Mr. Nagle makes the first submission answering the question, “what would you do in your first 30 day having taken over the responsibilities of your companies Database resources?
He asks, “How come you always come up with topics such as above which are often real time real situations!” The answer is simple. Tools may have changed over the decades I have been working with computers; but the questions are very much the same. For example, there may be a larger scale to things such as security; but, the issue of security has always been present.
Thank much for the compliment and your participation. Here is the plan Mr. Nagle purports in order of priority:
- Take Full backup of all existing databases as a dependable cut-off point to start with and store them in a safe place.
- If There is no provision for Backups, then create schedules for Data backups – both Full and transactional.
- Identify security threats such as theft, external attacks and take preventive action through by putting servers as accessible to functionally responsible persons only-including you.
Further, with whatever internet security software tools you have such as firewalls, Antiviruses etc. try to protect the system.
- Familiarize yourself with various application systems and chalk out a plan for recovery of database, in case of any failures.
- Identify those users with high powers and ability to alter data: and curtail their rights wherever possible and necessary.
Further, if possible, wherever possible and to the extent possible curtail direct access to database tables
- Now study the existing Hardware, the software and other things available such as network backbone, bandwidth etc. and try to find out the areas that need immediate attention (e.g. you may still have SQLserver 2000 running and all Ethernet cards are 10/100 MBPS)
- The next thing then to address to is the organization and architecture of each database and the need to improve them. This is the most consuming task which eventually will lead to database tuning and to better query performance etc.
- Last but not the least, DO NOT MAKE ANY CHNAGES IN A HURRY; without thinking about their full impact on the running of existing systems.
What is your plan? Share your thoughts here, or send them by email to btaylor@sswug.org.
Cheers,
Ben