duties include creating the backups and creating the tools to allow restoration as needed, creating and running scripts to reindex tables and update statistics, creating and maintaining the data about the databases (that is the list of database owners), and of course, installing the SQL Server software and service packs on the servers and configuring them. (Installation of SQL Client Tools is handled by the Workstation Support staff.) However, Time spends most of his time troubleshooting -- figuring out the cause of errors whether they are "people problems" when people don't understand how SQL works, or SQL Server problems.

From time to time, people in my work group and Tim's work group also perform some of these duties, but Tim and I are the ones who do it full time.

If you have a follow up question, please post it as a new question to assure that I see it when I check for unanswered questions.

Hope this helps,

Eric

-- Anonymous, January 21, 1999


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