What Database Administration Looks Like?

Answer 1

Computer technology has changed the way all organizations operate. The management of large amounts of data has become a mandatory objective for businesses. Data is generated by customer service operations, sales orders, inventory reports and other day-to-day activities. Specialized software and hardware is used to store data in a database. Database administrators design, implement and manage the operation of databases. They are responsible for not only the operation, but the efficiency and the security of their databases.

Database administrators sometimes have to migrate data from old databases into new databases, which can be very challenging because how the old database system was set up determined how the data was accessed. Transferring data from one system to another is one of the most stressful parts of this job, especially since the data transfer sometimes has to be done manually in order to circumvent incompatibilities between the two systems.

Aside from difficulties like these, the majority of the day-to-day activities of a database administrator consist of monitoring the database and making any adjustments or repairs as needed. Database management involves having detailed knowledge of the database structure, including external, internal and conceptual schema used for storing and transferring data. The risk of data loss must constantly be monitored, and database administrators have to move fast to protect data from corruption if the database somehow malfunctions.

Computer and network security has become especially important since the rise of orchestrated cyber attacks against major corporate and retail websites. Protecting the database from external attack is critical, and database administrators need to be able to react quickly to attempted attacks to prevent the database from becoming infected with malicious software such as a computer virus or otherwise damaged or corrupted. This risk is highlighted by the fact that many databases are connected to the internet and thus are exposed to the risk of remote cyber attacks.

Database administrators typically work in comfortable, well-lighted offices for forty hours per week, although they may work more if the situation demands. Salaries range from forty-nine to eighty-one thousand dollars per year.