Why Oracle Database Management is Really Important

We frequently use spreadsheets to store and share data. As long as the data is small and straightforward, spreadsheets do a good job of saving it. However, as the volume and complexity of the data grows, you will have to use a Database Management System to store and retrieve the data. Databases are highly scalable, and they are designed to communicate with other applications which make them suitable for the web.

Organizations like Banks, Government departments and multinational corporations all have vast amounts of data that need to be store and retrieved securely. Therefore, they use relational database management system to manage their data. A relational database recognizes the relationship between stored information.

Oracle is an object-relational database which is among one of the most complex databases in the world. It means that it supports many object-oriented features such as enhancing the capability of the database server by defining new and complex data types and using the attributes of “Inheritance” to define objects, which can procure properties of other objects.

Since most Database Management Systems (DBMS) understand a particular query or a specific language, not everyone can operate them. Database Administrators (or DBAs) use specialized software to store, update, delete or manage data in the DBMS.

If you want to become an Oracle Database Administrator, here are five things you should know:

What does an Oracle DBA do?

An Oracle DBA’s core job is to maintain data integrity, which means protecting the organization’s data. Database Administrators are involved in almost all functions related to data management such as development, storage, and retrieval of the database. They also “create, install, examine and troubleshoot” the database management systems that deal with the data in any organization. As an Oracle DBA, you will also be involved in the processes of backup and recovery of data, storage and capacity planning, performance monitoring and tuning, data extraction, transformation, & loading, etc. You may also be communicating with developers, data analysts and network operators to ensure smooth and efficient management & flow of information in the organization.

What are the necessary requirements for becoming an Oracle DBA?

Since database administration requires advanced knowledge of computing as well as business environments, most of the Oracle DBAs hold a Bachelor’s degree (BS) in computer programming. Due to intense competition, a college degree may not be adequate to become a DBA. Therefore, you need to upgrade your skills and become a certified expert in Oracle to advance your career. Excellent communications skills always help as in any other technical role.

You Can’t Avoid SQL

SQL or Structured Query Language, is at the core of all relational databases. SQL is used to store or fetch data in the relational databases. In fact, Oracle itself is a form of SQL Database. Also, the Oracle database is ANSI compliant. Thus, you can’t avoid SQL if you want to become an Oracle DBA. Join an introductory course in SQL before you aspire to learn advanced modules of Oracle database.

How much Oracle DBAs Earn?

The compensation of an Oracle Database Administrator may depend on several factors such as expertise in Database Administration, relevant experience, communications skills, educational qualification, etc.

According to a Salary.com report, as of Feb 2017, the median salary of Oracle DBAs is $111,450.00 per year. The average annual salary of top 10% Oracle DBAs is $132,613.00 whereas the bottom 10% earn an average annual salary of $85,637. This data clearly shows that Oracle DBA experts are among the highest paid professionals in the Information Technology sector.

How to Get Started

If you are a beginner, join an online training program to learn the basic SQL programming language. You should also acquire as many certifications in Oracle as possible to establish your credentials. Large organizations usually ask for a certain number (2-5 Years) of years of work experience. Therefore, you should also begin working as an intern along with your course to gain real world experience. You will need to be persistent and should have patience to learn Oracle DBA as it is an advanced programming language. Remember that your effort to learn Oracle will pay off quickly when you get your first job.

Today is December 12, 2012. If you’re a Facebook, Twitter or another social network user, you’ve seen “12-12-12” documented heavily for the last week. The fascination with this date is that we’ll never experience another set of all three – the day, the month and the year being the same in our lifetime (if you’re throttling yourself wondering why, there is no 13th month). The next occurrence will be the year 2112, and I think I can safely say that anyone who has the capability to read this article will not be around then.

So I thought it would be interesting to look at what are some other things that we will never see again: Blockbuster – once the king of VHS and DVD in-store rentals; Hostess brands – you remember Twinkies?; MySpace – one of the first social networking sites.

Innovation at all levels impacts how long a company can stay in business. It’s needed in product updates, packaging, updating applicability, communication and audience. We live in a  interesting times, where word of mouth means more than ever before thanks to Facebook and Twitter; where advertising has moved from the printed page to Google Ad Words (Google’s advertising program); and where we learn about the products and services we’ll buy looking at screens that minimally measure 2.5 X 4. Constant innovation is needed. Incorporating new technologies can give you access to a new audience, improve your product or service above your competition or provide a much desired feature. Staying on the “in business” list requires innovation and inspiration. 2013 is waiting…..

The United States Air Force has turned to Northrop Grumman to conduct technological experiments on how various service-oriented architecture (SOA) implementations spread across command and control domains might be integrated, according to a Northrop Grumman press release on January 31.

“This research will enable coordination and synchronization of information and application services to meet the demands of warfighting missions,” says Mike Twyman, vice president of integrated command, control, communications, and intelligence systems for Northrop Grumman’s Information Systems sector. “By partnering with Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome Research Site, we will jointly recommend and demonstrate novel strategies to manage and orchestrate data flow and content delivery across the realms of air and space command and control.”

Northrop Grumman will also analyze emerging information technology as applied to air and space warfighting domains. The goal of the engage with the USAF is to explore standardization in order to provide better enterprise-wide accessability.

GogoTraining offers the service-oriented architecture (SOA) courses as part of a suite of Cloud Computing training opportunities:

• Introduction to SOA Using Oracle 10g Service Bus
• Service Oriented Architecture in a Cloud Computing World

The business community has always thrived on service.  The fundamental best practice of serving customers has always been a necessary ingredient to long-term success and a sustainable business model.  You simply can’t expect to have staying power – whether you’re serving retail or business customers – and fail to think about their needs (and respond to them!). 

As information technology has grown in prominence among business users, many of us became caught in a technology trap where the tech took center stage and it was up to customers to conform.  The result has often been problems with cost, efficiency and consistency as technology is adopted due to a less-than-whole perspective on who will use it and why.

Back in the 1980’s, the proliferation of information technology across different departments in the United Kingdom government was occurring at a pace that left things like consistency, relevance, applicability and utility behind.  It sounds strange because these are just the sorts of things information technology is supposed to support or even introduce into an environment.  But rapid adoption by multiple points within the same entity (e.g. the UK government) makes for a lack of continuity and a resulting jumble of confused and colliding implementations.

Enter ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library), a set of standards first envisioned in the late 1980’s by the Central Computer Telecommunications Agency (a division of the UK government).  This blossomed over the years into many volumes of publications covering best practices for IT management, application and service.  The focus remained on Service Management; specifically, a perspective on IT management that is centered on the customer’s perspective of IT.

This customer-centered approach represents a major competitive opportunity for businesses in 2011 and beyond.  Due to several years of difficult economic conditions the corporate lens is focused on finding ways to save costs and create efficiency, and ITIL certainly offers both of these advantages.

Those with ITIL certification have an opportunity to stand out in this economy.  Being able to bring this sort of perspective is a difference maker for those already employed or seeking a new position.  Companies large and small are looking for an edge and the user-focused best practices of ITIL make a strong business case for accomplishing real savings in any and all IT investments moving forward.  Businesses are already well-educated on the importance of this after several decades of technology deployments with very mixed results.

If you are currently employed and in the position to manage IT services, consider obtaining ITIL certification training that will enable you to get certified.  By making a case for efficiency and cost control you may be able to get your employer to pay for it.  If you are unemployed and looking to secure a new position that includes IT service management then ITIL certification could be a way to distinguish yourself.
 
Employed or not, taking a page from the ITIL philosophy on IT management and singing the tune of customer-focused service is sure to be one that resonates with today’s top employers.