Part time DBA to Fulltime DBA

  • Hello,

    I’m here to seek some advices as I am looking to join as a full time dba.

    I’m working with a software company past 4 years, I am sort of all-rounder kind of administrator involved in troubleshooting windows/hardware/networking configuration and SQL Server administration.

    Only since over a year I started to focus on SQL Administration front, like setting up mirroring, backup, restore, sql monitoring, and configuring sql on client’s environment.

    Our IT infrastructure is not up to the mark to try out complicated SQL Implementations since the company is just focused in selling their product to clients and not much in investing on itself when it comes to Maintenance and server’s availability. Recently I have been involved in setting up fail over options to our clients and I tried to endorse my bosses about the criticality of SQL Server administration since the product uses SQL Server as it is the back bone for the tool to run, recently I performed an successful migration from sql 2005 to 2008 but all that i have pursued has been completely ignored by my bosses and does not exist in their conscious so I’m looking to join another company as a Production DBA, at least in the country where I live we don’t have anything like Junior DBA and hence almost all employers are expecting at least 3yrs relevant experience, I went through a SQL Server administration course from a private institution and most of what the faculty was teaching was already known to me or it was easier for me to grasp. I’m not doubting my own skills when it comes to learning on SQL for which I have not had hands experience yet but conceptually I know almost all related to SQL Administration, i have been doing case study on SSH on SQL Availability, SQL Administration.

    I do not work on views/triggers or stored procedures but I do write tsql queries like select,inserts,ddl and some dmv’s, with this I do not know in which category I’m placed in. I need advice whether it is mandatory to know to write procedures, triggers even for a Production DBA and how I can support myself when I go to an interviews because I’m not an actual DBA in my current company.

  • A possible path of action for yourself.

    a. Purchase a copy of the Developer Edition of SQL Server 2012 ... last time I checked AMAZON had it for $50 USA dollars.

    b. Down load from

    http://msftdbprodsamples.codeplex.com/releases

    or http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143221(v=sql.105).aspx

    the sample database(s) for 2012.

    c. Check here on SQL Server Central the STAIRWAYS articles.

    d. Practice so you can learn enough T-SQL to be able to answer some reasonably difficult questions.

    If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.

    Ron

    Please help us, help you -before posting a question please read[/url]
    Before posting a performance problem please read[/url]

  • bitbucket-25253 (2/6/2013)


    A possible path of action for yourself.

    a. Purchase a copy of the Developer Edition of SQL Server 2012 ... last time I checked AMAZON had it for $50 USA dollars.

    b. Down load from

    http://msftdbprodsamples.codeplex.com/releases

    or http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143221(v=sql.105).aspx

    the sample database(s) for 2012.

    c. Check here on SQL Server Central the STAIRWAYS articles.

    d. Practice so you can learn enough T-SQL to be able to answer some reasonably difficult questions.

    +1

    Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
    _______________________________________________
    I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
    SQL RNNR
    Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
    Learn Extended Events

  • d. Practice so you can learn enough T-SQL to be able to answer some reasonably difficult questions

    Let me expand on the above ... practice .. here on SSC answering questions sharpening your skills to being able to supply as an answer tested and proven T-SQL ...

    If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.

    Ron

    Please help us, help you -before posting a question please read[/url]
    Before posting a performance problem please read[/url]

  • Thanks Ron,

    Yes i certainly have 4 SQL Server environments running right at my home on VMs, i feel it was enough to configure Clustering or such. I will follow up on the Stairway article which i was already doing yesterday on Integration levels and it was quite an amazing experience, what i meant i did not have hands on were like Raid or SAN involvement which i believe is an expensive investment to have it at home so i might have to look at some LAB to just have a eyes on it and pass around a bit to feel like i have worked on it.

    Regards,

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