Confessions of a Database Administrator

“The days of simple database management, if there ever was such a thing, are long gone. I’m finding trials around every corner. So much depends on the peak performance of databases—the very heart of IT—that the pressure is almost unbearable. I must confess the challenges I face every day."

OK, so most database administrators (DBAs) probably don’t spend much time in server room confessionals offering up such heartfelt ruminations, but, if they did, we imagine at least one might sound a little like the above monologue. Between exponentially growing volumes of data, increasingly complex infrastructures that rely on peak database performance and the fact that more DBAs are being asked to manage multiple database platforms, the job definitely isn’t getting any easier. So, at SolarWinds, we asked our thwack community of IT professionals what challenges they would like to confess, and this slideshow is based on their responses. By following best practices, peak-performing databases are within your grasp. First, document consistent processes for ensuring integrity and security, such as backup and restore, encryption, detection of anomalies and security events in logs. Then save on costs by ensuring team members can spend enough time proactively optimizing the databases. Be sure to have a common set of goals, metrics and service-level agreements across all databases, ideally based on application response times, not just uptimes. Finally, establish a road map for moving to the cloud (or not) and for reducing workload costs by moving databases to lower-license-cost versions or open-source alternatives.