Re: training for new DBA's
- From: Mark Bobak <Mark.Bobak@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "sfaroult@xxxxxxxxxxxx" <sfaroult@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, "backseatdba@xxxxxxxxx" <backseatdba@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 1 Feb 2014 19:16:03 +0000
Stéphane,
Are you familiar with SQL Fiddle<http://www.sqlfiddle.com>?
It supports several different databases (Oracle 11gR2, various MySQL versions,
various SQL Server versions, various SQLite versions, etc).
Pretty cool.
-Mark
--
Mark J. Bobak, Lead Oracle DBA
ProQuest | 789 E. Eisenhower Pkwy | Ann Arbor, MI 48108-3218 USA | +1 734 997
4059
www.proquest.com<http://www.proquest.com/>
ProQuest... Start here. 2013 InformationWeek 500 Top Innovator
From: Stéphane Faroult <sfaroult@xxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:sfaroult@xxxxxxxxxxxx>>
Reply-To: "sfaroult@xxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:sfaroult@xxxxxxxxxxxx>"
<sfaroult@xxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:sfaroult@xxxxxxxxxxxx>>
Date: Saturday, February 1, 2014 at 5:17 AM
To: "backseatdba@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:backseatdba@xxxxxxxxx>"
<backseatdba@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:backseatdba@xxxxxxxxx>>
Cc: "oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>"
<oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>>
Subject: Re: training for new DBA's
On 02/01/2014 12:11 AM, Jeff C wrote:
We are looking at training a new DBA from scratch (hiring from within) and I am
looking for any opinions on where/how/what to train this person on. I was
thinking of starting with just basic SQL and relational database design then
onto some pl/sql. After that move on to dba stuff.
Is there any good free or cheap places to get this kind of training?
And how would you test a very beginner candidate to know if they would be a
good fit for this position. Any questions or tests I good give them? What
would you look for?
This is new to me as I have been mainly the lone dba for years and also trained
on the job.
Thanks for any input.
Jeff
Jeff,
For basic SQL I have created a sandbox where people can practice -
http://edu.konagora.com/SQLsandbox.php; it's free, no registration required
(registration on this site is for profs only). I've been using it in class for
students to whom I am teaching SQL. You have tables, data (film database) and
there are even a few exercises with (sometimes) solutions. It's not perfect
(support of analytical functions is a bit wobbly, I simulate them over SQLite),
but you can create and drop your own tables and run all the DML you want, which
is rarely the case with web-based SQL sandboxes (and if you mess everything up,
just close your browser and open a new session). It doesn't support commit and
rollback, as it's web based (although I have ideas about how to do it). More
worrying for training a DBA, you haven't access to a data dictionary (DBA_...
tables), but I'm thinking about adding this one day (just not enough time). Oh
yes, and the book that goes with the site is also very good for learning SQL
;-).
Another web-based site that is worth mentioning is Gordon Russell's
sqlzoo.net, which is the best among what I see as "competition". If I really
like w3schools for everything that is HTML and CSS, their SQL part is very weak
(OK, my standards may not be everybody's).
For design issues, you can redirect your trainee to Steven Feuerstein's site
http://www.plsqlchallenge.com/, which, in spite of the name, isn't only PL/SQL
(which you also mention). Chris Saxon has created a few design quizzes (which
by the way can help you filtering candidates - another good way to do it is to
check DBA forums, find a question that you find interesting and submit it to
your candidates. These days, whenever I give an exam to students, half the
questions come from forums. It's a good way to find out what people have
trouble to get).
For DBA stuff proper I have posted a few videos on Youtube that, I hope,
will at least explain the basics of Oracle:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD33650E97A140FC8 (two hours in all).
I've tried to explain concepts more than "how to". For "how to" stuff, there
are any videos on Youtube.
Hope that helps,
--
Stéphane Faroult
RoughSea Ltd<http://www.roughsea.com>
Konagora<http://www.konagora.com>
RoughSea Channel on Youtube<http://www.youtube.com/user/roughsealtd>
Author, SQL
Success<http://www.amazon.com/SQL-Success-Database-Programming-Proficiency/dp/1909765007/>,
The Art of SQL<http://www.amazon.com/Art-SQL-Stephane-Faroult/dp/0596008945/>,
Refactoring SQL
Applications<http://www.amazon.com/Refactoring-SQL-Applications-Stephane-Faroult/dp/0596514972/>
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