Essential Skills for the DBA

Ryan Booz

Databases are ubiquitous in nearly every facet of life and business. As a Database Administrator new to the job, it’s helpful to get the lay of the land in a crowded field of tools, documentation, communities, and job duties.

In this session, we’ll look at the DBA role as a discipline, rather than focusing on the specific database you administer. Every major cloud provider supports SQL Server, PostgreSQL, and MySQL at a minimum, so having a vision for how to efficiently transfer concepts across databases will prepare you for the ever-changing landscape.

This is session one in the learning pathway, covering the following topics at a high-level:

– Essential tooling for database administration and schema management
– Database configurations that matter, regardless of the underlying technology
– Query planning and execution basics and how to translate between servers
– How to find vibrant communities and help when you’re in a bind

Along the way, we’ll point to other PASS sessions that can help you dig deeper into any topic as you grow your skills.