September 26, 2007 at 8:29 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item What Should A DBA Be Doing?
September 26, 2007 at 9:54 pm
That's the great thing about being your own boss. You do your own thing and you do what pays the most for you, all the time :P.
September 26, 2007 at 10:14 pm
Heard you can get paid for drinking beer 😉 Still looking for that one 😀
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
September 26, 2007 at 10:19 pm
Their would be no unemployement in the us... must be a myth :w00t:.
September 27, 2007 at 1:43 am
I don't mind doing other things as long it's in the line of work I'm in, I'm hired as a software designer/builder but I also do some maintenance on sql server, grant users rights and occasionally do some disk cleaning 😉 It helps me having a good relationship with the system management guys which is crucial some times. I do try to create scripts or task so the tasks can be automated: for example I created a script in which the system guys only have to fill in the correct ADS user name and users get all the rights they need on a sql server. I like to do it as long as it doesn't take too much time: doing something else refocuses you on the problems on hand, and also gives a better understanding of the rest of the company you are working for/with. You also get in touch with other people besides just your team members or key users.
Regards
Wim
Wim van den Brink
September 27, 2007 at 4:55 am
I constantly have to remind myself that I'm really not the responsible on this issue. If the manager wants to have me do something that someone else can do better and cheaper, that is his problem. I go through the motions of pointing out what seems obvious to me that someone else can do this. If it is boring work and goes on and on, I may leave eventually. Of course, it helps that I am contract.
I was interviewing my replacement at one place. He spoke of a previous position where he had started as contract and ended up full time. He pointed out that he could tolerate the waste as a contractor but couldn't as a full time employee. He would sweep the floors if they paid him contractor rates. But as a full time employee he was invested in the company.
Russel Loski, MCSE Business Intelligence, Data Platform
September 27, 2007 at 6:15 am
Well, that is what they want you to do. so...
September 27, 2007 at 6:16 am
I have done data entry, covered phones during a night shift in a 24/7 operations center, even stuffed envelopes. I have no problem doing any of those things. The company is paying me a salary and someone has made the decision that those tasks were important to the company at the time.
The truth is, in all likelihood, it probably was the most cost effective. The cost of finding someone through a temp agency, getting them up to speed and then paying them an hourly rate adds up.
Regards,
Scott
September 27, 2007 at 6:30 am
I have had jobs where I have done everything from setup the office to manage the SQL Servers depending on need and I would say most of us are willing to do what needs to be done, even if it is unlocking someone's account. My main concern when asked to do something outside my normal duties has been making sure the person whose job it is to do the task is okay with me doing it. I would typically ask the boss, "I can do it, but wouldn't Joe the Network Admin be the one who should do it?". I don't want the Network Admins playing aroung in my SQL Servers so I assume they would prefer I stay out the Windows Domain.
Jack Corbett
Consultant - Straight Path Solutions
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September 27, 2007 at 7:04 am
I work in an office with about 30 people, and I am usually one of the first ones in the office in the morning. I will usually be the one to unload the Dishwasher... And if I don't get to it, the CFO will usually do it. If I have to get the plunger out, or change a light bulb. I'll do it. (Don't have a union here 🙂 ) Although a plumber may make more than me per hour...
I don't know about you, but I think every DBA, at least if they do their job well, better have a lot of free time on their hands. If you don't, the stress will definately get to you. In addition, every once in a while you will NEED that time for the really ugly problems. FYI, I am speaking as a PRODUCTION DBA. As a Development DBA, you time will be pretty much filled based on project load.
I figure that as a DBA you should have about 1/4 your time spent on making sure all the monitors you have in place, backups, various gathering tools of all types types of things are all doing what they are supposed to be doing. Expect them to work, but don't bet your job on it.
Another 1/4 of your time should be on doing what ever you are lacking from a stability/monitoring aspect. If I wanted to make my life miserable, what would I do. Now figure out how to prevent it from happening.
The other 1/2 I leave open for other things. I fill it as it becomes available. For the most part, I will do development work. Non-Time Sensitive types of things. If you have read some of my other posts, one such project is a 1 in a Million type of request of the system that we were told would be really nice to have.
Some times it might involve pulling cables. Other times it might involve setup of a RAID system.
Sometimes it involves that really bad word that should be 4 letters. "Documentation"
September 27, 2007 at 7:46 am
You're right Steve - the math doesn't add up. From a budget standpoint, it doesn't make sense to have a well paid DBA (or consultant, or whomever) do something that could be done by a staff member making a fraction of that person's salary. However, looking at the big picture, it is often more efficient to do something yourself. I could delegate a task to a more "appropriate" person, but if I have other processes that are waiting for this task to be completed, it's far less efficient than just doing it myself.
Tim Mitchell, Microsoft Data Platform MVP
Data Warehouse and ETL Consultant
TimMitchell.net | @Tim_Mitchell | Tyleris.com
ETL Best Practices
September 27, 2007 at 9:03 am
I think in general most people pitch in when asked, and by and large that is a good thing. But I think it should be clear that a DBA (or developer or other technical role) doing a simpler role (loading printer paper, etc.) is not the same level of switch as, say, a DBA being asked to do another technical role (network cabling, etc.).
Determining the cost in the second case may be harder, because although a DBA is by nature expected to know things beyond only SQL Server, employees should be given time to learn how to do those cross-disciplinary tasks that are at least as technical as their main job. Documentation and training are crucial in this regard. I think it's unfair to ask a DBA to be ready to do any other technical computer function and expect him or her to do it as quickly and as accurately as the main person if they are not shown how. Especially given how complicated systems are these days. So it may seem cheaper at first, but a company that over-stretches workers may see costs come back in the form of errors and mixed-up communications.
In short, like anything else, if done right, DBA role expansion can work, but if done wrong, it can hurt and most likely the DBA will be blamed even if they were not given the resources to have a chance to succeed.
webrunner
-------------------
A SQL query walks into a bar and sees two tables. He walks up to them and asks, "Can I join you?"
Ref.: http://tkyte.blogspot.com/2009/02/sql-joke.html
September 27, 2007 at 9:22 am
Generally, I don't have a huge problem doing other duties on a temporary basis. At times I appreciate a little break from the norm. However, if that turns into doing those duties on a more permanent basis, I'll either look for something to automate the process or I'll speak up. (Referring to work-related not the general make coffee, reload paper when needed, drop this off at someone's desk type tasks that just happen sometimes.)
I agree that the managers make the decisions and I may pipe up to remind them that their money might be better spent in a different manner, but will do what is requested if they want me to do data entry for my regular salary. Now if they decide to switch me over to data entry and switch my salary to go with it, I'll definitely reconsider my options. 😀 (and take a really hard look at my skills)
September 27, 2007 at 9:57 am
I'm with Peter on the salary thing. If that changes, I'm moving on.
It's usually not efficient to have the DBA switch jobs, but it's also a manager's (or owner's) right to make bad decisions and mis-use someone.
A lot of the more senior people I know are experienced in other areas and might even do a better job than the guy doing that job! :). But you should ask to see and I'm not sure it's worth "training" a DBA to do other jobs. I got trained to do separations, which is a mind-numbing task, but if you're paying, I'll do it.
September 27, 2007 at 10:48 am
Being the one person IT shop, I get to do it all anyway. :w00t:
At the end of the day (or night), as long as the paycheck clears, I'm happy. I like the variety it brings.
Unfortunately for me, I think those days will be ending sometime in the near future as the company was bought out earlier this year and they already have all the IT staff they need.
But, I have other skills...
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