How to become sql server dba

  • Hi

    I am Ghanshyam Gupta , currently working on CRM customization and having more than 3 years experience in IT filed, but now I want to start my carrier as a sql server dba.

    Please provide me some guidence how to start my carrier as a dba, how to get job in this field , how to prepare

    Should i take any certification in this field or how to get job as a sql server dba without leaving current job or should i leave current job.

    I am very upset for my carrier path.

    Please help me.

    Thanks & Regards

    Ghanshyam Gupta

  • 1- Take Microsoft training

    2- Get certified

    3- Get a job as Transact-SQL developer

    4- Get an entry level job as SQL Server DBA

    _____________________________________
    Pablo (Paul) Berzukov

    Author of Understanding Database Administration available at Amazon and other bookstores.

    Disclaimer: Advice is provided to the best of my knowledge but no implicit or explicit warranties are provided. Since the advisor explicitly encourages testing any and all suggestions on a test non-production environment advisor should not held liable or responsible for any actions taken based on the given advice.
  • The best step will be to ask your DBA if you can do some work with him, get some t-sql books.

    Install SQL at home, practise on it, look at sites like this then go and apply for work as a jnr DBA or dba assistant and work and learn for the snr dba.

    Take some courses if you can however, most of these will just teach you the theory practical is what you need. To be a good DBA you will need to learn to say no, Also you well have to be calm if your going to become a production dba as you will get alot of bad issues. The good news to be a production dba you wont need to know every thing about programming t-sql or any other langauge but it does help. Production DBAs are in charge of the production env, and will monitor backups, databases running commands like dbcc checkalloc and checkdb and so on. maintaince of databases. how to monitor performance and tuning where nessecery. now if you want to be an application dba you will need to be able to programme and write nice code and work with the prod dba on issues and be-able to change code where neccesry.

    Good luck if you need a mentor I am always here. 🙂 if I cant help on everything then the forum is here. 🙂

    Terry

  • Sir I searched a lot of jobs for junior level or entry level sql server dba, but did not find any such job.

    Could you provide me some onlie trainig sites or books from where i can learn.

    Thanks

    Ghanshyam Gupta

  • If you want to be a DBA and you want really good, worth their weight in gold books that apply to being a DBA. Goto Amazon.com and search for Kalen Delaney. Any of her Inside SQL Server 2005 books is well worth the cost to purchase them. I own all of them, and they are a constant source of information. Another book that is really good is Ken Henderson's SQL Server 2005 Practical Troubleshooting.

    I became a DBA by working through the development ranks for a few years. If you position yourself where you can learn performance tuning and the likes, you get to play with the internals side of things, which leads towards DBA type tasks.

    Jonathan Kehayias | Principal Consultant | MCM: SQL Server 2008
    My Blog | Twitter | MVP Profile
    Training | Consulting | Become a SQLskills Insider
    Troubleshooting SQL Server: A Guide for Accidental DBAs[/url]

  • Jonathan Kehayias (2/10/2009)


    If you want to be a DBA and you want really good, worth their weight in gold books that apply to being a DBA. Goto Amazon.com and search for Kalen Delaney. Any of her Inside SQL Server 2005 books is well worth the cost to purchase them. I own all of them, and they are a constant source of information. Another book that is really good is Ken Henderson's SQL Server 2005 Practical Troubleshooting.

    I became a DBA by working through the development ranks for a few years. If you position yourself where you can learn performance tuning and the likes, you get to play with the internals side of things, which leads towards DBA type tasks.

    I second all of the above.

  • gupta1282 (2/10/2009)


    Sir I searched a lot of jobs for junior level or entry level sql server dba, but did not find any such job.

    Could you provide me some onlie trainig sites or books from where i can learn.

    Thanks

    Ghanshyam Gupta

    The problem with finding a entry level DBA job is Companies don't want to risk the data loss with someone novice in the field. I have some colleagues who work as Developers and do some DBA stuff do but guess what the comapny has puny data and that some basic issues are resolved by them with the help of google.

    As someone suggested above become a Developer first or get help from any friend who happens to be a DBA..

    Start with SQL Express at home. DBA is not just a 9-5 job, especially when a PRODUCTION DBA..

    Even though I am busy with my 22 Production Servers I LOVE MY JOB as a DBA...

    terryj that was a good one 'LEARN TO SAY NO As a DBA'

    Thanks!!

    The_SQL_DBA
    MCTS

    "Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives."

  • I like Jonathan's advice. The other things I'd recommend are:

    - Don't get certified now. Do that when you have a little experience working with the product, even in side projects.

    - Read a lot, and work through examples. Get this daily newsletter, read the articles, work through the QOD, etc. Ask questions in the forums about specifics you don't understand.

    - Work on the product. Mimic your DBA, do what he does, or ask if you can do some simple tasks (security, create tables, etc.) under his/her supervision.

  • gupta1282 (2/8/2009)


    now I want to start my carrier as a sql server dba.

    Why do you want to be a DBA? What is it about that career that attracts you?

    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

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • GilaMonster (2/10/2009)


    gupta1282 (2/8/2009)


    now I want to start my carrier as a sql server dba.

    Why do you want to be a DBA? What is it about that career that attracts you?

    I ask myself that same question sometimes. Usually at 2:30am when I am driving to the office to begin a maintenance task like installing SP3 on SQL 2005 because the only window for downtime is 3-5am for some server, and then 5am-7am for others. At that point the regular work day starts and I really begin to question why I do this.

    Aside from those moments, I love my job.

    Jonathan Kehayias | Principal Consultant | MCM: SQL Server 2008
    My Blog | Twitter | MVP Profile
    Training | Consulting | Become a SQLskills Insider
    Troubleshooting SQL Server: A Guide for Accidental DBAs[/url]

  • Although SQL Server Express is free, I'd actually spend the $50.00 USD and purchase SQL Server Developers Edition, either 2005 or 2008, for use at home. It gives you all power of the Enterprise Edition, just not to be used in a production environment.

  • I'd suggest you also read this article.....

    http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Administration/61680/

  • Hi Ghanashyam,

    I am Venu , may i know why r u want to starting u r career as DBA? I am asking this bcoz i am fresher to IT field and having only an experience of 8 months in IT field, and my career is going to start as DBA only.Can u let me know what are the adds and odds in the DBA field ?

    Thank for this.

    Venu Gopal.K
    Software Engineer
    INDIA

  • Jonathan Kehayias (2/10/2009)

    I ask myself that same question sometimes. Usually at 2:30am when I am driving to the office to begin a maintenance task like installing SP3 on SQL 2005 because the only window for downtime is 3-5am for some server, and then 5am-7am for others. At that point the regular work day starts and I really begin to question why I do this.

    Aside from those moments, I love my job.

    VPN 🙂 Worked for my all-nighter on Monday

  • homebrew01 (3/18/2009)


    Jonathan Kehayias (2/10/2009)

    I ask myself that same question sometimes. Usually at 2:30am when I am driving to the office to begin a maintenance task like installing SP3 on SQL 2005 because the only window for downtime is 3-5am for some server, and then 5am-7am for others. At that point the regular work day starts and I really begin to question why I do this.

    Aside from those moments, I love my job.

    VPN 🙂 Worked for my all-nighter on Monday

    THANK G-D for VPN. Otherwise i'd never see the wife! {so maybe its not such a great invention}

    Adam Zacks-------------------------------------------Be Nice, Or Leave

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