Re: Critical DBA Skills
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2015 13:24:26 -0700
Message-ID: <55F9CFFA.1090702_at_oracle.com>
I like that you've tried to identifiy DBA skills (or aptitudes or proficiencies)...however (IMHO) - one skill that ought to encompass them all and more (and I am hoping is implied), is *CLEAR UNDERSTANDING* of theory.
What is the point of getting to follow a cribsheet verbatim to backup a database or table, or restoring etc without knowing why AND more importantly, its implication(s) ? Would that then distinguish between a junior and senior DBA ?
_*Simple examples, *_
- are all TABLESPACES created equal ? Which ones are ABSOLUTELY essential therefore critical, which ones are user-dependent - thereby establishing priority for Backup & Recovery etc etc
- creating users, granting privs and quotas
- what type of storage or programmatic structures are needed and why
Every action has to be underpinned by solid grasp of database theory, which is the aim of many certification programs.
BTW - the article's first sentence, second paragraph...was aiming this piece at FEMALE DBA's the intent ? (These are eleven critical skills every beginning DBA should master quickly if /_*she *_/expects to continue in the business) 8-^}
Raza
On 9/16/2015 8:02 AM, Stefan Knecht wrote:
>
> On Wed, Sep 16, 2015 at 8:22 PM, Kenny Payton <k3nnyp_at_gmail.com
> <mailto:k3nnyp_at_gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> I have a slight revision to your response.
>
>
> "True DBA's are nerds. "
>
>
> haha +42 to that revision!
>
>
> LOL
>
>
>> On Sep 16, 2015, at 9:21 AM, Andrew Kerber
>> <andrew.kerber_at_gmail.com <mailto:andrew.kerber_at_gmail.com>> wrote:
>>
>> True. DBA's are nerds.
>>
>> Sent from my iPad
>>
>> On Sep 16, 2015, at 7:27 AM, Kenny Payton <k3nnyp_at_gmail.com
>> <mailto:k3nnyp_at_gmail.com>> wrote:
>>
>>> #1 Soft skill by far in my experience is Aptitude to learn
>>> technology and motivation to do so.
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, Sep 16, 2015 at 2:27 AM, Herald ten Dam
>>> <Herald.ten.Dam_at_superconsult.nl
>>> <mailto:Herald.ten.Dam_at_superconsult.nl>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Good point but sof skills are maybe also important. The most
>>> important skill I encounter in my 20 years of Oracle DBO/DBA
>>> is the stress factor. If a DBA cannot cope with stress, I
>>> think he can quit the job, it will be a nightmare. I coached
>>> guys who wanted to become DBA, but if they already were
>>> stressed about the educaction or the complexity of a
>>> database, I gave the advice to search for another job to
>>> them, although some people managed your list of skills.
>>>
>>> So it is a nice list, but a technical one. So maybe another
>>> soft skills list next to it?
>>>
>>> Herald ten Dam
>>> Superconsult
>>>
>>> ________________________________________
>>> Van: oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org
>>> <mailto:oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org>
>>> [oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org
>>> <mailto:oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org>] namens Stefan Knecht
>>> [knecht.stefan_at_gmail.com <mailto:knecht.stefan_at_gmail.com>]
>>> Verzonden: dinsdag 15 september 2015 15:54
>>> Aan: Charles Schultz
>>> CC: Andrew Kerber; ORACLE-L
>>> Onderwerp: Re: Critical DBA Skills
>>>
>>> Some good point there already Andrew.
>>>
>>> One thing I'd add is a basic level of social skills (writing
>>> professional emails, attending or leading a technical phone
>>> call with a user or customer). This is more and more
>>> becoming an essential skill to have.
>>>
>>> Stefan
>>>
>>>
>>> On Tue, Sep 15, 2015 at 8:08 PM, Charles Schultz
>>> <sacrophyte_at_gmail.com
>>> <mailto:sacrophyte_at_gmail.com><mailto:sacrophyte_at_gmail.com
>>> <mailto:sacrophyte_at_gmail.com>>> wrote:
>>> This could turn into a very interesting conversation.
>>> Jumping ahead to the next question, how would one ascertain
>>> if these skills have been achieved? For instance, let us say
>>> you are hiring a candidate DBA - do you have them perform
>>> all 11 (or whatever the current number is) tasks as part of
>>> the interview? Can they be credentialed? Certified?
>>>
>>> Or in other words, what is the point of calling these
>>> "critical"? (playing the Devil's advocate here *grin*)
>>>
>>> I know Dan Morgan at one point had a dream of applying
>>> strict standards to DBAs, not unlike other professions like
>>> doctors. I am sure others have had similar thoughts over the
>>> decades. Is there a need to standardize DBA skills? Is there
>>> a need to have a piece of paper that says you passed a test?
>>> What problem are we trying to solve?
>>>
>>> I appreciate that you opened the door. Let's see what's on
>>> the other side. :)
>>>
>>>
>>> PS - I would tie this into the OT discussion about digital
>>> or open badges, which some want to see replace resumes.
>>>
>>> On Tue, Sep 15, 2015 at 7:59 AM, Andrew Kerber
>>> <andrew.kerber_at_gmail.com
>>> <mailto:andrew.kerber_at_gmail.com><mailto:andrew.kerber_at_gmail.com
>>> <mailto:andrew.kerber_at_gmail.com>>> wrote:
>>> Last night I put up a blog post at dbakerber.wordpress.com
>>> <http://dbakerber.wordpress.com/><http://dbakerber.wordpress.com
>>> <http://dbakerber.wordpress.com/>> on 11 critical skills for
>>> the beginning DBA. I plan to follow up by covering each
>>> skill in more detail. I would also be interested in comments
>>> from others on this list on what they consider critical DBA
>>> skills. You are welcome to comment on my blog, or respond
>>> (privately, unless others think this might be a useful
>>> discussion on the list) to me with your thoughts.
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPad--
>>> http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Charles Schultz
>>>
>>> --
>>> http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>
-- http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-lReceived on Wed Sep 16 2015 - 22:24:26 CEST