Dear SQL Server DBA Gurus:

I have been working in SQL Server since last many years with the emphasis on application development. I also worked with DBA role for couple of years even though my actual position was Senior Software Developer in .net.

If I were about to switch to SQL Server DBA role from my current application development with substantial SQL Server experience to SQL Server DBA, would you advice me to do so? Please help me. I also thought of going to Networking but my knowledge in it was no significant.

NepaliBhai:

It depends on what you want to do as a DBA. I have been working as a DBA (Oracle and SQL, mostly SQL now) for several years now. It can be very challenging and you have to be SME. It can be challenging when it comes in the performance tuning arena.  I do not know how to suggest you but it again it depends on your interest and expertise. DBA work is stressful (at least that is what I felt).  You have to get up in the middle of the night or in the weekends when your pager rings up with the message saying “Hey I cannot connect to the application or it is timing out or the server is down, or someone hacked the system” these type of situations can be tough. Also DBA can have different roles these days such as Architect, DBA Developer, Production Support DBA, and Business Intelligence expert. Many of the companies now are looking all these expertise into one person ( I know this cannot happen) but look at the DBA jobs and you can see in the requirements.   DBA field is a good field and has lot of responsibilities as a data owner in the organization. Sometimes it is easy to get fired being a DBA because entire data access and data retrieval, and basically to keep the database system up and running is in the hand of the DBA.  If you know DBA stuff, you can start working on it slowly till you get some good background of DBA skills.

Hope this helps.  Do not hesitate to contact me personally if you have any questions related to SQL DBA.

Hi nmsake jee,

Thank you for your valuable advice. I appreciate your analysis of being DBA. Please check email sent through Sajha.