how to become a database administrator

How to Become a Database Administrator: The DBA Starter Guide

For those who are new to information science, the database programming field can be intimidating. A very broad field with many specializations, information science includes programmers, architects, and IT professionals - and within each of those sub-fields there are additional specializations and competencies. As a newcomer considering entering this field, you're doubtless wondering: Where should I focus my studies? 

It's a valid question. The technology industry is filled with technologies that were once critical, but have now become obsolete. After all, how many mainframe programmers do you meet anymore? 

Enter Database Programming

The field of database programming is not likely to be one of those fields, at least not for a very long time. In fact, databases and database technology is powering the technologies that are now in use. You’ll find it being used in applications and environments such as:

  • Web applications - Virtually every web application in existence is powered by a back-end database(s), many of them truly massive in size. Amazon, eBay, and Google are all essentially massive databases, and those companies employ thousands of database programmers. 
  • Big Data, Data Warehousing, and Data Mining - Big Data is the concept whereby massive amounts of data are collated and correlated, to find patterns that hadn't been seen before, and can be exploited for business gain. Financial services, insurance, retail, commodities, healthcare, and a huge range of other industries all use these techniques to find value in the massive amounts of data they collect. 
  • Financial and Healthcare Applications - Financial institutions are massively dependent upon database technologies. In fact, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires stock exchanges to keep real-time records of every single transaction that takes place, and brokerages have similar requirements as well. Healthcare providers, in this new age of healthcare data records and new applications, are also very reliant on databases to maintain patient healthcare information. 

There really isn't an application type, industry, or organization that doesn't depend heavily on databases. Data is quickly becoming the single most valuable commodity in the world. 

Elements of a Good Database Administration Degree

Regardless of which degree program you choose, that program should incorporate the following concepts into its curriculum:

  • Database concepts - understanding how to create, modify, merge, and manage database infrastructure and architectures.
  • Programming - how to use programming languages within different databases, and how the code interacts with databases. 
  • Web-based applications - how web-based code and web servers interact with the database to provide a complete application.
  • Networking - understanding how networks facilitate database traffic, and how network issues can affect databases. 
  • Security - how to secure databases and how to ensure that application code is secure. 

Becoming a Database Administrator (DBA): The Logical First Step

At ECPI University, we have designed a program that can give you the hands-on experience you need to prepare for a future in Database Programming.  Plus, through our year-round schedule, you could earn your Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer and Information Science with a concentration in Database Programming in as little as 2.5 years. Our flexible schedule means you can take classes day, night, and online, and our learning emphasizes hands-on activities in addition to classroom lecture, which can maximize your learning experience and retention, which could allow you to hit the ground running once you reach the workplace. Contact us today. It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

Learn more about ECPI's College of Technology TODAY!

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