RE: DBA Skill tree

Ok, fair enough.   It's probably more accurate to say "competency".

-Mark

From: Dan Norris [mailto:dannorris@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Friday, April 03, 2009 12:08 PM
To: Bobak, Mark
Cc: kerry.osborne@xxxxxxxxxxx; Oracle L
Subject: Re: DBA Skill tree

I'd again have to disagree on using experience as a measuring tool of anything. 
I think instead of experience, you mean proficiency or competency (hope I'm not 
putting words into your keyboard). I'm sure we can all think of people we've 
known or worked with in the past that were "experienced" but not competent to 
perform the tasks that were part of their job. At least I can. Part of my work 
is made possible by those fine individuals :).

Dan

Bobak, Mark wrote:
Going along w/ Kerry's comments about a certain threshold of experience being 
important, it seems to me, the best people are the ones who have at least some 
level of experience as C programmers and unix admins *before* entering the DBA 
arena.

 Honestly, if someone asked me the required skills to be a great DBA, they'd be:

Good solid understanding of algorithms and data structures

3-5 years experience as a C programmer

3-5 years experience doing unix admin

2-3 years doing storage admin

2-3 years doing Oracle development (SQL, PL/SQL, Pro*C, Java, etc)

If someone starts with that base of experience, and can manage to enter the DBA 
field and still be curious and interested in learning, they'll soar to the top 
in no time.  Then, it becomes a matter of staying there.  Staying engaged, 
interested, and ready to learn more.  Cause you know the next Oracle release is 
always around the corner, and ready to unleash a bunch of new features.

-Mark

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