Exploring the future of the Oracle DBA

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What makes a great DBA?

• Nobody knows where you sit • Nobody knows who you are • Nobody knows what a DBA does

The role of the DBA

• Often anonymous • Highly technical • Narrow organizational interface

Are DBAs becoming obsolete?

• Concerns • Cloud • NoSQL • Automation • Google, DBAaaS • Pipeline • Agile/DevOps

Are DBAs becoming obsolete?Performing an Oracle 1.0 to DBA 2.0 Upgrade ~ Harald van Breederode & Joel Goodman

https://blogs.oracle.com/certification/resource/ORC-0646.pdf

The DBA is dead. Long live the DBA!

• Oracle 9i • Advisors • Automated management • New features

• Again with Oracle 10g • …and Oracle 11g • …and Oracle 12c

The DBA is dead. Long live the DBA!

• New features • Increasing complexity • More technical choices • Strategic role growing

• The plane still needs a pilot!

Looking back on DBA 1.0/2.0

• DBA 1.0 – Installation – Database performance tuning – Backup/recovery

• DBA 2.0 – Better understanding of operating system – Better understanding of storage – Touches on virtualization

Remaining relevant

We must adapt to change, not resist it

Upgrading to DBA latest-release

Arguably, everything in the cloud ultimately manages, or provides access to, data

Upgrading to DBA latest-release

• Cloud • Rapid time to delivery • Empowerment • Simplicity • Consistency

Upgrading to DBA latest-release

• Security and compliance • Masking • Encryption • Role-based security • Profiles • Internal/external threats • Legislated protections • Convergence across domains

Upgrading to DBA latest-release

• Backup and recovery • Test, test, test! • Narrowing RTO/RPO • More challenging SLA • Recovery hierarchies

Upgrading to DBA latest-release

• DevOps/Agile • Contribute to quality • Education • Protect against failure at scale

Upgrading to DBA latest-release

• Standardiation • Version control • Configuration management

Upgrading to DBA latest-release

• NoSQL and alternatives • Too easy not to • Evolves into business process • Inherited responsibility

Upgrading to DBA latest-release

• Mentoring • odtug.com/page/leadership • Meetup • Universities • Community programs

Out of the shadows

• Become frontline contributors • Broaden the organizational interface • Growing strategic role • Build partnerships • Engagement

The role of the DBA is shifting from utilitarian to strategic.

The DBA remains a curator of data but our proximity makes us its most

powerful and effective champions.