Database Management vs Database Administration Meaning

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Database Management vs Database Administration Meaning

HookSQLDBA7

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September 26, 2018 at 11:01 am

#363497

I have been thinking about this terminology and just wanted to get some opinions. My first effort is below:
Database Management - in charge of, the head of, direct and control the database.
Database Administration - responsible for actually doing the work/tasks of keeping the data and database secure, available and accessible for the users. Being 'hands on' with security and user management, backups/refreshes, troubleshooting, tuning, HA/DR, etc.
Thanks in advance.

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Grant Fritchey SSC Guru Points: 398690 More actions · Answer 1

You can define it that way if you want. I would not agree that these are universal definitions. In fact, I don't see that differentiation really. I do see a difference between Administration (care and feeding of the server and ALL the databases therein) and Database Development (the care and feeding of the internals of a particular database). I see this much more often in companies than any idea that there's Management and Administration. In fact, those two are frequently interchangeable from what I've seen.

However, the key here, none of this is carved in stone. If that differentiation works for you and your organization, use it. Just don't expect that the rest of us will automatically understand what you're referring to.

"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt

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HookSQLDBA7 SSChampion Points: 10709 More actions · Answer 2

Thanks Grant for the feedback. I see these terms used interchangeably on resumes a lot. For example, I perform comprehensive database management tasks or I do comprehensive database administration tasks. This is what prompted me to ask the question to see what others think.

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1003863 More actions · Answer 3

Heh.... on the humorous side, I'd say both words were appropriate considering some of the DBA candidates I've interviewed where I was left wondering how they managed to administer anything. 😛

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

Grant Fritchey SSC Guru Points: 398690 More actions · Answer 4

Try the veal.