The advent of cloud computing has deeply impacted the way of managing databases, and it is dramatically changing the roles of database administrators. For a long, the database administrators (DBA) used to stay closely attached to the databases grappling with the management of the database updates, dealing with capacity issues, and applying security patches. The DBAs were like overseers of the database, who played a hands-on role to ensure that the database was always up and running at its peak efficiency.
Moving to a cloud environment is steadily impacting the role of DBAs who are gradually moving away from playing a hands-on role and instead positioning themselves as value drivers for the businesses they are responsible for. As enterprises are embracing cloud computing in a big way, it has resulted in transferring many DBA functions from on-site data centers to cloud providers.
This is evident from the push given by Oracle that aims at creating cloud-based self-driving databases, which will do most of the heavy lifting for enterprises.
Organizing data on the cloud – cloud database
A database service built in the cloud and accessible through a cloud platform is the easiest way to describe a cloud database. Cloud databases perform the same functions as traditional on-premise databases but with more flexibility that comes with cloud computing. Users install the software in the cloud infrastructure and do not need any hardware systems for installing it like traditional databases. This means that enterprises can save the cost of buying hardware for installing databases. Users can manage the database on their own or hire the services of a DBA belonging to RemoteDBA.com, who can act as the custodian of databases of the organization. The cloud infrastructure can support relational databases like PostgreSQL and MySQL and NoSQL databases like Apache CouchDB and Mongo DB. The database can be accessed by using an API provided by the vendor or through a web interface.
The changing role of DBAs
The shift of on-premise databases to the cloud is changing the role of DBAs as they will be busier in designing and delivering data-driven capabilities for their businesses. DBAs who used to devote 90% of their time to the maintenance of databases and managing numerous databases will now be shifting to high-value tasks that include tuning and provisioning and extends up to business analytics. They will also be guiding their organizations to the realm of new technology such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, and Artificial intelligence (AI) as all these are cloud-based.
Here are the changes that are likely to happen to the DBA’s role.
High-value deployments
As cloud-based data and databases gain popularity, the DBAs will now be free from doing the day to day tasks. They can utilize the time to work directly with managers, business leaders, and customers on ways of using data for resolving business problems. Moving data to the cloud does away with the laborious work involved in setting up, operating, and scaling up databases, whether for development, production, or testing purposes. Cloud services provide automated management of lower-level tasks such as server provisioning, security patching, and backups and offer a flexible capacity that can be scaled up or reduced, which frees DBAs from such tasks. They can make better use of time by focusing on innovations and solutions to boost the efforts of the IT teams as well as business users to apply new-found technological opportunities of Ai, data analytics, and machine learning.
Least maintenance, more autonomy
Not only the roles of DBAs are changing, but their job titles might change as well. Until now looked upon as custodian of databases, the new role of DBAs would be that of data engineers, data stewards, and data architects who are going to create a new breed of professionals. The cloud has opened the gateway for more collaboration between developers and production teams that can make use of DevOps for delivering software at the pace desired by businesses. Increased database automation is making such things possible, and the day is not far when databases will become entirely autonomous.
The days of DBAs closely looking after databases is now coming to an end as databases will be more self-sufficient and be able to rectify minor glitches and fulfill patching requirement all by itself without the intervention of DBAs. Autonomous databases that use AI will be far more efficient as it can detect false positive alerts and allow DBAs to focus on real issues that are more important for businesses.
Making real use of data for businesses
DBAs would no longer be required to look after the running of databases on a day to day basis but instead focus on what value they can add to the businesses they serve. The time has come to use data as a strategic asset by making it everyone’s responsibility so that it is possible to make the magic happen by making great data part of the business. Cloud databases will give more freedom to DBAs to concentrate on bigger questions like database architecture, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT). DBAs will stay involved in making real use of data for businesses.
Expanding the data horizon
Historically, databases have served a limited group of internal users. But with cloud databases, the scope of service extends much beyond the corporate boundaries and reaches the widest section of the audience. Data sources have multiplied many times, and data from disparate sources reach the database due to the IoT. This would require the ability to acquire, replicate, and ensure the availability of data beyond the traditional database management systems within the data center. DBAs who used to be sole database operators are now transforming into maestros who can coordinate a symphony of data environments.
To work in a cloud environment, DBA must have more command line and coding knowledge because their task is now more software-oriented. They must now work with DevOps engineers for the deployment of data environment in the cloud as well as for on-premise installations too.
DBAs must move away from the data center environment and embrace infrastructure as code, which is gaining more importance.
