Database Administrators
Most of us have accounts on several different social media platforms, and as we know, these platforms have millions - even billions - of users. Facebook, for example, is used by more than two billion people around the world. But have you ever wondered how these platforms recognize us every single time we log in, without ever mixing one user up with another? When we create an account on any app or platform, we have to enter certain information: name, email address, personal phone number, profile picture, password. All of this information gets saved and stored in what's called the app's user database. That's why each of us ends up with a different, unique account based on the data we entered. Most companies and institutions in the world - schools, hospitals, banks, tech companies - build databases specifically for their users, and the people responsible for building and maintaining those databases on computers and the internet are called "database administrators."
Meet the Writer: Waleed Abo Omiraa
What You'll Actually Do
The core tasks and responsibilities that fill a typical day.
- Develop standards and guidelines for the use and acquisition of software and to protect vulnerable information.
- Modify existing databases and database management systems or direct programmers and analysts to make changes.
- Test programs or databases, correct errors, and make necessary modifications.
- Plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard information in computer files against accidental or unauthorized damage, modification or disclosure.
- Approve, schedule, plan, and supervise the installation and testing of new products and improvements to computer systems, such as the installation of new databases.
- Train users and answer questions.
- Specify users and user access levels for each segment of database.
- Develop data models describing data elements and how they are used, following procedures and using pen, template, or computer software.
- Review procedures in database management system manuals to make changes to database.
- Select and enter codes to monitor database performance and to create production databases.
- Write and code logical and physical database descriptions and specify identifiers of database to management system, or direct others in coding descriptions.
- Identify, evaluate and recommend hardware or software technologies to achieve desired database performance.
- Plan and install upgrades of database management system software to enhance database performance.
- Provide technical support to junior staff or clients.
- Test changes to database applications or systems.