CIT - Database Administrator seminar

[seanbee20]

Hey guys my father (Managing Director of CIT) is asking me to try to get some of my friends (database administrators) to review the proposed seminar draft. Also if you are able to participate, that would be lovely, CIT is willing to compensate.

See mail sent to me and the draft of the seminar below:

Sean,

As indicated, CIT wants to implement training in Database Technology:

Database Programming and Development
Database Administration.
We have the expertise currently inhouse re- DB P & D, but not DBA.

I have attached a draft curriculum in DB. I would be greatful if you could ask some of the persons you know who work, particularly as DB Administrators to look at the draft and give me feedback asap ( before thursday, if possible) as we have a seminar thursday - friday, 23 - 24 September.

SEMINAR DRAFT

DRAFT: DATABASE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM

Program Objective: To provide graduates with a foundation in the field of database administration and development for employment in commercial, industrial, and government institutions; as database administrators and database developers.
NB. COURSE CODES AND CREDITS TO BE DETERMINED.
1. Technical Skills:
 Core:
 Introduction to microcomputers – a working knowledge of the Microsoft operating system and Microsoft Office applications suite. Operational understanding of the following microcomputer topics: operating systems, memory, hard disks, types of CPUs, communications ports, printer ports, display adapters, and pointing devices.
 Database Management
 Introduction to Visual BASIC
 Advanced Visual BASIC Programming – VB application development, and analysis, design, and programming of database systems.
 Specializations:
1. Microsoft Database Administration
Microsoft SQL administration
Microsoft SQL implementation
Support Windows Software
Support Windows Server
Network infrastructure implementation

2. Microsoft Solutions Programming and Development
Microsoft SQL implementation
Dist Application with Visual BASIC
Advanced OOP in Visual BASIC
Designing Business Solutions

3. Oracle Database Administration
Introduction to Oracle: SQL and PL/SQL
Introduction to Oracle Database Administration
Intermediate Oracle Database Administration
Oracle Database Performance Tuning

4. Oracle Database Programming and Development
Introduction to Oracle: SQL and PL/SQL
Programming PL/SQL in Oracle
Introduction to Oracle Database Application
Intermediate Oracle Database Application
Oracle Report Building
II. General Education/ Support Skills
 Similar to other Programs

[CKnight]

Database Administrator at your service.

Looking at the curriculum above, it seems a lot of resources are being placed on the implementation side of DBs, but very little on the design aspect. It's a given that certain aspects of DB Administration cannot be fully appreciated until they are practiced (Migration, replication, etc.) and that these tasks are VERY vendor specific, however the concepts behind proper database design, I would argue, are much more important and connot be overstressed.

If I were to offer any changes to the draft curriculum, it would be a breakdown of theoretical database concepts and show how they become important later on, especially from a development point of view.

[BlackCryptoKnight]

Good points CKnight, but I think if the focus is on Database Administration, then the Database Design issues may not be as high a priority in our environment today. From what I've seen and experienced, a DBA will typically be responsible for much of the administrative things - backup, recovery, tuning, disk space management, replication, security administration and configuration etc. The logical database design is usually the domain of the Database Developer/Programmer for the application which the database supports.

So the DBA's tend to be concerned more with the physical aspect of databases and their designs while the logical database design tends to be decided on by the app dev people.

In some companies though, the DBA is actually involved in the logical db design. So those concepts would be very important.

All in all, you can't lose by having the knowledge, but depending on the target audience, you may taylor the material to give priority to those areas deemed more relevant to the general population.

[jamrock]

I would love to see a lot of emphasis placed on SQL Server security. Microsoft's concepts behind SQL Server security are often not understood.

Things like:

Security implications of mixed mode versus windows authentication mode
Integrating SQL Server security with Windows security (group policy, patch management, security templates, etc)
Roles, permissions
Disabling, deleting the guest account
Deleting Pubs and Northwind databases
Setting up auditing
Setting up a test network


It would be useful to place a lot of emphasis on backup and restoration of data.

Using the full recovery model
Automating backups
Backing up the transaction log several times per day.

Microsoft's tech support complains that people don't have proper backup procedures and then expect them to work miracles when they lose their data.

[gravyflex]

@ seanbee20: Where do the CIT students write the CCNA exams? I heard that they write the exam at CIT in MoBay. If this is correct and since they will be offering several COMPTIA exams, it would be nice if CIT would operate a VUE testing center in Montego Bay. It would be the first one in Montego Bay.

[Ropy]

@ gravyflex - The exams are done in house.

[Greatis]

@ gravyflex there is now a VUE testing center at CIT Montego Bay. Don't know when or if it will be open to the general public.

[jamrock]

It may also be useful to have an analysis of SQL Server and raid.

SQL Server will run faster if its components are spread out over several raid arrays. For example you can configure it as follows:

Windows O/S and page file on a mirror
Transaction logs and backups on a second mirror
Database on a raid 5 array.

This kind of configuration allows SQL Server to do many tasks simultaneously. If everything is placed on a single array, it must finish one task before starting another.

Another advantage here is that you are separating your transaction logs from your database. If your array containing the database fails, you can recover your data from your last full backup and your transaction log files.

[seanbee20]

Thanks for all the responses, my father has found the information very valuable

[SpoonMan]

As stated in the Draft; if the objective is to provide foundation in database Admin and Development for Commercial, Industrial and Gov. Then it should be just that. Therefore, the fundamentals of Development and Design becomes inextricable linked to Admin and course emphasis should be placed on both.

Design/Dev serves as the egg in the (which comes first) paradox and in my limited experience it also proves to become the chicken. You see, most business tends to out grow the perceived scope of their initial software capability then rely on DBA’s to create supporting programs and a patch work of various queries to supplement growing management info request and other transactional business processes. That’s when we put aside all db network and backup utilities and start dusting off our SQL and VB tools.
This places Design/Dev both at the beginning and the end and Admin the middle.

Recommendation is to provide adequate foundation in development and design theories.
Relational database design/ Table Normalization and Rational/ UML tools are essential.

[BlackCryptoKnight]

You see, most business tends to out grow the perceived scope of their initial software capability then rely on DBA’s to create supporting programs and a patch work of various queries to supplement growing management info request and other transactional business processes. That’s when we put aside all db network and backup utilities and start dusting off our SQL and VB tools.
This places Design/Dev both at the beginning and the end and Admin the middle.

Recommendation is to provide adequate foundation in development and design theories.
Relational database design/ Table Normalization and Rational/ UML tools are essential.

I'd disagree with you a bit there. In the Microsoft SQL Server environments I've been in and seen, the DBA is often the Network/System Admin. His core comptence is networks, and operating systems. SQL Server administration is tacked onto his responsibilities and as such, he isn't usually expected to take on responsibilities for database/application design issues. So he typically takes care of the "administrative" issues - backup, security etc. MS SQL server lends itself to that very well because of it's GUI, automation and ease of use features - you don't have to be a "traditional" DBA to manage MS SQL server.

These days, most businesses that use MS SQL Server do so because they bought some application that requires it as a database. The database design is already decided upon and implemented. All that is required is to make sure the thing keeps running and is secure. If reports etc. are needed, that's farmed out to the programming team.

Even in non-Microsoft shops (eg. Oracle) I've seen where this model is used.
There's a programming team that develops the reports etc. and the DBA does the management stuff - managing table/disk spaces, security admin, patching, backup etc.

The role of the DBA is changing. Design and development skills aren't as critical to the DBA role as they once were.

[SQLDBA]

A lot of the development and database design taskss have been farmed out to developers, Lets face it most IT professionals with a degree were exposed tofundamental database design concepts such as normalization,ACID properties and forign and primary key generation,thus developers are able in many cases to design the database with help with constraints and other stuff coming from the DBA.SQL server is rather straight forward to manage yes,but i agree with spoonman's statement when we speak in terms of large companies,mainly because most software require additional functionality that is usually acquired by bespoke systems developed in house.The knowledge needed to properly create and maintain DTS packages and write T-SQL scripts may be above the heads of most straight network admins in Jamaica,since from what i have seen and heard most Jamaican net admins fear coding.

[jamrock]

These days, most businesses that use MS SQL Server do so because they bought some application that requires it as a database. The database design is already decided upon and implemented. All that is required is to make sure the thing keeps running and is secure.

This has been my experience also.


If reports etc. are needed, that's farmed out to the programming team.

I have noticed that many companies use "off the shelf" reporting tools like Crystal Reports. Asking the programming team to develop reports usually takes too long. Using Crystal Reports empowers the users.


The knowledge needed to properly create and maintain DTS packages and write T-SQL scripts may be above the heads of most straight network admins in Jamaica,since from what i have seen and heard most Jamaican net admins fear coding.

Many of us find coding boring. I would not be interested in a job where I had to write code. Using Query Analyzer if fine for database maintenance, but hard core programming does not appeal to me.


when we speak in terms of large companies,mainly because most software require additional functionality that is usually acquired by bespoke systems developed in house.

I have seen this in Jamaica, but it does not appear to be the norm here. Perhaps it is a function of the size of our companies.

[Nastrodamus]

Seanbee, what has been the out come of this meeting, if you have access to such information that is?

How soon, if ever, does C.I.T. plan to begin offering Database Administration courses.

[rb_cucchi]

@ gravyflex there is now a VUE testing center at CIT Montego Bay. Don't know when or if it will be open to the general public.

The center is open to the general public. Call the school and get information on how to register for the VUE exam.