Where should the DBA position be in the IT structure?

  • I know there are a lot of answers depending on the size and type of organization, so let me qualify the question as a DBA working for a non-profit institution with around 500 employees. Meaning, the DBA does db admin, server admin, some development, and some reporting - both of the later for various departments.

    Right now I am in the Server & Network group, meaning I am a Domain Admin and I do a lot of non-database work like setting up servers, administering AD, scripting, ordering hardware, etc. This has many advantages, but I get derailed from my real job fairly often.

    So I am wondering if I should be in more of an Applications group, or some other area. I would like to know where others are in their organizational hierarchy. Thanks.

    Steve

  • for me, there's serveral flavors of DBA's..there sthe DBA that does what yuo are probably doing...mostly administrative, handling backups, traces and the servers themselves.

    a Development DBA, which (for me anyway) works closly witht eh developers, and writes SQL's, procs and table definitions, then helps tune them.

    other flavors of DBAs might be someone more oriented with BI, or someone who specializes more in reporting, wether with SSRS or otherwise.

    Lowell


    --help us help you! If you post a question, make sure you include a CREATE TABLE... statement and INSERT INTO... statement into that table to give the volunteers here representative data. with your description of the problem, we can provide a tested, verifiable solution to your question! asking the question the right way gets you a tested answer the fastest way possible!

  • There is also the 1-man shop type of dba where the DBA /Domain Admin/Janitor pretty much does everything.

    It really depends on the organization as to where the DBA falls in the "Tree."

    It is easier to just focus on the DBA work and only have access to those things you really need (i.e. not being a domain admin 😉 ).

    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

  • SQLRNNR (11/17/2011)


    There is also the 1-man shop type of dba where the DBA /Domain Admin/Janitor pretty much does everything.

    It really depends on the organization as to where the DBA falls in the "Tree."

    It is easier to just focus on the DBA work and only have access to those things you really need (i.e. not being a domain admin 😉 ).

    Jason is that your kind of shop, by chance? mine's not a one man show, but i did make the coffee this morning 🙂

    Lowell


    --help us help you! If you post a question, make sure you include a CREATE TABLE... statement and INSERT INTO... statement into that table to give the volunteers here representative data. with your description of the problem, we can provide a tested, verifiable solution to your question! asking the question the right way gets you a tested answer the fastest way possible!

  • Lowell (11/17/2011)


    SQLRNNR (11/17/2011)


    There is also the 1-man shop type of dba where the DBA /Domain Admin/Janitor pretty much does everything.

    It really depends on the organization as to where the DBA falls in the "Tree."

    It is easier to just focus on the DBA work and only have access to those things you really need (i.e. not being a domain admin 😉 ).

    Jason is that your kind of shop, by chance? mine's not a one man show, but i did make the coffee this morning 🙂

    Not currently, but I did work in a shop like that about 8yrs ago. I was the dev, dba, net admin, and yes - janitor.

    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

  • SQLRNNR (11/17/2011)


    Lowell (11/17/2011)


    SQLRNNR (11/17/2011)


    There is also the 1-man shop type of dba where the DBA /Domain Admin/Janitor pretty much does everything.

    It really depends on the organization as to where the DBA falls in the "Tree."

    It is easier to just focus on the DBA work and only have access to those things you really need (i.e. not being a domain admin 😉 ).

    Jason is that your kind of shop, by chance? mine's not a one man show, but i did make the coffee this morning 🙂

    Not currently, but I did work in a shop like that about 8yrs ago. I was the dev, dba, net admin, and yes - janitor.

    Hey that's me!

    At least one of the other it guys thinks I'm the janitor & that my desk is a dump site. :pinch:

  • Ninja's_RGR'us (11/17/2011)


    SQLRNNR (11/17/2011)


    Lowell (11/17/2011)


    SQLRNNR (11/17/2011)


    There is also the 1-man shop type of dba where the DBA /Domain Admin/Janitor pretty much does everything.

    It really depends on the organization as to where the DBA falls in the "Tree."

    It is easier to just focus on the DBA work and only have access to those things you really need (i.e. not being a domain admin 😉 ).

    Jason is that your kind of shop, by chance? mine's not a one man show, but i did make the coffee this morning 🙂

    Not currently, but I did work in a shop like that about 8yrs ago. I was the dev, dba, net admin, and yes - janitor.

    Hey that's me!

    At least one of the other it guys thinks I'm the janitor & that my desk is a dump site. :pinch:

    i guess that is true of all consultants - crap

    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

  • SQLRNNR (11/17/2011)


    Ninja's_RGR'us (11/17/2011)


    SQLRNNR (11/17/2011)


    Lowell (11/17/2011)


    SQLRNNR (11/17/2011)


    There is also the 1-man shop type of dba where the DBA /Domain Admin/Janitor pretty much does everything.

    It really depends on the organization as to where the DBA falls in the "Tree."

    It is easier to just focus on the DBA work and only have access to those things you really need (i.e. not being a domain admin 😉 ).

    Jason is that your kind of shop, by chance? mine's not a one man show, but i did make the coffee this morning 🙂

    Not currently, but I did work in a shop like that about 8yrs ago. I was the dev, dba, net admin, and yes - janitor.

    Hey that's me!

    At least one of the other it guys thinks I'm the janitor & that my desk is a dump site. :pinch:

    i guess that is true of all consultants - crap

    They don't think of you as an employee so it's their space & stuff.

    That being said, you'd think that after 3 years non-stop they would quit with that crap! 😛

  • To get back to the original question, Jason and Remi :-P.

    I think we need more information about what your job duties are supposed to be before anyone can really say where you should be.

    If you are an operational DBA, meaning mostly backups, monitoring, patches, applying best practices, security, then I think you should be in the Server & Network group, but not necessarily a domain admin.

    If you are doing more development (sp's, database design, etc...) and T-SQL tuning then you should be more closely aligned with the application development group.

    If you have to do it all, then you really should be your own group and report directly to the head of the IT department.

    These are just my opinions and how I'd want to be aligned based on duties. Ideally I'd like to be in the last option.

  • Jack Corbett (11/17/2011)


    To get back to the original question, Jason and Remi :-P.

    I think we need more information about what your job duties are supposed to be before anyone can really say where you should be.

    If you are an operational DBA, meaning mostly backups, monitoring, patches, applying best practices, security, then I think you should be in the Server & Network group, but not necessarily a domain admin.

    If you are doing more development (sp's, database design, etc...) and T-SQL tuning then you should be more closely aligned with the application development group.

    If you have to do it all, then you really should be your own group and report directly to the head of the IT department.

    These are just my opinions and how I'd want to be aligned based on duties. Ideally I'd like to be in the last option.

    Don't forget the work from home dba. Part of their duties is to do the dishes.;-)

    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

  • SQLRNNR (11/17/2011)


    Jack Corbett (11/17/2011)


    To get back to the original question, Jason and Remi :-P.

    I think we need more information about what your job duties are supposed to be before anyone can really say where you should be.

    If you are an operational DBA, meaning mostly backups, monitoring, patches, applying best practices, security, then I think you should be in the Server & Network group, but not necessarily a domain admin.

    If you are doing more development (sp's, database design, etc...) and T-SQL tuning then you should be more closely aligned with the application development group.

    If you have to do it all, then you really should be your own group and report directly to the head of the IT department.

    These are just my opinions and how I'd want to be aligned based on duties. Ideally I'd like to be in the last option.

    Don't forget the work from home dba. Part of their duties is to do the dishes.;-)

    And laundry, mow the lawn, BBQ. Go fish, etc.

    Busy days around here on the lake :cool::-D.

    Glad we're back on topic. :hehe:

  • Ninja's_RGR'us (11/17/2011)


    SQLRNNR (11/17/2011)


    Jack Corbett (11/17/2011)


    To get back to the original question, Jason and Remi :-P.

    I think we need more information about what your job duties are supposed to be before anyone can really say where you should be.

    If you are an operational DBA, meaning mostly backups, monitoring, patches, applying best practices, security, then I think you should be in the Server & Network group, but not necessarily a domain admin.

    If you are doing more development (sp's, database design, etc...) and T-SQL tuning then you should be more closely aligned with the application development group.

    If you have to do it all, then you really should be your own group and report directly to the head of the IT department.

    These are just my opinions and how I'd want to be aligned based on duties. Ideally I'd like to be in the last option.

    Don't forget the work from home dba. Part of their duties is to do the dishes.;-)

    And laundry, mow the lawn, BBQ. Go fish, etc.

    Busy days around here on the lake :cool::-D.

    Glad we're back on topic. :hehe:

    Watch the kids

    Change diapers

    This topic covers a lot of ground.

    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

  • SQLRNNR (11/17/2011)


    This topic covers a lot of ground.

    I'm so glad you qualified what covered that much ground. I had a totally different picture in my head at first :sick:

  • Ah, I can always count on SSC for a laugh.

    The work from home DBA is what I aspire to be. Hopefully that will happen soon.

    I don't have to change diapers though, my kids are older than that now. I'll be the next one in diapers in my house.:w00t:

  • Ninja's_RGR'us (11/17/2011)


    SQLRNNR (11/17/2011)


    This topic covers a lot of ground.

    I'm so glad you qualified what covered that much ground. I had a totally different picture in my head at first :sick:

    And the very notificaton in my box is by "Tom Brown".

    What else could it have been, really?

    :hehe:

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