RE: DBA work load

What is a "rebatable" SLA?

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2002 1:38 AM To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L

I'm in a 24x7 shop where I am the only DBA ... and I have lasted over 2 years!

I look after about 12 Oracle production databases - all of which have a 98% rebatable SLA attached to them. I also have 6 SQL Server databases with the same rebatable SLA.

Thankfully, our environment is stable (knock on wood). Whenever we run into a huge problem and there is too much work going on I have the option of getting a "loan" DBA from another part of the company. This has happened about 3 times - two times I was on holiday.

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, 24 September 2002 2:13 PM To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L

As metrics, Gb per DBA or databases per DBA are quite irrelevant. A single DBA, well-rested, experienced, and with proper planning and support, can manage hundreds of databases and dozens of Tb of data. On the other hand, some database production environments are so chaotic as to consume several DBAs and reduce them all to tears of exhaustion and frustration...

The question needs to be viewed from a more mundane perspective. Take the number hours in a week. There are 168 of them, the world over. If the business has the expectation of 24x7 coverage, then at least four people are needed, each working approximately 40 hours per week. Period.

Two FTE (full-time equivalent) can expect to cover normal "weekday" hours (i.e. 7am-7pm weekdays), one FTE to cover week-day off-hours, and one more FTE to cover weekend off-hours, vacation backfill, training backfill, and sick-time backfill. Let's not forget maternity and paternity leave backfill. I am not saying that this will be the division of labor, but if you figure that it will be likely that there will be meetings to attend as well as work to perform during normal working hours on the weekdays, then it will likely work out to something like this...

Of course, I expect to hear from people who are single-handedly managing a 24x7 shop. Many people are forced through that wringer for a time...

.there is another prolific member of this list to whom I related this formula, six years ago. He was the sole Oracle DBA in a 24x7 shop, supporting a fast-growing company that is now the market leader in its industry. I related this rule of thumb: four systems/database administrators in a 24x7 shop is sustainable over time. Three systems/database administrators in a 24x7 shop is sustainable for a short period of time, but ultimately leads to burnout and turnover. Two systems/database administrators in a 24x7 environment is totally unsustainable, as one of them (if not both) will always be in an active job search at any one time. And rightly so...

He asked, "What if there is only one DBA in a 24x7 shop?". I grinned, saying that they would not last more than a month or two. He replied that he was now entering his third month in just such an environment...

.I think he lasted another 3 months or so, but ultimately with the inevitable result. A truly heroic performance, but somewhat reminiscent of Wile E Coyote trying to scramble back to the cliff's edge, having been lured into thin air by the Road Runner...

---

Of course, if you don't have a 24x7 environment enforced by service-level
agreements, then your mileage may vary.  Obviously, there are environments
that get by quite well on 1, 2, or 3 DBAs, but I am certain that they are
not truly 24x7 nor is instability in those environments...

But the point is that the job of database administrator is like any other
critical support role.  Only the medical profession is so criminally idiotic
as to expect and demand 30- and 40-hour shifts from its most valuable
personnel...

----- Original Message -----
To: "Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L" <ORACLE-L_at_fatcity.com>
Sent: Monday, September 23, 2002 7:43 PM




> I'm trying to justify hiring another DBA, and

> management wants more justification.  I have put

> together the usual reasons, but they want "Industry

> Standards",

> like how many Databases can one DBA manage. Or how

> many GB/DBA or endusers/DBA?

> Does anyone keep these kind of stats?

> thanks

>

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