Making a valid argument for DBA - Some thoughts... 2

[eb24]

Hello:

I am pursuing this forum to seek advice from people out in the field. I am currently writing up an argument for an IT Director where I work why I should be granted access to the SQL Server 2000 we have in-house.

Currently, I am a software developer for this department that is part of a very big corporation. Believe it or not, there IS NO DBA on the premises! Yes, I can't believe it either. I have taken a sort of an Administrator role in conjunction with my regular development duties. I saw a need for some administrative tasks, since there was none implemented when I came on board!

There are a few other developers here but they conduct absolutely NO administration of the SS2k. I am afraid if the lack of administration goes any further, disaster is sure to occur.

To make a very long story short, I would like to know some very good and sound arguments why someone, maybe I, should be granted access to the SQL Server. Arguments like: access to the logs, being able to reboot the machine, analysis, etc., I believe are some. I can keep on listing some more, but I am sure you all know what I am seeking.

Thus, without further, I would like some advice and further information from you, the experts on this initiative, that is, I feel, is of high importance: Why should someone have access to the SQL Server box with administrator rights, and not just remotely as a developer.

I look forward to your responses.

 

[nigelrivett]

I see no reason to allow anyone access.

As long as there are automated processes to check that backups are being taken, perform test restores, check the integrity of the restored databases, check that no connections are hanging, no transactions are being held, nothing is deadlocking, nothing has space problems, checkpoints are being taken, tr logs are not growing, tempdb is not growing, ...

As long as that is in place or if you are happy to lose the server and not be able to recover anything on it then your manager is right to deny access.

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Cursors are useful if you don't know sql.
DTS can be used in a similar way.
Beer is not cold and it isn't fizzy.

 

[Corran007]

I believe that is part of the problem, because there is no dba, there likely are no automated proces to make sure all of those things are happening. Someone has to set those up in the first place, if no one has ownership of the database server, they proably have not been set up.

My company was somewhat similiar, but opposite position. All of IT had access to the database server. Someone deleted some very important processes perhaps unknowingly. It cost my company a fair amount of pain and money. As a result, i took ownership of the server and implmented security(since there was none). I also made sure everthing is backed up, maintained and running correctly. Though it was an additional duty, our director of IT is very comfortable with using sqlserver knowing i take care of them. (40 production sql servers and counting)

As to the arguments, i find that what are you willing to lose works fairly well. What would the cost be of losing the whole server? Since no one is taking care of it, who knows if backsups are done. Who knows who as access (either legal or illegal) to the server if no one is minding the shop. Do they care if the data on it is getting into the wrong hands? who knows. Basically they are saying they dont care if they lose the whole server or if everyone has access to it because without taking ownership of it, they have no way of knowing if this is true.

I will give a brief list of dba responibilites and reasons for them.

Installing and upgrading Sqlserver: Who currently installs sql server, who is responsible for patching them? Slammer anyone? All the production servers should be configured the same , if possible, to help make maintaince easier.

monitoring the server health and tuning correctly. if no one is taking care of it, how do they know its working correctly. i work closly with our server admin to keep the servers functioning correctly. I sometimes know there is a problem with the servers before he does. IF your network group currently does this than good, now you will have an additional person to help keep it working.

using and monitoring storage properly, capactiy planning how much room do you have available. how much room will you need in the future. are you constatly adding new applications? we actually had machines run out of room here and we had to replace them(was a bug with sql7 having to do with images) Who monitors the space available on the server/servers. I run nightly jobs that tell me the amount of free space on all my machines that i look at the results every morning. i know far in advacne when space is becoming and issue.

performing backup and recovery duties perhpas the most well know dba function. who makes sure that backups are being done? perhaps no one. hope it doesnt crash or get an error else its all gone. IF there is a problem, who will restore it? How do you get developers copy of the production databases to test code changes againt? I do restores all the time because its always best to work with production data when possible. Just sign those nda's.

managing security Who is managing the security for the server/servers? Who conrols access? i hope its not just one because if they become disgruntled, oy now your in trouble. Who knows who really has access to the database system? Whos responible for ensuring developers machines are correctly configured to keep people out that should not be. Who implements the applications into production?


establishing and enforcing standards This is somthing that is often overlooked. Standards have to be done otherwise everyone will do thier own thing. Come up with ones everyone agrees on then enforce them.

Excuse the mirad of spelling and punctuation errors. If you have any more specific quetions, dont hesitate to ask. In the end it really come down to can we risk losing everything on that server forever?