The practice of data base administration

Abstract

The position or role of data base administrator has been described and discussed since the earliest specifications for data base management systems. 1 , 2 , 4 Most of the literature on DBA is normative—describing in detail what the DBA function should include. Different authors have focused on the DBA’s role in introducing the data base concept to organizations, 8 the functions that the DBA should perform, 7 the specification of tools and DBMS features needed by DBAs, 3 and how to establish and perform the DBA’s responsibilities within an organization. 5 , 6 In practice, however, the organization and content of the DBA function may be quite different from the ideal. Other factors related to the DBA’s technical and organizational environment may influence the DBA’s role. This paper summarizes the results of an exploratory survey on data base administration 9 which was undertaken as a first step toward identifying and understanding these factors.