sql server dba interview questions

[rohithere]

hi,
In an interview my friend was asked the foll question:

Tell me about the size of the database youhave maintained and the complexity of it?

Well, actually iam confused as should he be telling size really large or small and complexity in terms of what??
please explain to me giving examples.

IT IS VERY URGENT>>>

Thanks

 

[jrbarnett]

Hello
The sort of things that they would want to know was:
* Number of concurrent users
* Number of servers (ie was it 1 server or multiple servers with or without replication).
* Approx. number of records in the main tables and number of main tables.
* What advanced features were used (views, stored functions, procedures & triggers) etc.
* How it was accessed by the people using the system (not the admins) - ie Access frontend; SQL commands; VB client/server app etc.

John

 

[rohithere]

Hi,

Thanks.
But since it was for an ecommerce site the Number of concurrent users : would be unknown.
And
I don't get the point:Approx. number of records in the main tables and number of main tables.Here main tables are master tables or what,and why only the no: of records of only the main tables and not that of other tables.

Also does my friend also have to tell the interviewer about the relationship between the tables????
Any other point involved in specifying the complexity od the database?????

And regarding the size of the DB: telling a larger size shows the competency of the administrator or telling a less size ????

Thanks once again for your help.

 

[skiflyer]

The idea behind size is, how much was this database utilized, the more utilization, the more likely you are to have run into bugs and issues of maintenance and hi load situations.

Complexity is going to help them determine how impressive the issue is.

As to your point about concurrent users being unknown, the question is, the max number of concurrent users the db has seen.

 

[rohithere]

Hi,
Thanks for u r help.

the max number of concurrent users the db has seen refers to the programmers who access the db OR the general public who visit the site????????

 

[jrbarnett]

The number of members of the public visiting the website.

John

 

[rohithere]

Hi,

Thanks.

So my friend had to say only there points for the question asked to him:

* Number of concurrent users
* Number of servers (ie was it 1 server or multiple servers with or without replication).
* Approx. number of records in the main tables and number of main tables.
* What advanced features were used (views, stored functions, procedures & triggers) etc.
* How it was accessed by the people using the system (not the admins) - ie Access frontend; SQL commands; VB client/server app etc.


Well,then the answer would have been like this:
1) 2 million.
2) 1 server.
3) 1000 records - 5 main tables.
4) used stored proc for reporting feature in site.
5) front end in asp.

Moreover does the main tables refer to master tables ?????

 

[jrbarnett]

If there is only 1 server, then there won't be 2 million concurrent users because it would overload the server (by "concurrent" I mean accessing the site at the same time; ie 2 million web browsers across the planet on 2m different computers accessing the site simultaneously. There may be 2 million registered users on the site which may be worth quoting).
I do mean the master tables, not the subsidiary ones used for lookup values etc.

John

 

[SemperFiDownUnda]

If your "friend" doesn't know the terminology etc he/she is going to flop on the interview. When they ask one of these questions and he/she rambles off the prepared statement then gets asked "Can you tell us how you handled ...." they'll be out of luck. I can tell you knowing a few key words etc isn't going to get you by on most DBA interviews as they'll probably have a lead DBA there and you friend won't get much buy them.

Better to have your friend ask them to elaborate on the question. Maybe your friend should bring snippets of the a diagram that is similar to what he/she has worked on before.



Hope I've been helpful,
Wayne Francis

If you want to get the best response to a question, please check out FAQ222-2244 first