May 6, 2010 at 2:43 am
I am a 5 years experienced SQL Server DBA.
As soon as I was out of college, I was trained on SQL Server 2000 and pushed into Database Administrations. From user support to production support to operations and finally hardcore SQL stuff.
Had a baseline by working @Microsoft for first two years, had the opportunity to work on SQL 2000, 2005 and now 2008, clusters with 6 nodes, installations, migrations, ls, mirroring, not replication though and now query tuning, performance tuning, partitioning.
I have only one question in my head.... what next?
SQl Azure, the SQL 2012, end of world. What is the difference in 5 years exp SQL DBA and 25 years exp DBA? Its still DBA and from where I am right now, I dont see fun there.
I guess, I have done enough of DBA work, i better take a U turn an be a interior decorator or something.
May 6, 2010 at 3:02 am
sqlwars (5/6/2010)
I am a 5 years experienced SQL Server DBA.As soon as I was out of college, I was trained on SQL Server 2000 and pushed into Database Administrations. From user support to production support to operations and finally hardcore SQL stuff.
Had a baseline by working @Microsoft for first two years, had the opportunity to work on SQL 2000, 2005 and now 2008, clusters with 6 nodes, installations, migrations, ls, mirroring, not replication though and now query tuning, performance tuning, partitioning.
I have only one question in my head.... what next?
SQl Azure, the SQL 2012, end of world. What is the difference in 5 years exp SQL DBA and 25 years exp DBA? Its still DBA and from where I am right now, I dont see fun there.
I guess, I have done enough of DBA work, i better take a U turn an be a interior decorator or something.
Writing books 😀
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Thorn Bird...
May 6, 2010 at 3:35 am
ha...... good one...... what do i write on.... on my life?
May 6, 2010 at 3:42 am
5 Years is intermediate, and there are still loads to experience from SQL Server, contribute and develop.
Next on your agenda I would say is to go for MVP status.
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This thing is addressing problems that dont exist. Its solution-ism at its worst. We are dumbing down machines that are inherently superior. - Gilfoyle
May 6, 2010 at 6:29 am
It depends on where you want to go. I'd suggest either looking at more systems work, getting into the hardware & os configurations in a major way, or development, learning how to program & build the applications that your databases support. I came into DBA work from development instead of starting there, so I've always had an affinity for that and thought that it added a deeper layer of understanding for me for developers and their issues than many of my brother DBA's had, coming from different backgrounds.
IT is a huge, ever-expanding field. There's tons to know. Also, I'd be willing to bet, that even after five years, there is still tons and tons for you to learn in SQL Server. I've been doing SQL Server for about 15 years (out of a 20+ career) and I know that I don't know nearly enough. There's always more to learn.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
May 6, 2010 at 6:54 am
Henrico Bekker (5/6/2010)
Next on your agenda I would say is to go for MVP status.
Um.....
MVP status is not something that you should be 'going for' as a career goal. It's something that you get if you are active enough in the community.
Things you 'go for' are certification (including MCM), degrees, promotions, new jobs, etc.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
May 6, 2010 at 7:04 am
sqlwars (5/6/2010)
Its still DBA and from where I am right now, I dont see fun there.
So what do you consider fun? What interests you, what do you want to learn and work with?
Personally, I've been working with SQL now about 8 years (though not as a DBA), and I keep finding new areas of the product that I want to play with and learn.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
May 6, 2010 at 7:30 am
Sqlwars try to become as good as gail ,lynn ,jeff and other experts my aim is to become like one of them.....
May 6, 2010 at 8:36 am
You stated "I was trained on SQL Server 2000 and pushed into Database Administrations..." as if it wasn't your choice to make. You also mention you're not having fun, the end of the world, and something about interior decorating.
If you basically love working with SQL Server, but you're just bored with your current job or just tired of getting called at 2am in the morning to put out the same fires, then perhaps you need to polish up your resume, browse careerbuilder.com, and move on to other opportunities.
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
May 6, 2010 at 9:23 am
GilaMonster (5/6/2010)
Henrico Bekker (5/6/2010)
Next on your agenda I would say is to go for MVP status.Um.....
MVP status is not something that you should be 'going for' as a career goal. It's something that you get if you are active enough in the community.
Things you 'go for' are certification (including MCM), degrees, promotions, new jobs, etc.
yes Gail, yes....it was merely a (bad) way of telling him that there is more to accomplish and contribute.
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This thing is addressing problems that dont exist. Its solution-ism at its worst. We are dumbing down machines that are inherently superior. - Gilfoyle
May 6, 2010 at 9:26 am
People have accused me of being certified. I would merely claim to be certifiable.
The probability of survival is inversely proportional to the angle of arrival.
May 6, 2010 at 9:26 am
GilaMonster (5/6/2010)
Henrico Bekker (5/6/2010)
Next on your agenda I would say is to go for MVP status.Um.....
MVP status is not something that you should be 'going for' as a career goal. It's something that you get if you are active enough in the community.
Things you 'go for' are certification (including MCM), degrees, promotions, new jobs, etc.
I agree. If you get the MVP as a result of your efforts, congrats. However don't do something to get the award. That's not the intent.
May 6, 2010 at 9:28 am
My vote would be to do what you want. Do you like being a DBA? Is there something in SQL Server that interests you? I know that as you move up it can be hard to think about changing to do something else and losing money, but ultimately you ought to enjoy yourself.
After a decade of being a DBA, I found that all jobs were pretty similar. Some larger systems, some smaller. Sometimes I did more development, sometimes more ops/planning/dr. I learned more about SQL Server, new commands, new techniques, but the job was the same. I was OK with that.
Think about what you like, what you don't, then make a plan. The idea of the DBA job evolving doesn't necessarily occur. It can, but for the most part, being a DBA is working with data.
May 6, 2010 at 9:31 am
I have to agree. If you are not happy as a DBA, perhaps you should look at other areas such as development. SQL Server is such a large product, and there is so much to learn that no one person can really be an expert in all areas. Find something that interests you and go forward from there.
May 6, 2010 at 10:11 am
Getting involved with business intelligence tools like SSIS, SSAS, and SSRS will give your job some variety while leveraging your existing SQL Server knowledge. It will also get you out of the server room more and interacting face to face with coworkers in other departments, if that's something else that you're missing.
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
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