July 2, 2010 at 1:47 pm
I recently started as an IT manager for a company (formerly a programmer elsewhere) without a DBA. And as Mark Magnus suggested back on page 1, there is a major problem for a team of this size (recently went from 2 programmers to 3) to justify a full time DBA. Especially since the nature of projects being worked on does not tend to involve large scale in users or in storage. We may bring in consultants either to fix existing designs when we can, or for larger new projects, but a permanent full time DBA likely isnt in the cards. Our best hope is to end up with a programmer who takes on the role.
I think this is the classic problem with the DBA role in SQL server. Tons of demand for "swiss-army" DBAs who do the work and develop the skills, but who perform some other function. Steady demand for experienced, proven expert level DBAs. But very little room for anything in between. If you want a full time dedicated DBA job you're competing with the experts, because the more entry level roles are going to programmers volunteering or being volunteered to learn DB work, too.
the SQL server DBA won't be going extinct any time soon, but I don't think I'd go so far as to recommend it as a career path.
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