Insider Tips for Database Administrators
Database administrators (DBAs) need to be proactive about properly protecting and storing company data, they need to stay on top of new technologies and they often have to lead teams of IT staff. It’s very much a leadership role and it requires knowing what’s important for your business and clients and what’s not. Here ae insider tips for DBAs who want to get it right:
Enable and empower people
As a DBA, you have to trust the people on your team. Enabling and empowering your team members doesn’t mean that you take a backseat role with regards to decisions; it means that you focus on keeping your finger on the pulse, have an in-depth knowledge of the reports that are provided to you and allow people to collaboratively come up with solutions and scenarios that could have a positive on your database management.
Good collaboration and coordination
People who are working in shifts and from different locations often resort to e-mails and IMs to stay connected with team members. While this type of communication is often necessary, it’s good to have daily meetings with the numerous brains and hands that keep mission critical database management running smoothly. Daily meetings will ensure that everyone is on the same page and it will also give you the feedback you need to know that your leadership role is working.
A pro-active approach is a must
As mentioned above, you will be collaborating with a wide variety of stakeholders. It’s vital that you don’t sit back and wait for problems to arise. The best DBAs are skilled at pre-empting issues and being proactive about providing value to clients.
Automate mundane tasks as much as possible
DBAs can easily become snowed under with mundane tasks. Make sure that you are good at not only delegating, but also automating various tasks. This will free up your time to allow you to innovate more.
Create processes and procedures
If you notice that certain tasks are repeated frequently, make sure you are proactive about setting up a step-by-step procedure. This will ensure that issues don’t slip through the cracks and that everyone is on the same page on how things need to get done.
Staying calm, cool and collected
It’s hard to trust a DBA that gets flustered easily, panics about potential threats or is confused about the state of a project. As a DBA, you need to make sure you are managing your stress effectively. Database administration is often a high-stress environment, so know what you need to stay cool, calm, collected and in control.
Be inquisitive and keep learning
There will always be new technologies, languages and customisations for you to explore. If you’ve got one aspect of your job down, new things will develop that might impact your other areas of responsibilities such as software upgrades or maintenance. Become an avid reader and an agile learner by staying involved in relevant online forums and discussions.
Contact RDB Consulting for more information about database administration and management. Website: www.rdbconsulting.com
