RE: Are you angry DBA?

From: Marquez, Chris <cmarquez_at_collegeboard.org>
Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2005 12:18:37 -0400
Message-ID: <B30C2483766F9342B6AEF108833CC84E05BD5F50@ecogenemld50.Org.Collegeboard.local>

Rich,

>>say that it's not the DBA's job to enforce rules
>> and restrictions is a lack of accountability

Let me clarify.
It is NOT my database to "force" rules and restrictions, but I must *ENFORCE* existing rules and restrictions, yes. I see to many DBA's that don't do allow anything because they *personally* don't like it, but might not be the way of the business...if the business accepts the risk then I should not be and Angry DBA.

*We* had a rule at one shop, "the DBA's never changes passwords or data". Management demanded this and I ENFORCEd it for years. In other shops anyone can tell me change passwords at anytime...personally a bad idea, but the way of the business.

>>So if your devs want the DBA role in your production DBs, you give it to them???

Of course not, No!
*HOWEVER* if management wants developers to have DBA role in production I have no problem...unless the screw things up daily, then I will go look for a new job where were developers do not have DBA role in production.

It is also as part of my responsible as a DBA to explain to everyone the consequences of such and action, but if they insist so be it. I will just work harder on be backup and recovery skills.

Often it is never this cut an dry; "DBA role in prod to developers"...and sadly we DBA's must split hairs and show management often how rules and restrictions are regularly contradicted and impossible to ENFORCE (as in you own case). Like when NO developers have DBA role but they all have "DROP ANY TABLE" for example.

hth

Chris Marquez
Oracle DBA

-----Original Message-----
From: oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org on behalf of Jesse, Rich Sent: Mon 8/29/2005 11:51 AM
To: oracle-l_at_freelists.org
Subject: RE: Are you angry DBA?  

So if your devs want the DBA role in your production DBs, you give it to them???  

If devs hurt the production DB bad enough, I have to fix it thru DB recovery. How then is it not the my job to force rules and restrictions? Granted, there is some leeway of grandfathered schemas/objects/code, but that comes from a lack of ROI (e.g. to remove a "potentially dangerous" priv from a schema like "DELETE ANY TABLE", there's no way I can ask the department to spend 6 months rewriting apps while our backlog grows for no discernable benefit to the company). But to blanketly say that it's not the DBA's job to enforce rules and restrictions is a lack of accountability at best.  

My $.02,
Rich    

	-----Original Message-----
	From: oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org
[mailto:oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org] On Behalf Of Marquez, Chris
	Sent: Monday, August 29, 2005 10:28 AM
	To: oracle-l_at_freelists.org
	Subject: RE: Are you angry DBA?
	 
	[snip]
	 
	It is my database to support, backup, and make available and
avoid personal mistakes while doing so.
	It is NOT my database to force rules and restrictions.
	It is NOT my database to block all bad code from and stop all
data loss from.
	People *will* "hurt" the database...I just need to be ready to

fix what is within my control.          

        Anybody feel differently?          

	Chris Marquez
	Oracle DBA
	

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Received on Mon Aug 29 2005 - 11:22:22 CDT