May 29, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Exceptional DBA Awards
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May 30, 2008 at 5:44 am
I wonder if others are going to find it difficult to nominate other DBAs because they don't typically get to see many other DBAs in a work environment. Based on their participation here, I would be quick to nominate folks like Gail Shaw
(GilaMonster), Jeff Moden, Matt Miller, and several others, but I'd have to admit that I know nothing of the systems they administer.
For all I know, their bosses all complain that they "waste" much too much of their valuable time in the newsgroups. (But, by doing that, if they learn even a bit as much as they teach to the rest of us, they are doing their bosses an important service!)
May 30, 2008 at 7:30 am
It's a good point that Jim's made. IT by its very nature a discipline where you only get noticed if something's going wrong, and even IT professionals often take colleagues' efficiencies for granted.
In my opinion, a truly exceptional DBA may be just as likely to administer a handful of small databases as a large, clustered infrastructure using all the tricks SQL Server can offer, so long as they've really understood the business's need and are fulfilling it. There, I think is the crux of Steve's article. Databases are tools, no more, no less, and an exceptional craftsman is not someone who understands every bit of the tool, but is the one who wields it most effectively.
Semper in excretia, sumus solum profundum variat
May 30, 2008 at 8:40 am
Personally I think it might be hard. Most likely we'll have some junior or intermediate DBAs nominating seniors at larger companies.
At the majority of my jobs, meaning 5 or 6 of the 8 or so I've had in this field, have been where I was the only DBA.
Course, if you haven't too badly upset the developers at your shop, perhaps one of them will nominate you :hehe:
Nominate yourself, no points off for that if you think you're an exceptional DBA.
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May 30, 2008 at 8:58 am
RE:"Nominate yourself, no points off for that if you think you're an exceptional DBA."
As I have admitted in other posts, I'm not a real DBA, I just play one at work!
My point concerns the nomination process, where "You have the chance to explain what they’ve done and why they’re worthy of recognition." For the exceptional folks I mentioned earlier, all I know of their contributions is their participation here on SQLServerCentral.com. I hope they do nominate themselves, 'cause probably only they know "...what they’ve done and why they’re worthy of recognition."
Perhaps what is needed is a way to reach out beyond the readership here, and give their management and coworkers a chance to nominate them.
May 30, 2008 at 9:12 am
Interestingly, culture will have a big part to play here.
Standing up and shouting, "Hey, guys, look at what I've done - isn't it great!" is pretty acceptable in Germany or the US, whereas in the UK, it'd be frowned upon (although to an ever decreasing extent). At the complete opposite end of the spectrum, the Japanese have a saying that goes, "The nail that stands up will get hammered down", demonstrating just what they think of those who put themselves forward.
No rights, no wrongs, just cultural differences, but it does mean the eventual award winner is more likely to be from a certain subset of countries.
Semper in excretia, sumus solum profundum variat
June 4, 2008 at 6:11 am
Please ensure Jeff, Gail, Kelly, Miller .... are not there then only I can win. But how can I nominate my colleagures (enimies - appriasal time) when I know I am better than them. 😛
June 4, 2008 at 9:14 am
You never know who will win. I wouldn't think that anyone who posts a lot on the site has much more of an advantage than someone that posts little. It's what you've done in our job as well, so feel free to enter.
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June 4, 2008 at 10:46 am
Am I (and Google "define") the only ones who don't know the definition of "colleagures"?
Google finds references, but not definitions.
I assume that knowing that ought to give you a big leg up on the DBA Award!
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