Database Administration
Technological, managerial and cultural aspects; the Data Administrator (DA) vs the Database Administrator (DBA).
Contents
- Explain the evolution of database administration
- Discuss the role of the Data Administrator (DA)
- Discuss the role of the Database Administrator (DBA)
Why database administration matters
A DBMS is just a tool for managing data; it must be used effectively to produce the desired results. Introducing a DBMS is a big change and can have a big impact — positive or negative, depending on how it is administered.
The process involves three important aspects:
| Aspect | Concerned with |
|---|---|
| Technological | DBMS software and hardware |
| Managerial | Administrative functions |
| Cultural | Corporate resistance to change |
Technological aspect
- Selecting, installing, configuring and monitoring the DBMS, to make sure it handles data storage, access and security efficiently.
- Managed by people with the technical skills to support all users — programmers, managers and end users.
- Staffing of database administration is a key consideration: personnel need a mix of technical and managerial skills.
This aspect has major financial impact: the choice of database platform should be planned ahead for at least ~5 years.
Managerial aspect
- A high-quality DBMS does not guarantee a high-quality information system.
- Requires careful planning to create an appropriate organizational structure.
- Personnel need excellent interpersonal and communication skills, plus broad organizational and business understanding.
- Top management must be committed to the new system and support the goals and roles of the database administration function.
Cultural impact
A DBMS is likely to affect people, functions and interactions:
- additional personnel may be required;
- new roles are allocated;
- employee performance might be evaluated differently.
Individual department managers must surrender ownership of “their” data to the data administration function and share it with the rest of the company. People may be unwilling to use the information provided and may question its accuracy. The database administration department must listen to end users’ concerns and act by educating them about the benefits.
Organizational culture is the shared values, beliefs, customs and written/unwritten rules that shape how an organization behaves. Introducing a DBMS means managing change through three stages:
- Unfreeze — people are comfortable with the status quo; significant effort (“push” methods, then “pull”) is needed to get them ready for change.
- Transition — change is a journey, not a single step. It takes time, leadership, coaching and support; leaders must not expect everyone to cross in one bound.
- Refreeze — establish the new way of working as the stable norm.
Evolution of the database administration function
- Data administration developed as organizations evolved from departmental data processing → centralised electronic data processing (EDP) → a formal information systems department.
- Typical file systems behaved as distinct “islands of information”.
- As applications began to share a common data repository, the need for centralised data management became clear → the database administration function was introduced.
Data administration vs database administration
Many large organizations have two main roles for managing company data:
A high-level function responsible for the overall management of data resources in an organization, including maintaining corporate-wide definitions and standards.
A technical function responsible for technical issues such as security enforcement, database performance, and backup and recovery.
In a small organization, the same person often does both.
Data Administrator (DA) responsibilities
- High-level corporate function, responsible for controlling the overall corporate data resources — both computerised and manual, including data outside the scope of the DBMS.
- Covers a larger area of operations than the DBA.
- Strong managerial orientation with company-wide scope.
- Sets data administration goals.
- Sets data policies, procedures and standards.
- Long-term planning.
- Involved in the conceptual and logical design of a database system (because they understand the business data requirements).
- Database security is a concern of the DA in association with the DBA.
- The DBA may report to the DA, depending on organizational structure.
Database Administrator (DBA)
- Lower level and more technically oriented than the DA.
- Involved in the physical design of database systems.
- Has a narrower, DBMS-specific scope.
- On the data management side, concerned with controlling the database:
- Centralised and shared databases.
- Distributed databases can force the organization to decentralise data administration: the system DBA defines and delegates responsibilities to each local DBA, which imposes more complex coordinating activities.
DBA’s responsibilities
Coordinating, monitoring and allocating database administration resources — in eight areas:
- Selection of DBMS, utilities and hardware
- End-user support
- Enforcing policies, procedures and standards
- Data security, privacy and integrity
- Data backup and recovery
- Data distribution and use
- Design and implementation of databases and applications
- Authorisation management
1. Selection of DBMS, utilities and hardware
An important technical responsibility. Factors to consider:
DBMS modelStorage capacityApplication development supportSecurity & integrityBackup & recoveryConcurrency controlPerformanceDBA toolsData distributionPortability & standardsHardwareVendor training & supportThird-party toolsCost
e.g. development support (does it work with PHP/Java?), performance (Access vs SQL Server), hardware (servers, terminals, network).
2. End-user support
- User requirements gathering (including resolving conflicts inside the organization)
- Conflict and problem resolution
- Finding solutions to information needs (e.g. reports)
- Ensuring quality and integrity of applications and data (working with developers on embedded SQL, enforcing integrity rules e.g. via triggers)
- Building user confidence
- Managing training and support of DBMS users
3. Policies, procedures and standards
Continuous enforcement of:
| Term | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Policies | General statements of direction that support goals | “All customer data must be backed up.” |
| Standards | More detailed and specific than policies; describe minimum requirements | “Passwords ≥ 12 characters; table names singular, PascalCase.” |
| Procedures | Written instructions describing a series of steps to be followed | “Steps to create a new user account.” |
The DA sets policies, procedures and standards; the DBA enforces them.
4. Data security, privacy and integrity
- Of great concern to DBAs.
- With distributed data, control, security and integrity are harder to maintain.
- Must use the security and integrity mechanisms provided by the DBMS (authorization, authentication, constraints).
- Must team up with Internet security experts to build firewalls and proxy services against external attacks.
5. Data backup and recovery
- Periodic data and application backups, with tools to ensure backup and recovery.
- Proper backup identification — detailed descriptions and dates so the correct backup is used.
- Convenient and safe storage — multiple backups stored at different locations (e.g. if the server room burns down).
- Physical protection of hardware and software — restricted access, fire protection, air conditioning.
- Personal access control to the database software — multilevel passwords and privileges.
6. Data distribution and use
- Data is only useful if it reaches the right users, in a timely fashion, in the right format.
- This is time-consuming in a typical application-programming environment.
- The Internet has opened databases to corporate users, who can use more sophisticated query tools and web front ends, reducing dependency on application programmers.
- The DBA must enforce procedures and standards (authorization and authentication) for this access.
7. Design and implementation of databases and applications
- Provides data modelling and design services to the end-user community.
- Implements the physical database.
- Develops, tests and implements the operational procedures for the new system: training, security, backup and recovery plans; assigning responsibility for database control and maintenance; authorising users’ application access; fine-tuning and/or reconfiguring the DBMS.
8. Authorisation management
| Area | Activities |
|---|---|
| User access management | Define each user; assign passwords; define user groups; assign access privileges; physical access control |
| View definition | Define views to protect and control the scope of data accessible to users |
| DBMS utilities access control | Place limits on the use of query and reporting tools |
| DBMS usage monitoring | Audit the use of data in the database; create an audit log |
Contrasting DA and DBA
| Data Administrator (DA) | Database Administrator (DBA) |
|---|---|
| Strategic planning | Control and supervision |
| Sets long-term goals | Executes plans to reach goals |
| Sets policies and standards | Enforces policies and procedures; enforces programming standards |
| Broad scope | Narrow scope |
| Long term | Short-term focus on daily operations |
| Managerial orientation | Technical orientation |
| DBMS independent | DBMS specific |
| Conceptual & logical design | Physical design |
For “compare DA and DBA” questions, give each difference as a pair (strategic vs control, sets vs enforces, broad vs narrow, long-term vs daily, managerial vs technical, DBMS-independent vs DBMS-specific). A table answer is ideal.