Re: Where does the DBA function sit in the organisation structure?

Regarding: "segments and how do you quantify the DBA workload?"

Your initial query was a good but rough start. I would propose the following:
Get totals by type of object:

select object_type,count(*)
from dba_objects
where owner not in ('SYS','SYSTEM')
group by object_type

[This assumes no application objects are created under the SYS or SYSTEM schemas]

Regarding where DBA function should reside..

I think that within the programming group in your environment would not be the right solution for the following reasons: 1. 7 full-time programmers with a staff of 7 should be sufficient without putting the DBA in that group. The DBA can do a better job of supporting these people being external to that group.
2. If the DBA is in the programming group, he/she would be doing too much programming and not enough DBA work.
3. The reason that the DBA might not be doing much tuning is precisely that he is thought of as a programmer at this point. 4. With tuning added as an ongoing responsibility there is more justification to keep DBA external. In this capacity tuning would not be considered a seconday item.

I have worked as a SR ORACLE DBA/consultant for about 7 years in 5 companies. In each instance the DBA was in a group separate from the programmers and performed DBA work which did not include programming. The DBA could give advice to the programmers on tuning SQL statements (This means DBA does not really need to know the GUI/front end software but needs to know SQL or PL/SQL very well). Received on Thu Nov 19 1998 - 00:00:00 CST