RE: Definition of Top Class DBA
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2014 02:17:46 +0000
Message-ID: <0f5f448f079e4b2ea4eb2d9d9fe01ce1_at_exch13-mail03.win.slac.stanford.edu>
Is not all planning "prior"? Interestingly this was referred to as P**7 in the old days. Perhaps someone noticed prior is redundant. Credit for noticing this goes to my sister the first time shew heard it.
Most of the time databases just run. Long hours, however, are not totally avoidable. They can be much reduced. Nearly everything can be scripted. The idea is to keep surprises to a minimum. This entails a full understanding of not only the database configurations, but also the server as well, and especially knowing where production differs from test.
This understanding is especially true when not everything in the past was done by you personally. Proper documentation goes hand-in-hand with planning. You never know when the part of a system maintained primarily by someone else will develop problems while that person is on vacation and unreachable, or conversely something which is your primary responsibility develops a problem while you are on vacation and reachable.
Too be fair, I think 96 hours was a bit of a hyperbole. Some things are necessarily done outside the normal work day at places where the budget makes it impossible to implement the redundancy which would prevent most of it. Not everything is solvable by redundancy. Sometimes it is the replication product which is unaffordable. So now we have planning, documentation, and money. Money is nearly always the least limiting factor.
It also depends somewhat on what type of person you are. I like to address a problem until I have the solution or at least made progress which I find satisfactory. Others can put the problem aside at quitting time and not even think about it until the next day. Often I can simply lose track of time as I address a problem. A great many of these problems have solutions which lie outside the database in working the problem I can either still provide the solution or direct people to where to look.
Large projects as their go live date nears often result in a flood of requests for a DBA's time from several groups simultaneously. This can result in longer days as well.
Converting from a modus operandi which is based on, " I can figure out any problem which will arise", to one in which much effort is spent to know everything that will happen in advance takes time. Start the effort when you have only a few databases to look after, even though the benefits may not be so readily apparent. Believe me, it much harder later when the number of databases and customers has grown to appoint where the change is absolutely necessary.
Finally, there are times when the answer is hiring another DBA. When to do this can be difficult as DBA workload often waxes and wanes. It might be interesting to find out when people think it's time to add another DBA.
Ian MacGregor
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
-----Original Message-----
From: oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org [mailto:oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org] On Behalf Of Mark W. Farnham
Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2014 3:29 PM
To: tim_at_evdbt.com; oracle-l_at_freelists.org
Subject: RE: Definition of Top Class DBA
+1 to what Tim wrote.
Although I was tempted to reply “someone who could work 96 hours without sleep but never had to on her or his own stuff because proper prior planning prevents piss poor performance.” (6P in the milspec, and that is not a counting mistake. Who wants to explain why?
A good ad would be: Wanted: a DBA who is good enough to plan to be lazy. You keep it running all the time and we won’t ask many questions except what you need to keep it that way.
mwf
From: oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org [mailto:oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org] On Behalf Of Tim Gorman
Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2014 6:12 PM
To: oracle-l_at_freelists.org
Subject: Re: Definition of Top Class DBA
"I do not think it means what you think it means."
On 9/4/14, 15:51, Thomas Roach wrote:
I always thought World Class DBA meant someone who could work 96 hours without sleep and live on Nachos, Pizza, and Mountain Dew.
On Thu, Sep 4, 2014 at 1:10 PM, John Piwowar <jpiwowar_at_gmail.com> wrote:
Agreed that you need to look at the position description and research the organization. No one posts a job ad for "Pretty Good DBA" or "World-class aspirant DBA."
Best conversation about titles I ever had was during a team meeting with my CTO. We had 4 people on the team. It went like this: "I don't care too much about titles. As far as I'm concerned, the only title that matters is 'Guy who gets sh*t done.' I'm the guy who gets sh*t done. *You're* the guy that gets sh*t done. You're the gal who gets sh*t done; You're the gal who gets sh*t done; and you're the guy who gets sh*t done." We got a lot done. ;-) On Thu, Sep 4, 2014 at 9:33 AM, Bobby Curtis <curtisbl_at_gmail.com> wrote: Everyone has good points on this topic, I’ll just add my 2 cents... I don’t think titles amount to a hill-of-beans at times; many people chase titles trying to get a head, I’ll admit I was one until a few years ago when I met some really cool people in the Oracle community. A title like “World-class DBA” is just someone in management or HR trying to find a resource. I see it all the time in emails from recruiters. Additionally, I have this discussion with my mother, of all people, who is an Senior HR Specialist. She has no clue what I do for a living or what the technology is; absolutely clueless at times. Management and HR just want to fill a seat to keep the business going. Using catchy position titles is one way they do that. If you find the position interesting from looking at the details and it seems like something you want to do, then apply and go after it. If you don’t live up to the standards outlined for the job announcement set forth by management or HR then you at least, as Seth points out, have a networking opportunity. If you make it into the position, you at least have a chance to prove yourself. Don’t let meaningless titles from people who don’t know our industry stop you from moving forward. In the end, what I think a lot of people define as “Top Class DBA” or “World Class DBA” is derived from their perception of the person they are talking to. Don’t let someone’s perception of you keep you for achieving your goals! Just my 2 cents.. Bobby Curtis curtisbl_at_gmail.com http://about.me/dbasolved On Sep 4, 2014, at 11:20, Andrew Kerber <andrew.kerber_at_gmail.com> wrote: When I see that kind of description (as opposed to senior DBA or just specifying years of experience), I immediately suspect that the job requirements were written by HR rather than the manager who is looking for the DBA. On Wed, Sep 3, 2014 at 11:19 PM, Dimensional DBA <dimensional.dba_at_comcast.net> wrote: I would agree with Seth as in not worrying so much about the management fluff or extra phrasology when you go to apply for a job, but you should be ready to answer that question if they listed it as a requirement of what makes you think you are a “World Class DBA?” I have had some interviewers actually go down the list of skills on the sheet they published and went through every point including those added management phrases… Matthew Parker Chief Technologist 425-891-7934 (cell) Dimensional.dba_at_comcast.net View Matthew Parker's profile on LinkedIn <http://www.linkedin.com/pub/matthew-parker/6/51b/944/> From: oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org [mailto:oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org] On Behalf Of Seth Miller Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2014 8:59 PM To: Kumar Madduri Cc: oracle Freelists Subject: Re: Definition of Top Class DBA Kumar, Those terms are written by management, HR or more likely, whomever they hired (that wouldn't know a database if it slapped them in the face) to find candidates. Don't let meaningless nomenclature influence your opinion and most importantly, don't let anything about a job posting prevent you from applying. If you are way under-qualified for a position and you manage to get an interview, the very worst thing that could happen is you get an hour of networking, invaluable interviewing practice and finding out exactly what that company is really looking for. Seth Miller On Wed, Sep 3, 2014 at 10:41 PM, Kumar Madduri <ksmadduri_at_gmail.com> wrote: Hello: In several job postings, key words like 'Top Class DBA', 'World Class DBA' and other such adjectives are used. While every organization wants those kind of DBAs, how do you define it or measure it. I may be a 'Top Class DBA' at my place but 'Lowly DBA' for some other org or some other DBAs and vice versa (I could be lowly dba where I am but could be top class where I would get a job). I think words like 'Top Class DBA' intimidates me (personally).. I am probably opening a pandora's box here but wanted to get the opinion of elite members of this group. Thank you Kumar
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Andrew W. Kerber 'If at first you dont succeed, dont take up skydiving.'
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Thomas Roach 813-404-6066 troach_at_gmail.com
i0zX+ n{+i^ Received on Fri Sep 05 2014 - 04:17:46 CEST