Which Platform Do You Work On?

  • Comments posted to this topic are about the item Which Platform Do You Work On?

  • I just had this discussion with a co-worker yesterday. I started with SQL 7 which in reality met and continues to meet most of the needs they organization I worked for had and has. You recently had an editorial on the The Generalist and how they are disappearing, and that is because products like SQL Server are including so much functionality that most people can't be experts in it, let alone in the OS, network, and storage. I mean, Inside SQL Server 2000 was one book and for 2005 there are 4 books and they don't cover everything!

    I try to focus on the core database engine and SSRS to present the data to my users.

  • Put me down as a generalist. (And that doesn't even include all the developing I do in ASP, ColdFusion, SAS...) I can tell I am going to be relying heavily on SQLServerCentral to learn all the new features, etc.

    Thanks, Steve, and keep up the GREAT service!

  • Steve,

    I have been working in a few of the subs and sql itself. With the introduction of the new pieces and part you are correct the DBA role is being redefined and new roles added.

    With the building out of the sub-products into what appears to be full blown products of their own we have come to the point where the decision has to be made about who does what, how many people need to have what and how do we secure the data and the server.

    Often products need more the just read/write access and it appears as if everyone wants to be SA so they can install, configure, map, and create almost at will. This broad path of product adds challenges to the Data Professional. And it is as if we are being told by the products that we are no longer the Single Point of Authority, but are one of a team of authorities that provide essential data services while remaining fused at the heart with each other.

    Appreciate your perspective!

    Not all gray hairs are Dinosaurs!

  • The hard part for me is the need to stay ahead of the curve. Just watch how many people are impacted by the fact they have only worked on Mainframes doing Cobal but not that is being outsourced and offshored more and more. So to keep myself a solid assest I am constantly learning new things so I can move in a hurry. I mean how many programming laguanges do we actually need? Wht is everyone so focused on portability of work rather than building to the strengths of the systems they are running them on, to me it is fine and dandy a new product is faster and more scalable, but if you keep your work generic it may boil down to hardware more than actual performance of the product. Gotta be agile these days thou so you can duck and shake the folks trying to cut you out of the picture.

  • I really dunno about " the DBA role being 'redefined' " ...

    Call me a generalist in production support.

    The only 'redefinition' that is taking place is in Microsoft-eese. Oracle is still Oracle. Sybase is still Sybase. UDB2 is still UDB2. These three 'other' relational database systems still make up a greater market share than M$. When the 'other' three start to "redefine the DBA role" maybe then will I take it seriously.

    Until then, I'm still a generalist in production support

    RegardsRudy KomacsarSenior Database Administrator"Ave Caesar! - Morituri te salutamus."

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