The subtitle of this second edition is a very brief but good summary of the book: “the complete guide to DBA practices and procedures.” The author focuses on building, using, and maintaining traditional third normal form (3NF) relational databases. This form has been the historical basis for the primary form of the most widely used commercially available databases. Less than one percent of the book addresses 21st century database administrator (DBA) topics such as big data, unstructured data, cloud data, web data, and data from the Internet of Things. The material is presented in a clear, practical, useful, and comprehensive manner, and can usually be located relatively easily.
This edition has 24 chapters, five appendices, a classified bibliography, a well-worded glossary, and a helpful index (with about 3,500 entries). The book starts with a detailed table of contents and a preface. Each chapter ends with a short summary, and most chapters also include some review questions and a suggested reading list.
The first six chapters introduce database terminology and concepts. Chapter 1 describes database administration and the DBA job. The sections on the types of DBAs and DBA tasks provide a useful base for material in later chapters. Chapter 2 highlights the database environment and the value of planning in the development of a useful database. Chapter 3 dives into data modeling and data normalization tasks in the building of a database. Some basic terms are introduced, such as entity-relationship diagrams, attributes, and keys. Chapter 4 focuses on database design and data access. Tables, rows, and columns are among the many topics introduced. Chapter 5 takes up application design, with an emphasis on SQL, Extensible Markup Language (XML), locks, and batching. The author notes that doing application work involves a service role. Chapter 6 winds up the introductory section by explaining how database system design reviews fit into the life cycle of database software.
Chapters 7 through 12 concentrate on running the database. Chapter 7 notes the importance of updating a database to meet changing user needs. Chapter 8 explores data availability and describes possible mistakes, errors, losses, outages, and corruptions, all of which can be minimized with advance preparation. Chapter 9 takes up performance management. Tuning gets the most attention because of its importance in adequately serving the needs of database users. Chapter 10 focuses on the use of database management systems (DBMSs) for strengthening system performance. Optimizing the performance of the database itself is addressed in chapter 11, which itemizes ten techniques for doing optimization instead of, or in addition to, database reorganization. Chapter 12 covers application performance, particularly database usage patterns and costs, and some rules for making possible application performance improvements.
Chapters 13 through 19 survey database performance management. Chapter 13 points out the critical importance of preserving the integrity of the database content. The importance of providing security for the contents of a database is explored in chapter 14, including managing access to the database. Chapter 15 summarizes regulatory compliance as it applies to databases. Providing backup for a database is covered in chapters 16 and 17. When catastrophes or disasters strike, such as floods, fires, and power outages, backups ensure that databases can be restored securely and access to the content can continue normally. Chapters 18 and 19 address data organization, storage management, data movement, and data distribution. They review how some of the options in computer hardware, data organization, and data usage (including mobile access) can interact. This topic is a major concern for the DBA in meeting the needs and expectations of the users.
The final chapters (20 through 24) amplify the focus on alternatives available to DBAs. Chapter 20 describes data warehouse administration, emphasizing how data warehouses usually differ from the relational databases described in earlier chapters. Managing multiple interacting databases, for applications that involve working with the web, is the topic of chapter 21. Chapter 22 discusses metadata about data and databases, and discusses the usefulness of metadata in accomplishing DBA work. Governance, risk, and compliance management are introduced in chapter 23, including some useful tools for DBAs. The final chapter offers a dozen rules of thumb for DBAs, ending with a rule about keeping content up to date, because the needs of database users continue to change.
The author provides five appendices: “Database Fundamentals” (mostly about database terminology), “The DBMS Vendors,” “DBA Tool Vendors,” “DBA Web Resources” (which lists some useful aids), and “Sample DBA Job Posting” (effectively a DBA qualifications summary). A bibliography of about 330 references, organized into 15 sections, and a glossary of about 250 helpful definitions follow the appendices.
Overall, this book provides very good coverage of situations DBAs might be faced with, as well as procedures for working with traditional relational databases.
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