Database Administration Basics

Basic Concepts and Definitions  Data Facts that can be recorded and stored  Metadata Data that describes properties or characteristics of other data  Information Data processed in such a way to increase the knowledge of the person who uses it  Database An organized, centrally-managed collection of data and metadata

Evolution of Database Technologies 1960’s1970’s1980’s1990’s2000+ Federated MDDB ……. Traditional Files Hierarchical Network Relational Object Object-Relational

Database System Components  Hardware  Software OS Applications  User interface  Application programs  CASE tools and utilities Database Management System  People End Users System Developers Data & Database Administrators  Data User data Metadata  Procedures Backup/Recovery Retention Ownership/Location…

DA vs DBA vs SA

IT Infrastructure System Administrator DBA (if no SA) ‏ Data and Metadata Policy Data Administrator Database Administrator (if no DA) ‏ Analysis Design Database Administrator Development Testing Implementation (database, application) ‏ Maintenance & Tuning

Task of DBA

 the DBA must understand relational design practices. relational theory and the specific implementation of the relational database management system (RDBMS) ‏ conceptual and logical data modeling techniques. The ability to create and interpret entity-relationship diagrams is essential to designing a relational database.

THERE ARE THREE MAIN FUNCTIONS: 1. Administration & management of Data Content 2. Administration & management of Data Structure 3. Administration & management of the Physical Database DBA Functions

1. Administration & management of Data Content which data is to be held on the database which users have what kind of access to the database which kind of users have access to individual items of data which consistency checks must be maintained when should data be removed DBA Functions

2.The administration and management of data structure. how many logical databases do we need ? what is the table column structure ?  normalisation  functional analysis  de normalisation how is security to be implemented ? DBA Functions

2.The administration and management of data structure (Cont.) ‏ how are consistency checks made ? how is access to be optimised ?  transactions  clustering  indexing  query optimisation how and when to re-organise the database ? DBA Functions

3.The administration and management of the physical database how many copies should run ?  machine sizing  operating system performance when and how should we perform backups?  database files  recovery log files DBA Functions

3.The administration and management of the physical database ( cont.) ‏ start-up and shutdown procedures.  DBMS parameters  control procedures what procedures are required to recover from system failures ?  export / import procedures  roll forward / rollback DBA Functions

Liaison with:  Management enterprise objectives time constraints for development budget constraints future plans organisational changes DBA Role

Liaison with:  Users data requirements application priorities ownership of data archiving requirements documentation response times DBA Role

Liaison with:  Application Development Staff security/privacy controls education/training data integrity rules housekeeping programs information about the database test plans etc. DBA Role

Liaison with:  Operations Staff availability requirements batch job priorities security procedures error recovery requirements performance monitoring etc. DBA Role

Liaison with:  Software Vendors Education/training needs Hardware requirements documentation service support & maintenance utilities etc. DBA Role

Liaison with:  Hardware Vendors hardware capabilities expansion capability incompatibility with any existing hardware servicing requirements training equipment failure DBA Role