Thanks for this article. I'm going to use it to explain (actually as evidence) that what I've been saying about what a DBA really does is true. I hired in as a DBA and everyone agrees that's what I am yet it has been impossible (it's been five months) to get access to the database servers so that I can do my job. The servers have been idle while I develop systems on my laptop. They have other windows stuff and personal email stuff on these servers so maybe that's why they're reluctant. Who knows. There's enough of a work backlog in numerous areas so I've been able to do development, design and architecture work, and SSRS reports but all served from my laptop. Really. No one has technical background to know what privileges I should be allowed so they are very reluctant to let me have what I need. Ruins the job - I thought I was getting into the ground floor of a start up. I have 20 years of DBA experience (Oracle/SQL Server) so that's not why they're nervous.

All that to say that if anything can help, showing them your article will, because it explains exactly what I want them to know about what a DBA does and shows that there's a lot more to it than they think. They are familiar with Microsoft Access so the concepts of having to manage anything for a database is completely foreign to them.

Again, thanks!