Database Administrator

Overview and Key Facts

What Do They Do?

A database administrator could...

Overview Listen to this section

Databases are collections of similar records, like the products a company sells, information on all people with a driver's license for a state, or the medical records in a hospital. Database administrators have the important job of figuring out how to organize, access, store, search, cross-reference, and protect all those records. Their services are needed by law enforcement, government agencies, and every type of business imaginable. Management of large databases is also critical for scientific research, including understanding and developing cures for diseases.

Do You Have the Skills and Characteristics of a Database Administrator?

1. Critical Thinking: ? Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
2. Complex Problem Solving: ? Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
3. Judgment and Decision Making: ? Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
4. Active Listening: ? Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
5. Active Learning: ? Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

6. Reading Comprehension: ? Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
7. Writing: ? Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
8. Systems Analysis: ? Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
9. Systems Evaluation: ? Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
10. Monitoring: ? Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Core Tasks

Think about if you'd like the typical tasks a Database Administrator might do:

• Test programs or databases, correct errors, and make necessary modifications.
• Plan, coordinate and implement security measures to safeguard information in computer files against accidental or unauthorized damage, modification or disclosure.
• Modify existing databases and database management systems or direct programmers and analysts to make changes.
• Specify users and user access levels for each segment of database.
• Write and code logical and physical database descriptions and specify identifiers of database to management system or direct others in coding descriptions.
• Develop standards and guidelines to guide the use and acquisition of software and to protect vulnerable information.
• Review procedures in database management system manuals for making changes to database.
• Revise company definition of data as defined in data dictionary.
• Train users and answer questions.
• Review workflow charts developed by programmer analyst to understand tasks computer will perform, such as updating records.
• Approve, schedule, plan, and supervise the installation and testing of new products and improvements to computer systems, such as the installation of new databases.
• Identify and evaluate industry trends in database systems to serve as a source of information and advice for upper management.
• Develop data model describing data elements and how they are used, following procedures and using pen, template or computer software.
• Identify, evaluate and recommend hardware or software technologies to achieve desired database performance.
• Plan and install upgrades of database management system software to enhance database performance.
• Provide technical support to junior staff or clients.
• Test changes to database applications or systems.