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Help Me :-) I want to be a MS SQL DBA

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I am currently attending University doing a degree in Information Technology, and in the process of completing my MCSE. However, now i want to become a DBA and am looking for some guidance.
Questions that I have:
1) Do you need to learn any programming languages, if so what languages do you most commonly use? Currently i know C# and asp.net
2) Is MS SQL good to specialize in? Or should i look into Oracle or DB2? My main priority right now is how easily can one get an entry position job, so that i can build up my exp.
3) For those who are DBA’s, how did you gain experience? How is you day like? What certs or paths do you recommend a newbie to get?
Thanks

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for ms sql

In reply to Help Me :-) I want to be a MS SQL DBA

you would tend to want to know T-SQL, m$ version, similar in principal to Oracle’s PL/SQL. These are real pgmg extensions to SQL (DML) (which is NOT a prgmg lang but a query lang). And know such things as store procedures, and how to use SQL to create tables (DDL) plus the security access commands. Know tools such as toad and other utils. to be a dba you’d also want to be versed in tools like erwin, or powerdesigner but also things like knowing when to re-create a table instead of doing mass updates after def changes. And know something about ETL, DWs and data quality.

I hear that MS Sql is used in alot more but smaller companies, and pay less but easier to get a job. Oracle less companies, bigger.

DB2 is good too, runs on mainframes & z series also and as/400’s in addition to win versions.

there are some specialized db career chat groups:
http://database.ittoolbox.com/related-groups/Oracle/career/oracle-career

and you can poke around and find many more for m$ DBs.

as for languages, if m$ learn m$ languges – those in visual studio. C++ and C## are close and good to know.
Java is used in up to 70% of commercial sw prods. you can download eclipse ide in addition to using VS. Jaqui hates it due to version incompatibilities.
I like VB for quick db progs, it has its share of detractors. And for those who love C based languages I’ll flame them here:

Years ago I was writing in a HLL, simple database open and read an ISAM db table, update, one paragraph translated into 4+ pages of calls in C language. (this was a commercial product by a company on beach blvd in HB).

Good answer!

In reply to for ms sql

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Oracle vs. SQL for positions

In reply to for ms sql

Right now in this lousy economy, Oracle DBA positions are very hot and are still paying a good salary.

While I am not a DBA

In reply to Help Me :-) I want to be a MS SQL DBA

it appears you are approaching this issue backwards.

these are the kind of questions one asks when his interest is first piqued by a certain career path not when you have already chose to embark on it.

I’ll try to answer some of your questions:

1) Do you need to learn any programming languages, if so what languages do you most commonly use? Currently i know C# and asp.net

Ans: While you don’t ‘need’ to know any programming language it will make it much easier to quickly pickup SQL (structured query language) which is common to all relational Database management systems

2) Is MS SQL good to specialize in? Or should i look into Oracle or DB2?

Ans: This question is too broadly worded in what way do you mean ? and only if you are interested in which one is better from a technical point of view would I image would you be able to get a consensus .. but if you mean which one will help you earn more $$$ I do not have a crystal ball and your guess is as good as mine.

3) For those who are DBA’s, how did you gain experience?

Ans: cant answer that one it is N/A to me.

– the DB course you take at university will most likely not single out a specific product but center around rules of normalization and set theory.

The first paper I read on the subject.. which took some time to sink and eventually made me hate the course was Codd’s 12 rules for the RDBMS by Dr. E.F Codd

Unfortunately MS SQL is not seen as a serious tool

In reply to Help Me :-) I want to be a MS SQL DBA

for database work in the industry. If you really want to be a DBA, then you should go with Oracle, for prestige and big bucks.

Can’t answer your question well without you answering these.

Why do you want to be a DBA?
What made you think, that’s for me?
Why do you think you’ll be good at it?

It’s a very broad job description, covering someone who can swap tapes and check filesizes, to a guy who can optimise a schema for replication over clustered raid arrays.

MS SQL is a serious tool…

In reply to Unfortunately MS SQL is not seen as a serious tool

I have to disagree with you. Many smaller companies use MS SQL when they don’t need the added expense of Oracle. Oracle is better, but you pay dearly for it. If your company is going to only have relatively small number of smmall to medium databases, Oracle os overkill and over budget.

But that tends to answer the guys question. 🙂 Go the oracle route so you can actually make money. We eliminated our database guy once we switched from oracle to ms sql. Never looked back and no problems since. The backup/admin duties are shared between a few of us with no real dba backgrounds and everything works great. I hate to see anyone cut, but that dba guy was a real pr1ck. Had he have been easier to work with or even get along with, we’d still be running oracle and he’d still be here. MS SQL was looked for no other reason than this guy constantly whining about how inferior it was. So, it was evaluated, implemented and he got axed.

So yeah…go Oracle, but that’s not saying MS SQL isn’t a serious tool.

All good advice form other posters..

In reply to Help Me :-) I want to be a MS SQL DBA

my thoughts are:

1. All depends on the job, some places want you to know specific languages, but you can’t predict that, so you have to go with what you’ve got. Nothing wrong with C# and asp.net. Its current technology and worth having. VBscript is handy to have if your working on SQL and doing DTS jobs (imports and the like). If you understand the concept of programing, then you’ll pick up T-SQL. Its just a different set of keywords and processes.

2. If your looking at ease of getting a job, go with SQL. Its “lighter” and many companies use it.. I beg to differ with Tony’s opinion that SQL is not seen as serious. Many many places have small applciations running on SQL because its cheaper and easier than Oracle. I take care of over 20 SQL databases at the minute..I think thats serious enough.. I’ve worked in an Investment bank that used SQL as a portal for hundreds of small databases (of several kinds)..wow..some kind of spiderweb that was..but again..very serious stuff. From my experience, Oracle is harder to learn, but pays better..however, you need a good number of years experience before you can be called an Oracle DBA.. you’d want to be a junior for about 5 years before you got near the big money, where as SQL you can fast track if your lucky.
3. I was doing an Access course, got a job in Data entry and they realised I had potential and let me loose on MS FoxPro 🙂 mainly did data maintenance and such, then moved onto a applciation support/webmaster role whioch required DBA type of work.. after that moved into DBA work.
My day is varied, as I am more than a DBA, but I check my Db’s, make sure its all backed up, tweak the indexes, keep the server healthy, create stored procedures to automate soem of the work..etc
All I have is an Access cert, and a couple MCP’s for VB.net and SQL Development. Plan on doing my SQL DBA later on this year.

There is a lot of different types of work out there for DBA’s, some are more just keeping things ticking over, where as some are more “development” types..I prefer the development ones..

Good Points Shellbot!

In reply to All good advice form other posters..

Shellbot is right on and I’ve been working with SQL for years along with Network Engineering (100 employee companies you tend to do it all).
I don’t know about Ireland, but the U.S. jobs have become extremely picky and companies are going to contract to hire positions and letting I.T. professionals go after the 90 days if there are any concerns.
The job market (including switching companies) is far more difficult than it was even 4 years ago.

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