Write to a student who wants to enter the DBA profession

write to a student who wants to enter the DBA profession

Some people ask about the DBA profession some questions, therefore will tidy up some personal opinion and the suggestion, for the schoolmate reference.

1. Database management and development position
Database management and development is actually two different directions in the database.
Database management is what we usually say DBA, the main work is to do database installation, management, tuning, backup, the main technical point is in addition to the database itself more familiar with, but also to the hardware (host, storage, network), operating system has a better understanding, otherwise it is difficult to achieve senior.
The development of the database is a more extensive saying, the general person understanding refers to the development of the database application, such as the common database uses oracle,sqlserver,mysql, the development language uses the java,.net,php and so on the project development.
Another way is to use the language of the database system development work, this kind of general refers to the development of database technology personnel, such as ETL engineers (database extraction, transmission, loading, is a data warehouse application of a part), if the system stored procedures are very many, It may also set up development engineers who specialize in the logic of database stored procedures.
Some large companies, more in-depth application of the database, may set up a professional DBA engaged in development consultancy work, the main responsibility is with the project team to carry out the system database structure design, SQL related development optimization, such dbas require a certain understanding of the system business, database development and optimization is also more familiar with, The name of each company may be different for this position, and some companies are called DBAs or database development engineers, and Alibaba is called the development DBA or application DBA.

2, fresh graduates and DBA posts
      graduates are more likely to work at the DBA because the DBA is a person who needs some practical experience, Fresh graduates are very difficult to recruit, unless your expertise is just what the company needs: for example, you are engaged in the school projects or topics have a more in-depth database-related applications, you have a good understanding of the database direction. Or you have not done DBA, but the school has participated in the design of database systems, the principle of database implementation is very well understood.
      Ostensibly DBAs are engaged in database management without the need for software development skills, but as individuals evolve, you need to work with developers frequently, writing code to simulate the case of developers accessing the database, There is also a need to do some testing of new technologies, so developing skills are essential as DBAs grow up. In fact, 90% of DBAs have been working on a period of development before being converted to a DBA position.
      So for graduating students, I do not recommend a direct challenge to the DBA, it is best to engage in a period of development work, if the work of the database management more interested in the work process can continue to learn database knowledge, To help the team solve the database problems, when the decision to transition to DBA or the work of the need for a clear DBA requirements, and then choose from the database concept, function, management, development, tuning step-by-Step system of learning database knowledge, do more testing and practice, in the professional forum to deal with more problems.

3. Should you participate in database training
For OCP training related to DBAs, I also passed the exam in the past few years, in order to improve their Oracle basic knowledge, I hope I can more systematic understanding of Oracle database, all self-study after taking the exam, and then did not go to get the card, because the card to pay a large amount of training costs. Database-related training prices should be not low, outside the approval degree is not good, because now OCA and OCP exam is basically easy to pass. To participate in database training is not necessarily to learn how much, more importantly, personal interests and the environment. If you really want to improve yourself, and have the economic base, that can choose to participate in database training, but the premise is that you have to have a certain foundation to go again, because the training time is generally very short, want to digest in the training time is basically not likely, so it is best to take OCA or OCP test their ability, If you don't even understand the meaning of the topic or the concepts inside it, take some time to learn.
OCP related certification for state-owned enterprises may be a bit of use, if you have a good background or employment channels, there will certainly be valuable, this I will not be able to make a statement.

4. Database Learning Methods
On the method of database learning, we must add practice to theory, reading is useless, but it will make people feel less input, start more tests, master commonly used functions, in the work or the network to solve the actual problems, learning how to solve the problem of others, for not understanding or unfamiliar knowledge points themselves to practice personally, Solve the problem more, naturally will feel the level of improvement. Then you will find that the level is increasing slowly, then in turn from the more basic level of the system to learn database knowledge, some previously did not understand the problem from the basis of learning to review once again. After these two stages, you are almost in the profession.

5, on the network some very internal articles
There are often many articles and discussions on the web that are related to the bottom of the database, which is difficult to grasp, but does not mean that this knowledge is important, because the main purpose of our learning is to solve the problem rather than express ourselves. Therefore, it is recommended that beginners do not need to take time to understand the technical content of the database is not too public, because these content changes faster, practice also encountered less, many are also bug problems, for the larger part of the people or the author of the article may be just guessing or one-sided introduction (of course, Some authors are still very thorough and systematic, so even if you know it, you are not sure when it will be available, and knowledge is easy to forget. When you are officially a DBA, and start managing more than terabytes of databases, discuss these so-called internal knowledge.

Ye Zhengxing (mking)
My Sina microblog Http://weibo.com/yzsind

2011-6-7