OT: A few years from now (Was: Ari's company/ Infoworld)

Mike,

>I wonder if a similar thought was echoed in 1991? Maybe all
>of the DBAs
>that were former DB2, etc DBAs could offer some war stories here. It's
>funny that databases have become more cumbersome to manage,
>not easier IMHO.
>DBAs have to understand more technologies that are outside the
>RDBMS box
>than ever before. Every time we get a new version it gets a
>little more
>complicated to manage. I suppose we should just put everything in
>autoextend mode, oversize the SGA and other memory structures
>and we would
>be able to manage 1000's of databases. Not likely now, or
>ever for that
>matter. All of the quick fixes leave out one particular fact:
>All databases
>are unique and have their share of unique problems. Thank goodness for
>that!

After having worked in Oracle databases for about 13 years (gosh - I am getting old!) both as a DBA/Sysadmin as well as a Developer, I can say the following:

Way back, there was no clear-cut distinction between a developer and a DBA (at least where I worked). The Developer (me) who knew most about the Database got to perform all that cool 'ior i' stuff (that's 'create database' in 5.1) and look at why more than one user could not update the table at a time (UPDATE/INSERT/DELETE used to lock at table level in 5.1 - we heaved a Huuuuge sigh of relief when 6.0 came in with row level locks). Now, the line between an 'Oracle Apps' DBA and a 'PeopleSlop' DBA and the 'rest of the DBAs' is beginning to emerge. Oracle would have us believe that there is an 'Internet DBA' and an 'ordinary DBA', and I myself can see the technology stack (as they say in Oracle 11i circles) evolving. And not forgetting the 'Production DBA' and the 'Development DBA'.

Yes, it is true that databases and the technology around the databases (which is equally important) have become cumbersome and increasingly complex, and it takes a while to understand let alone master them. However, a lot of the basic stuff has and will be increasingly automated or made better - a la LMT, AUTOEXTEND, Temporary tablespaces, GTT, etc. on the database side and the increasing number of GUI tools that makes a DBA's life easier.

Bottomline: If you are a DBBS (Data Base Baby Sitter), you may become redundant in the not too distant future. If you are what Oracle would term an 'Internet DBA' then you have an extension to your lease on DBA life (and the $$ that comes with it).

Needless to say, you need to 'keep running and running hard to stay in the same position'. Stop for a pause and you will be left behind.

I love carpentry and working with my hands. Chose the IT industry though because the $$ was better. Maybe I will get back to my first love when they make me redundant. People still appreciate nice woodwork and are/will be willing to pay for it...

John Kanagaraj

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