Things have been a little hectic at work lately and I’ve had a lot of non-DBA type work mixed in with my regular work. In times like these, it can be a challenge to set priorities. This got me to thinking about the most important responsibilities I have as a DBA. I remember suggesting three in particular to my current employer during a job interview. They were a bit off the cuff at the time but I still stand by them:

  1. Database Availability - Keep the database available and performant.
  2. Database Integrity - Secure the database against corruption or data loss.
  3. Database Security - Secure the database against unauthorized access.
Whenever you get dragged into the jungle of politics, unbridled technology enthusiasm, rapid environment changes, shifting priorities, whatever you may face–just remember that these 3 are likely to be the most important things you are responsible for as a DBA.