Re: database systems: an environment of roles & players

From: mountain man <hobbit_at_southern_seaweed.com.op>
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2005 09:20:07 GMT
Message-ID: <bfK9e.18725$5F3.14183@news-server.bigpond.net.au>

"dawn" <dawnwolthuis_at_gmail.com> wrote in message news:1113662390.905906.209840_at_g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> mountain man wrote:

>> "mAsterdam" <mAsterdam_at_vrijdag.org> wrote in message
>> news:4260d199$0$95207$e4fe514c_at_news.xs4all.nl...
>> > mountain man wrote:
>> >> "dawn" wrote
>> >>>mountain man wrote:
>> >>>
>> >>>>In the following tabulation we list a number of different
>> >>>>roles and players that would normally be associated with
>> >>>>the database systems environment at any organisation.
>> >>>
>> >>>Your list doesn't look like something "associated with the

> database

>> >>>systems environment at any organisation" but only with those
>> >>>organizations employing a relational model -- is that correct?
>> >>
>> >> No, it was supposed to be for any organisation over
>> >> a certain size, at which time they will all have invested
>> >> in some DBMS of some form.   It need not be related
>> >> to the RM.
>> > [snip]
>> >>>>==================================
>> >>>>   DATABASE SYSTEMS ROLE-TYPES
>> >>>>==================================
>> >>>>
>> >>>>--------------- Internal to the organisation:
>> >>>>I01 - business owner(s)
>> >>>>I02 - business executives and managers
>> >>>>I03 - general organisation work-groups/end-users
>> >>>>I04 - DBA
>> >>>
>> >>>This role, as typically defined in an organization supporting
>> >>>SQL-DBMS's does not exist at companies not supporting SQL-DBMS's.
>> >>>
>> >>>I would add a "data modeling" role, however, which seems to be

> required

>> >>>independent of implementation tools.
>> >
>> > The 'Data administrator' specializes in meaning, consistency,

> language

>> > used in datamodels. I have seen DA's in SQL and non SQL shops. I

> have also

>> > seen sites who should need a DA but lacked the cooperative culture

> needed

>> > to sustain the work.
>>
>>
>> Yes, one expects that this role has the greatest chance
>> of exhibiting understanding of data modelling.  However
>> you never know - because often other parties (roles)
>> itemised above also have these skills.
>

> Since you are not indicating "positions" but "roles" it makes sense to
> me to indicate that there is a role for data modeling, another for data
> administration, and another for database administration.

Roles (and the skill sets associated with them) probably change slightly from country to country, and decade to decade ;-)

>> >>>>I05 - IT manager
>> >>>>I06 - internal programmers
>> >>>>I07 - specialised development teams
>> >>>>I08 - Operations & help desk personnel
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>---------------  External to the organisation:
>> >
>> > Why the Internal/External split?
>>
>>
>> Usually the contractual responsibilities are different
>> between internal and external roles.
>

> For each of these roles, an individual playing that role might actually
> work for the company with the data being addressed or be contracted for
> either directly, through a contracting firm, or even through an
> outsourcing firm.

Of course.

> I agree that the Internal/External designation being
> applied to a role isn't helpful. If a particular position is assigned
> a role, it could also be assigned an employment classification.

Knowledge of the entire scope of role-types associated with the management of a database system - and their function - is useful, and the internal/external designation is helpful in managing the organisation.

>>  Also, it enables
>> a perspective to be placed on the self-independence
>> of an organisation on IT resources, and/or in the
>> complimentary sense, whether that organisation
>> relies heavily on outsourced skills.
>

> It would likely help to get more information on how you intend to use
> these classifications. What is the purpose of this information?

It is just a list of roles. Often people assume the perspective of one (or more) of these roles when arguing about the database system environment in general - or certain theory surrounding databases.

It is helpful to identify when this happens, and important to understand how all these different perspectives may be reconciled from a global perspective.

Pete Brown
Falls Creek
Oz
www.mountainman.com.au Received on Thu Apr 21 2005 - 04:20:07 CDT