Training for DBA job?
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Hello,
I've posted this message to the Certification forum too, but I'm not sure of how often responses come in on that forum, so I am posting here too for visibility. My apologies if this is considered poor etiquette.
Here is what I posted to the Certification forum. I hope someone can give me some advice:
I have decided to take the plunge and apply for a DBA job in my organization. That would switch me from being a developer to being a DBA. Although I have done some DBA tasks out of necessity (SQL 2000 mostly but now some SQL 2005 too), sometimes the amount of DBA info needed seems overwhelming.
Does anyone have suggestions for where I should start, first in terms of what to learn most quickly to secure the job and start well, and later, what other training or certification to pick to learn the most important things? Let me say that SQL Server Central has been a great resource for me so far.
I'd welcome advice on anything from (1) FAQs/best practices, (2) books, (3) in class training etc.
And, of course, any pointers about rookie errors to avoid would be greatly appreciated, things that new DBAs tend to think are a good idea at the time but are big mistakes. I want to avoid those. 😮
Thanks for any help!!
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A SQL query walks into a bar and sees two tables. He walks up to them and asks, "Can I join you?"
Ref.: http://tkyte.blogspot.com/2009/02/sql-joke.html -
Yes, if you mean do I know SQL Enterprise Manager, I do know it pretty well. I work in Query Analyzer daily, and increasingly I'm using Management Studio too.
Thanks for the advice regarding MatchSQL -- I'll check it out.
I've also done manual backups and restores on SQL 2000 and SQL 2005. But I haven't written scripted backups and restores, nor have I done some of the more advanced things (setting up security, linking servers, log shipping, reporting services, XML, etc.).
I have done manual DTS jobs, maintenance plans, table creation (manual and scripted), and I know basic normalization. I just want to know what would be good training and/or books or tools or best practices and habits to get into.
Thanks again.
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A SQL query walks into a bar and sees two tables. He walks up to them and asks, "Can I join you?"
Ref.: http://tkyte.blogspot.com/2009/02/sql-joke.html -
Hello webrunner,
I was in the same position as you about 4 yrs ago - a developer who became a dba. What I found the best was to first of all get my head stuck into a couple of books, specifically, Kalen Delaney's Inside SQL Server 2000, Itzik Ben-Gan's Advanced Transaction-SQL for SQL Server 2000, Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Administrator's Companion, Sql Server 2000 High Availability, and SQL Server 2000 Fast Answers for DBAs and Developers. These, along with sites like this one, I found to be invaluable in understanding the work of a DBA. If you are looking at SQL2005, then I would recommend Kalen's and Itzik's latest set of books, Inside Microsoft SQL Server 2005 - The Storage Engine; T-SQL Querying; T-SQL Programming; and Applied Techniques. The above books I treat as my bible set and pretty much have them with me all the time at work.
I wasn't too keen on the certification route in the early days as I had been given advice that a solid understanding was better than the qualification - and this was borne out in interviews I attended, often beating others to the post who held the certificates (incl. being given the opportunity of looking after multi-terabyte, mission-critical db systems). However, that said, I am now working towards the MCITP (SQL2005) for DBAs.
For class training, I have found a lot of courses wanting. The best course I have attend is one which Kimberly Tripp provided for the UK SQL Server User Group (Tony Rogerson) at Microsoft's Reading HQ. It was the 'SQL Server Tuning for High Performance' course and was superb.
As a developer working with data warehouses, I thought I had a good grasp of databases and getting the best out of them - wrong. I found DBA work to be a steep learning curve, but it wasn't impossible. It is a different mindset to that which I had as a developer, but I was able to change, with the help of the books above and sites like this one. I was very fortunate in that I had a great DBA mentor when I started on the road to being a Production DBA (who is often see in this site helping others
) who is now a good friend. So, if you know anyone who is a DBA, may be worth having a chat with them.I hope this helps and good luck with the plunge to become a DBA.
Rgds
Ian G.
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Hello Ian,
Thanks so much for your comments. They are extremely helpful!
Sincerely,
webrunner
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A SQL query walks into a bar and sees two tables. He walks up to them and asks, "Can I join you?"
Ref.: http://tkyte.blogspot.com/2009/02/sql-joke.html -
Read the articles from sql-server-performance.com and sqlservercentral.com related to sql administration.
Check the webcast on MS site...
Read sql forums...
MohammedU
Microsoft SQL Server MVP -
You might look and find some local Microsoft Certified training courses on ADMIN SQL Server. Hopefully you have a few in your town to pick from. The 5 day admin class is a little expensive but it gets you going through the paces and a knowledge transfer and you can mingle with our SQL Server DBA's too.
Depending on your knowledge level you could pick up the Developer or SQL Server Express version of SQL 2005, install it on your pc and really kick the tires on backup, restore, transferring data, altering tables, restoring master,msdb. That alone on a resume may sound like you are very interested in becoming a DBA.
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Thanks for your reply!
webrunner
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A SQL query walks into a bar and sees two tables. He walks up to them and asks, "Can I join you?"
Ref.: http://tkyte.blogspot.com/2009/02/sql-joke.html
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