ITT 06114: Database

Administration

Lecture 1
 Who is DBA
• DBA is a resource that supervises both
the database and the use of the DBMS.
• DBA is usually a group, but sometimes it
refers to the database administrator.
What is DBA
• Database Administration involves the activities
performed by a database administrator (DBA) to
effectively manage and maintain a database system.
• This includes tasks such as database design,
installation, configuration, monitoring, optimization,
backup and recovery, security management, and
performance tuning.
• Database administration is the function of managing
and maintaining database management systems
(DBMS) software.
Role of DBA
• The primary role of database administration is to
ensure maximum uptime for the database so that it
is always available when needed. This will typically
involve proactive periodic monitoring and
troubleshooting.
• This in turn involve/require some technical skills on
the part of the DBA.
• In addition to in-depth knowledge of the database in
question, the DBA will also need knowledge and
perhaps training in the platform (database engine
and operating system) on which the database runs.
• A DBA is typically also responsible for other secondary,
but still critically important, tasks and roles. Some of
these include:
• Database Security: Ensuring that only authorized users
have access to the database and fortifying it against any
external, unauthorized access.
• Database Tuning: Make Alteration any several
parameters to optimize performance, such as server
memory allocation, file fragmentation and disk usage.
• Backup and Recovery: It is a DBA’s role to ensure that
the database has adequate backup and recovery
procedures in place to recover from any accidental or
deliberate loss of data.
• Producing Reports from Queries: DBAs are frequently
called upon to generate reports by writing queries,
which are then run against the database
Policy Formulation and
Implementation
• Access Privileges
₋ Users should access the database only in
ways in which they are entitled.
• Security
₋ Access restrictions ensure that the
database is secure
₋ Passwords, encryption, and views
implement security.
₋ Effective password protection is critical
Planning for Disaster
• Databases can be harmed from
hardware and software malfunctions,
and outsides forces like floods and
power outages.
• DBA’s must take active role in
formulating disaster recovery plans.
Archives
• An archive is a place where corporate
data is kept.
• Information in an archive is removed
from the database and stored in the
archive for future reference.
• Archives are usually kept in a mass-
storage device like a disk, tape, CD, or a
DVD.
• It is important such archives be kept off-
site to allow recovery should disaster
strike.
Types of Database
Administration

• Systems DBAs
• Development DBAs
• Application DBAs
Types of Database
Administration

• Systems DBAs: Focus on the physical

aspects of database administration such
as DBMS installation, configuration,
patching, upgrades, backups, restores,
refreshes, performance optimization,
maintenance and disaster recovery.
Types of Database
Administration
• Development DBAs: focus on the logical
and development aspects of database
administration such as data model design
and maintenance, DDL generation, SQL
writing and tuning, coding stored
procedures, collaborating with
developers to help choose the most
appropriate DBMS feature/functionality
and other pre-production activities.
Types of Database
Administration
• Application DBAs: usually found in
organizations that have purchased 3rd
party application software such as ERP
(enterprise resource planning) and CRM
(customer relationship management)
systems. Examples of such application
software includes Oracle Applications,
Siebel and PeopleSoft (both now part of
Oracle Corp.) and SAP.
• Application DBAs straddle the fence between the
DBMS and the application software and are
responsible for ensuring that the application is fully
optimized for the database and vice versa.
• They usually manage all the application
components that interact with the database and
carry out activities such as application installation
and patching, application upgrades, database
cloning, building and running data clean-up
routines, data load process management, etc.
Database Administration Tools

What is Database Administration tools?

• Database administration tools provide a
GUI / Web interface to automate
database tasks like looking up tables, find
and replace, and any other task that you
may wish to run on a database.
Database Administration Tools

• phpMyAdmin
• MySQL WorkBench
• SQL Server Management Studio
• SQL Web Data Administrator
• Emma
 phpMyAdmin
• Platforms: Linux, Mac OS, Windows
• Cost: Free (Open Source)
• You can download from http://
www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/downloads.php
• It boasts a full featured and easy to use web
interface.
• its cross platform and open source design makes it
an attractive option for most server administrators.
• You’ll find phpMyAdmin loaded into most cPanel
installations.
• It’s a solid and well-tested interface.
Pros:
-Multiserver administration
-Export data in formats like CSV, SQL, or PDF
-Global database searching
-Long history of solid performance
-Not very resource intensive
Cons:
-While phpMyAdmin has the simplest
interface of all of the tools we tested, it can
still be a little complex for novice users.
MySQL WorkBench
• Platforms: Linux, Mac OS, Windows
• Cost: Free and Paid Versions Available
• You can download from
http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/workbench/
• MySQL Workbench is another very popular choice of
database administration tools.
• It is a powerful database administration tool with
visual interfaces for creating, optimizing, and
executing MySQL queries.
Pros:
-Very full featured
-Can utilize nearly every SQL command you may
need in a GUI
Cons:
-It can be quite complicated and difficult to
learn
-Complicated to perform simple tasks
-Tends to be slower than other tools on the
market
-Fairly resource intensive
SQL Server
Management Studio
• Platform: Windows
• Cost: Free, but runs on Windows Server which
requires license
• You can Download from
http://
www.microsoft.com/enca/download/details.aspx?id=7
593
• Designed to work perfectly with Windows Server
machine, this might be the right tool for you if you’re
looking for something tailor made to that platform.
Pros:
-Designed for Microsoft Server
Cons:
-Resource intensive and only works on
one platform
-Requires Microsoft licensing
-May be less actively updated because it’s
not open source
SQL Web Data Administrator

• Platform: Windows
• Cost: Free
• You can download from https
://sqlwebadmin.codeplex.com/
• The web panel provides your users with a very
simple solution for performing basic database
commands.
• It’s a really lightweight application, so you
won’t see much of your system resources
used by this application.
Pros:
-Manage user roles easily
-Perform basis database operations with
just a few clicks
-Basic web interface
Cons:
-Limited functionality
-Windows only
Emma
• Platform: Linux
• Cost: Free (Open Source)
• You can download from http://
freecode.com/projects/emma
• Emma is the database administration tool which is
lighter alternative to the MySQL Workbench with a
simple interface for advanced users.
• Featuring CSV exports, a full featured SQL editor, and
simultaneous server administration.
• If you’re looking to do complicated tasks, you’re
better off with phpMyAdmin or MySQL Workbench.
Pros:
-Simple, easy to use design
-Lightweight
Cons:
-Users describe Emma as “limited”
-Missing software functions, such as undo,
multi-item selection, and syntax highlighting
End of lecture 1