Deep Dive Into Database Administration

Welcome back! In our last Database deep dive, we talked about NoSQL and all the things you need to know about it, such as the biggest challenges of moving to NoSQL and jobs for the SQL expert. These are two of the many major items of interest to database administrators. That's why this time around, we're talking to the database administrators in the audience (can I get a what what?!) about what it takes to be a DBA, listing jobs DBAs may be interested in, providing the most recent news in the DBA world, and more. Let's get started!

Database Administration on DZone

Check out some of the top DBA-related articles on DZone. You'll undoubtedly find something here of interest to you, whether you're an Agile aficionado, about to transition to a different kind of database administration, or want to know what the future holds for DBAs.

1. What Does the Future Hold for DBAs? by Dennis O'Reilly. The job of a DBA is more secure than the average occupation. But keep in mind that the database skillset is continuously transforming thanks to the rise of cloud computing and DBaaS. 

2. How DBAs Should Be Evolving With Database Automation by Yaniv Yehuda. As DBAs are saddled with increasing duties and responsibilities, it can be a strain to handle everything manually. See where automation can make your life easier.

3. How Agile Management Methodology Gels Into Database Administration by Sujain Thomas. Agile is taking over the world. Next stop, DBAs! Learn how database administrators can benefit from the awesomeness of Agile.

4. MongoDB Administration Checklist for MySQL DBAs by Alexander Rubin. If you are a MySQL DBA, starting MongoDB administration is not always an easy transition. This post provides a checklist for MongoDB administrators who are familiar with MySQL.

5. To DBaaS or Not to DBaaS? by Dzmitry Ivanou. Wait... I thought you just said the job of the DBA is secure! Well, it pretty much is. But some people think DBaaS might be able to completely replace the DBA. This article can help you take a side. 

PS: Are you interested in contributing to DZone? Check out our Bounty Board, where you can apply for specific writing prompts and win prizes! 

Listen Your DBA Day Away

We're mixing it up a bit this time with a list of podcasts dedicated to the DBA. Plug in your headphones and increase your DBA knowledge!

• Dear SQL DBA: A Weekly Podcast for SQL Server DBAs and Developers. In this free podcast, get the answers to all your DBA questions, such as "How do I analyze a SQL Server execution plan?" and "Why is my transaction log growing in my availability group?" And don't worry: the podcast operates under the premise of, "Don't worry; someone else has already asked a weirder question."

• Voice of the DBA. This podcast is "a series of episodes that look at databases and the world from a data professional's viewpoint." The host, Steve Jones, also keeps up a blog of the same name; you can check it out here!

• Graphinista. While not specifically targeted towards DBAs, any database administrator can benefit from learning about the world wide web of databases. This podcast from the Neo4j graph database community features interviews with a variety of database experts.

Dive Deeper Into DBA

DZone has Guides and Refcardz on pretty much every tech-related topic, but if you're specifically interested in NoSQL, these will appeal the most to you. 

• The DZone Guide to Databases: Speed, Scale, and Security. Advances in database technology have traditionally been lethargic. That trend has shifted recently with a need to store larger and more dynamic data. This DZone Guide is focused on how to prepare your database to run faster, scale with ease, and effectively secure your data.

• NoSQL and Data Scalability. While not specifically about database administration, this DZone Refcard covers loads of information imperative to any DBA — such as the range of NoSQL database types available today, whether NoSQL is right for you, and several real-life use cases for using a NoSQL database.

Jobs for the DBA

Below are a few jobs that may pique your interest if you're a DBA looking to take your skills to a new place. Check them out and apply today! (PS: If you don't see anything you like here, you can check out our Job Board with a lot more listings!)

Senior Consulting Engineer
MongoDB
Location: Raleigh, NC, United States
Experience: Experience administering databases such as MongoDB, Oracle, MS SQL Server, PostgreSQL, or Marklogic; 5+ years of software development/consulting/support experience; excellent analytical and diagnostic skills

Senior Database Engineer
Thomson Reuters
Location: Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Experience: Be current on the features and functionality of MS SQL databases; ability to review and execute changes including DDL, database configuration changes, patching, and well-defined/well-documented upgrades.

That's all for this month's deep dive! What would you like to learn about next time? Let us know in the comments!