Future Technology is Counting on You
As data grows, so do opportunities for Database Administrators. And data grows. It’s a natural state of affairs. With 2.5 quintilian bytes of data created every day, database automation was inevitable. But it was never intended to put DBAs out of work.
Automation will not replace the forward-looking, future-thinking, always curious Database Administrators.
Autonomous databases maintain the mundane. They do not perform the heady stuff that makes up the DBA’s world. In fact, the DBA role is being elevated by the sheer volume and complexity of data infrastructure.
Whether you’re an experienced DBA or thinking about becoming one, this page is your resource. At Vigilant, our remote DBA experts have been managing databases for 20 years. And we know databases aren’t going anywhere. That’s why we wrote The DBA’s Fear-Free Guide to the Future. And neither are the DBAs who make them hum.
The volume of data is growing so fast and furious. The demand for DBAs follows. The number of U.S. DBAs grew nearly 40% in last 20 years, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, unemployment among DBAs is lower than the national average.
It only makes sense. Clouds and self-driving databases are designed to simplify data management. Yet, infrastructures grow more complex everyday.
That’s why more and more companies are creating Data Strategies to manage the information they need to extract from their data. Routine tasks of storing, securing, sharing and processing data can be performed by autonomous tools.
Slicing and dicing data for business leaders to use is another thing altogether. When they want financial and inventory information, they want it now. They want it to remain safe and secure. They want it presented to them by experts who can do more than provide a data dump.
Those who keep, protect, integrate and strategize about the world of data becoming more and more important. Oracle’s self-driving databases have a big need beyond the handling of standard routine tasks. For example, the database sends messages that can only be understood by a trained DBA. Knowing how to work with the Oracle Autonomous Database is a valuable skill.
- (Get Certified as DBA: https://www.jbklutse.com/get-certified-as-an-oracle-database-administrator/)
DBAs understand data applications and integration. And they also help shape the changing data landscape. To that end, there are increasingly more opportunities in the field and good-paying ones.
And those who are truly interested in staying power are already studying the tools and technologies of the future. You will understand the technical aspects of Blockchain, AI, and Internet of Things and the other technologies.
Also, you are able to speak to the functional data requirements necessary for all-encompassing solutions. This is characterized in a data point from Gartner: By 2021, 40% of IT staff will be “versatilists” holding multiple roles, most of which will be business rather than technology related.
This DBTA article offers further proof and importance on the prospective roles for the DBA: “DBAs are being asked to understand what businesses do with data rather than just the mechanics of keeping the database healthy and running.
“This is where the opportunity lies. Their job is no longer in the background simply keeping databases alive and running. They are now responsible for data modeling, data security, and performance monitoring in a hybrid system. These are all elements of the job that are more visible to the business and will continue to grow in importance.” (The Changing Role of the DBA: Q&A with Oracle’s Penny Avril – http://www.dbta.com/BigDataQuarterly/Articles/The-Changing-Role-of-the-DBA-QandA-with-Oracles-Penny-Avril-120343.aspx
Top Blogs and Bits for DBA Experts
Reddit – Database | Oracle Database Blog | Database Journal | Planet MYSQL blog | Planet DB2 | SQL Shack | ThatJeffSmith | Oracle Help by Skant Gupta | Datastax Blog