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The Art of the Outstanding DBA

January 25, 2011 by John Sansom 13 Comments

Being average is dull. Are we consistently producing quality that we can be proud of, each and every time? So why settle and deliver ok results when we can deliver outstanding results! Funnily enough being exceptional at what you do is not easy. If it were we’d all be doing it right? It takes time, […]

Filed Under: Professional Development, SQLServerCentral Syndication, SQLServerPedia Syndication

Why Every DBA Needs a Buddy

January 18, 2011 by John Sansom 7 Comments

Every DBA Needs a Buddy

If you truly desire to be an effective SQL Server Database Administrator then you absolutely must have a buddy. SQL Server is a huge product that is packed full of features to the extent that no one individual can be an expert in all areas. You’re going to need help! The Incredible Value of Peer […]

Filed Under: Administration, Professional Development, SQLServerCentral Syndication, SQLServerPedia Syndication

T-SQL Tuesday 14: Techie Resolutions for You not Me

January 11, 2011 by John Sansom 12 Comments

Is it just me or has the community done the whole “What are my goals for this year” thing to death in the last couple of weeks? I don’t know about you but I’m eager for this week’s T-SQL Tuesday topic (Techie Reolutions) to not just be an extension of all that stuff. So to put a different spin […]

Filed Under: Professional Development, SQLServerCentral Syndication, SQLServerPedia Syndication Tagged With: TSQL Tuesday

The Best Database Administrators Automate Everything

January 4, 2011 by John Sansom 60 Comments

Automation

Do you understand the value of your time? I mean really understand it. Time is your absolute number one most valuable asset. Once it’s gone, that’s it, gone forever. As a Database Administrator (DBA) your skills, services, expertise and ultimately your time will always be in demand. You can only ever deliver on a finite amount of time, that’s […]

Filed Under: Administration, Professional Development, SQLServerCentral Syndication, SQLServerPedia Syndication Tagged With: Best Practice, Featured, Time Management

TSQL Tuesday 13: Managing Unrealistic Expectations

December 14, 2010 by John Sansom 3 Comments

TSQL Tuesday14: Your Techie Goals for this Year

It’s that time of the month again, no not that one, it’s T-SQL Tuesday time and this weeks topic is hosted by none other than SQLServerCentral’s own Steve Jones. If you don’t know what T-SQL Tuesday is, you’re either new to the SQL community or have had your head buried in the sand for the last year. […]

Filed Under: Professional Development, SQLServerCentral Syndication, SQLServerPedia Syndication

Life Without a Net – My comment

November 2, 2010 by John Sansom 1 Comment

Did you catch the brilliant and thought provoking editorial post Life Without a Net by Rodney Landrum on SQL Server Central this morning? The post pondered the entertaining thought of what life would be like without the very lifeblood that we all have come to know and love, the internet. What I found particularly interesting about […]

Filed Under: Professional Development, SQL Server Community, SQLServerCentral Syndication, SQLServerPedia Syndication

The Perfect SQL Server DBA / Developer Role

September 9, 2010 by John Sansom 1 Comment

Whilst enjoying my coffee fix this morning, along with today’s SQL Server Central Email, my attention was caught by Steve Jones’s Editorial comment.The key theme looks at how much you enjoy your current job role and Steve goes on to rightly suggest that you should not settle for anything short of what makes you happy. […]

Filed Under: Professional Development, SQLServerCentral Syndication, SQLServerPedia Syndication

10 Character Traits of Outstanding DBA’s

August 24, 2010 by John Sansom 42 Comments

Ninja-like focus

What are the character traits of outstanding SQL Server Database Administrators (DBA) ? You know what I’m talking about. There are DBA’s out there that go way above and beyond merely getting the job done. Managing huge workloads with ease and delivering them with class. But how do they do it? I’m certain you have seen and […]

Filed Under: Professional Development, SQLServerCentral Syndication, SQLServerPedia Syndication Tagged With: Character Traits, Soft Skills

Seven Reasons You Should Attend SQLBits 7

July 22, 2010 by John Sansom 3 Comments

SQLBits

SQLBits is Europe’s Largest SQL Server Event That’s right, just take a moment to let that point hit home. If you are only able to attend one SQL Server event in Europe this year, this is the one you are going to want to choose! Maybe the PASS Summit 2010 is not a practical option […]

Filed Under: Professional Development, SQL Server Community, SQLServerCentral Syndication, SQLServerPedia Syndication

Jump Start Your SQL Server Learning Today (T-SQL Tuesday)

July 13, 2010 by John Sansom 18 Comments

One of the great things about working with SQL Server is the opportunity to be involved in our fantastic SQL Server community. This months T-SQL Tuesday topic asks what we as data professionals do to learn our subject. (You can follow the conversation on Twitter using the #TSQL2sDay tag.) SQL Server is a big topic […]

Filed Under: Professional Development, SQLServerCentral Syndication, SQLServerPedia Syndication

How to Provide Great Feedback

July 1, 2010 by John Sansom 13 Comments

As a DBA you will encounter processes, code and design decisions within your environment that require change for the better. The most common driver for such change is performance improvement. Oftentimes the changes you wish to drive will require design and implementation by someone other than yourself. Proposing changes(improvements) to an authors existing code/process/design can […]

Filed Under: Performance Tuning, Professional Development, SQLServerCentral Syndication, SQLServerPedia Syndication

The Politics of SQL Server Performance

June 30, 2010 by John Sansom 11 Comments

Super DBA

Like most DBA’s I’m sure you often find yourself delivering information to the business concerning the performance of your SQL Server platform but have you ever stopped to consider the wider implications of your actions? As a SQL Server Database Administrator you are responsible for the overall health and well being of your SQL Server […]

Filed Under: Administration, Performance Tuning, Professional Development, SQLServerCentral Syndication, SQLServerPedia Syndication

Top 10 Junior DBA Interview Tips

February 5, 2010 by John Sansom 46 Comments

Lion Roaring

The start of a new year is a time for self reflection and along with it perhaps a desire to do something new with your career. Maybe you are considering becoming a Junior Database Administrator (DBA)? Acquiring your very first role as a Junior DBA is not easy. Just browse any one of the many […]

Filed Under: Interviews, SQLServerCentral Syndication, SQLServerPedia Syndication Tagged With: Interview Tips, Junior DBA

Blog your way to becoming a better DBA

October 15, 2009 by John Sansom 11 Comments

One of the most rewarding aspects of Blogging is that the content you share and publish has the potential to help others in your community but have you also considered that Blogging can actually make you a better DBA? You see the act of blogging itself provides a number of subtle benefits for your professional […]

Filed Under: Professional Development, SQLServerCentral Syndication, SQLServerPedia Syndication Tagged With: blogging

The Database Administrator’s Primary Responsibility

July 20, 2009 by John Sansom 45 Comments

You’re busy coding away at your workstation when all of a sudden your manager walks over to you all excited and begins discussing with you, the details of this great new application your company has just aquired. It turns out that he wants you to look after and administer this newly aquired application platform, which […]

Filed Under: Administration, Disaster Recovery, Professional Development, SQLServerCentral Syndication, SQLServerPedia Syndication Tagged With: Data Loss

What does it take to be an outstanding SQL Server DBA?

May 7, 2009 by John Sansom Leave a Comment

There has been quite a bit of activity this past week in the SQL Server community regarding how to secure a role as a Junior DBA.  Brent Ozar has posted a number of articles here and @SQLBatman has also been busy posting Junior DBA Questions. Both authors make some excellent points but what if you […]

Filed Under: Professional Development, SQLServerCentral Syndication, SQLServerPedia Syndication

Developers vs DBAs

April 21, 2009 by John Sansom Leave a Comment

An excellent discussion by Gail Shaw has been posted on her Blog SQL in the Wild, regarding the ongoing debate surrounding the inherent adversity there seems to be between those two illustrious groups we know and love as Developers and DBA’s. I find it quite disheartening that there seems to be a presumption between these […]

Filed Under: Professional Development

What makes an exceptional DBA?

January 13, 2009 by John Sansom Leave a Comment

When attempting to define what makes a good Database Administrator, understandably the focus is often placed on the technical skills that are deemed to be required. There are plenty of great resources available on the net that can be used to research this aspect. For instance, Brent Ozar has some excellent material on his site. […]

Filed Under: Professional Development Tagged With: Database Administrator

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