Introduction
In today’s business environment, being a successful DBA is more than just being technical. If you want to excel in this profession, you must be seen as someone who understands both the business and technical aspects of the applications you support.
In last week’s post, I started providing a general set of recommendations on keeping your [...]

Introduction
If you have been reading this blog, you probably have noticed that very few of them have discussed complex technical topics in-depth.  Trust me when I say we’ll be getting very technical very shortly but I think it is important to cover topics that others don’t spend a lot of time focusing on.
Being a DBA [...]

I thought I would spend a little time discussing the importance of soft skills.  If you want to remain competitive in this profession, you must be able to communicate effectively.  I’ll provide you with a few helpful hints and tips to improve your verbal and written communication skills. The importance of improving your communication skills cannot be [...]

I have taught hundreds of people how to administer Oracle during my career as an Oracle instructor. For those of you just entering this profession, here is my most sage piece of advice:
“The hallmark of a good DBA is not knowing everything; it’s knowing where to look when you don’t.”
I thought it might be beneficial [...]

Database administrators are ultimately responsible for guaranteeing the quality of their organization’s database environments. From protecting against unauthorized access to providing 24×7 availability – “the buck stops at the DBA Unit.” Although the database infrastructure (DB binaries, O/S, hardware) doesn’t change much, there is one component that usually changes a lot – the application. This [...]

Database administrators are much more than just “table jockeys.” Because of our well-rounded expertise, we are often asked to help evaluate third-party business applications, application development tools and database administration and monitoring products. Over the years, I have developed a Product Evaluation Methodology that you may find helpful.
Introduction
A methodology can be loosely defined as a [...]

This blog will focus on the most important responsibility we are charged with as DBAs – ensuring that our organization’s databases can be quickly and easily recovered.  My intent with most of these blogs is to provide information that you won’t find from other sources.   You can find the mechanics of database administration in a multitude [...]

Because of my background in Oracle Education, I am often asked about Oracle training, which classes would be most beneficial and how to prepare for the certification tests. The purpose of this article is to help students better understand Oracle education and the Oracle certification process.
This blog will provide you with some hints and tips that [...]

Ever look at a screen’s output and get that puckered feeling in the pit of your stomach? If you have been working in this profession for any amount of time, you know the feeling I’m talking about. The feeling that makes you think you would rather be living in Montana making woodcarvings at a roadside [...]

The Foot Rule of Thumb
The Foot Rule of Thumb is pretty simple. You need to experiment and create your own rules of thumb. A while back I wrote a series of interview questions for an online magazine. The questions were the basis for a podcast interview with Jonathan Lewis. What impressed me the most about [...]