Data Administrator versus Database Administrator - Research Paper Example

Data-Administrator vs. Database Administrator With the advancements in computer technology and the abundance of data, Information technology and Information resource management have become an essential part of modern day business and communication. These fields basically involve efficient transmission, storage and analysis of information. These fields are a conglomerate of many professions. Network architects, computer security specialists, database administrators and data administrators are some of the categories of their distribution. These professionals help individuals and organizations manage data through computer networks and databases according to their specific requirements. Job prospects are very bright in such fields as the employment rate is growing. This field requires relevant computer skills. Database administrators (DBA) work with tools such as database management softwares to determine methods to store, categorize, analyze, use, and present information and data. DBA customize the information according to the requirements of the organization. In certain situations, such as the modification or restructuring of the organization, database administrators have to integrate all the necessary data from previous system and networks to the new system and network. They even have to deal with the bugs and glitches of networks and system. In short, database administrator measures and guarantees the efficient performance of the system. The eligibility of this profession requires bachelors’ degree in relevant computer field. MBA programs are also offered in this field and MBA degree is preferred over a bachelors’ degree. DBA have strong analytical and problem solving skills. This is because DBA are exposed to multi-tasking still they have to concentrate on every detail of the individual problem. “Computer network, systems, and database administrators held about 961,200 jobs in 2008” ("Database administrator," 2010).1,20,400 of these jobs were for database administrators. “Employment of database administrators is expected to grow by 20 percent from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the average.”("Database administrator," 2010) Database administrators use different tools and programs. Basically their job requires database management softwares. Some of them include Oracle SQL developer, CDBF, Sqsh and Vxlnsight. Every day roles and responsibilities of database administrators include defining the database by defining the parameters, analysis of available space and volume of data, regular tuning of database and parametric enhancements, establishing database backups, monitoring the space requirements of database, integration of data from various sources and transformation of logical structures into physical structures. Data Administration (DA) on the other hand is relatively new to the field of data organization. This branch involves logical organization of information. It has only been ten to fifteen years since industries and organizations started realizing the importance of control of data through logical establishment. Data administration is a separate corporate resource. However, there still is a lack of understanding about the difference between DBA and DA among professional and experienced data analysts. Due to this fact the job market for data administrators is not as established as the job market for database administrators. This trend can be observed on job search engines. Data administrators just like database administrators, work in offices, in front of computers and on database management softwares. Their average work hours per week are around forty. Data administrators make data sharable and consistent across applications by using a technique called Logical Data Modeling. This technique is completely out of the bounds of database administrators and designers. So this job cannot be delegated to others as this area is a specialty of data administrators. Overall responsibilities of Data administration circle around the objective of planning, documentation and information resource management of an organization. “This integration can be achieved by a combination of refined skills and techniques, proper use of Data Administration tools such as a meta data repository and CASE (modeling) products, and logically designed data structures”(Smith, 1997). Everyday roles and responsibilities of data administrators include analysis and execution of business requirements, defining a business model based on the business requirements which may be conceptual or logical, application of standards and conventions, assisting database administrators in creating physical models based on logical models, conducting user based session on data definition and managing data repository and data administration tools. DA and DBA functions can be similar from a particular perspective. Both of them deal in data and share certain skills. Even though both of them will be able to create data models, data administrators will be more efficient at it. Both the professionals may have the same level of education, however, certain courses and certificates may vary depending on the relevance. Data administrators and Database administrators work together sometimes. This allows them to exchange their expertise which makes them more alike. Data administration separates into the business aspect of information resource management and Database administration separates into the technological framework of data management. The work of Data administrator is more aligned with the nature of the business. DA has the responsibility of understanding the business language and interpreting it into the Logical Data Model. “The DA is involved more in the requirements gathering, analysis, and design phases; DBA in the design, development, testing, and operational phases” (Mullins, 2006). The focus of effort between the two is different as well. Data administration caters to the needs of business users by identifying the specific requirements of users and producing conceptual and logical data models that portray the true relationship between various data elements of the business. These models distinctly show all of the data used by the organization. Moreover, these models establish the ground rules and criteria for data control and usage. DBA on the other hand deals with technological issues. If it had to be put in one line, it would be: “the DBA is more technically focused, the DA more business focused” (Mullins, 2006). The data administrator and data base administrators populate the database together. The data administrator particularly handles the collection and editing criteria of the database. Moreover, DA reconciles the differences between the different versions of data. Database administrator verifies the editing and collection criteria of data established by the data administrators. The core task of database administrator is to prepare the programs needed to populate the database. With all the modification, users need change and for that both the DA and DBA work together. Data administrators, in this matter work with the users to come up with new conceptual and external schemas designs. On the other hand, database administrators deal with the enhancements needed in the internal schema. DBA works out all the impacts of the changes required by the users on the existing data structures and framework. Both the DA and DBA have to maintain thorough documentation on the definition of database so that they can help each other out by understanding each others work. DA and DBA seem to be moving in a to and fro motion. They converge to look a like but then move apart as distinct operations. Their outline of work is different from each other yet they complement each other. Data administration is more aligned with the operations and lexicon of the business while database administration is more technically focused. Data administrators build on the work of database administration. Moreover, they customize the system according to the requirements of the business users. Database administrators, on the other hand, deal with database management tools and establish the main database system. Both the professionals work together to populate the database. They verify each others work and are valuable to any modern day organization yet many professionals do not see the difference between the two and this has been going on throughout the history of information resource management. Data Administration and Database Administration have separate roles and responsibilities which should not be overlapped. Both of them require different and separate training and skills. That is why both of them are vital to organizations where data is treated as a corporate asset. The Database Administrator is a communication-channel between the Data Administrator, technicians and the Application programming staff. The greater part of the workload of Database Administrator is to provide steady support for databases that are physically designed and monitored from the applications that access those databases. When these two departments coexist within an organization they need to work in collaboration. It is not necessary that both jobs must be managed by the same manager, although it would be very helpful for the whole organization. In a nutshell, organizations those are truly concerned about data quality, integrity and its reuse focus more on hiring a Data Administrator than a Database Administrator (Mullins, 2002). WORKS CITED Mullins, Craig. (2006). On data and database administration. Retrieved from http://www.craigsmullins.com/dbta_055.htm Smith, Anne. (1997). Irm: data administration vs. database administration. Retrieved from http://www.tdan.com/view-articles/4197 Weber, Ron. (1999). Information systems control & audit. Available fromhttp://books.google.com.pk/books?id=rLvehDVJG_EC&pg=PA238&lpg=PA238&dq=DBA+and+DA&source=bl&ots=QevLjlhcV0&sig=mrvR1RVo0lsFQh6mduDozCNhdB4&hl=en&ei=fiOfTuLME8nJrAf639DFCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CD4Q6AEwBjgU#v=onepage&q=DBA%20and%20DA&f=false Database administrator. (2010, March 19). Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/k12/computers01.html Mullins, C. (2002, September 13).Why dbas must be jacks-of-all-trades. Retrieved from http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=29321&seqNum=4 Read More