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 Database Admin Interview

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bwilliams
Starting Member

1 Post

Posted - 2010-08-29 : 13:18:14
Hello,

I have an assignment for college to interview a DBA. I have a few question that I hope I can get answered. These are my interview questions. If you answer you can skip questions if you need to or add anything else that you think I have missed. You can post reply here or email them to me at bwilli29@dmail.dixie.edu

Thanks
Bryan

What company do you work for?

Why did you want to become a Database Admin?

What is the importance of Databases (In your own words)?

What is your day to day schedule like when working on Databases?

What type of Databases do you use?

Roughly what size are the Databases?

How many people are on your team?

What type of education do you have?

What hot new technologies are coming for Databases?



SwePeso
Patron Saint of Lost Yaks

30421 Posts

Posted - 2010-08-29 : 14:37:07
10) Have you messed up something?
11) What did you do to fix it?



N 56°04'39.26"
E 12°55'05.63"
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tosscrosby
Aged Yak Warrior

676 Posts

Posted - 2010-08-31 : 12:03:23
12) Proactively, what can you do to lessen the chances of database failure
13) what do you plan do in the event of failure



Terry

-- -- Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.
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robvolk
Most Valuable Yak

15732 Posts

Posted - 2010-08-31 : 13:07:28
14. What documentation do you create/use/maintain for your:
a. databases
b. hardware
c. maintenance procedures
d. release processes?
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TimS
Posting Yak Master

198 Posts

Posted - 2010-09-04 : 12:26:47
What level of normalization is most common in the databases you maintain?
What max level of normalization do you use while designing databases?

Tim S.
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X002548
Not Just a Number

15586 Posts

Posted - 2010-09-07 : 16:34:24
What company do you work for?

A black Op's segement of the IRS

Why did you want to become a Database Admin?

I was forced to. Code name Nikkita

What is the importance of Databases (In your own words)?

To take over humanity and form the Matrix

What is your day to day schedule like when working on Databases?

Hell

What type of Databases do you use?

Muave

Roughly what size are the Databases?

About the size of a breadbox

How many people are on your team?

We are millions strong...we just don't know each other

What type of education do you have?

School of Hard Knocks

What hot new technologies are coming for Databases?

Bluetooth

Thank you..please deposit my pay in overseas accounts

Brett

8-)

Hint: Want your questions answered fast? Follow the direction in this link
http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/archive/2005/05/25/5276.aspx

Add yourself!
http://www.frappr.com/sqlteam



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RickD
Slow But Sure Yak Herding Master

3608 Posts

Posted - 2010-09-08 : 11:24:53
Brett, you missed the rest of the questions:

Have you messed up something?

What, you mean apart from my Life?

What did you do to fix it?

Are you kidding?

Proactively, what can you do to lessen the chances of database failure

Kill the users

what do you plan do in the event of failure

Hide in the corner with some tequila

What documentation do you create/use/maintain for your..

Let me stop you there, documentation?!?

What level of normalization is most common in the databases you maintain?

About the 7th level of hell on a day to day basis

What max level of normalization do you use while designing databases?

Design, you mean there's a design in there somewhere?
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Michael Valentine Jones
Yak DBA Kernel (pronounced Colonel)

7020 Posts

Posted - 2010-09-09 : 01:50:45
15. When your boss calls on New Years morning at 7:00 am to say that the data center suffered a massive outage due to a direct lightning strike and that you need to check out all 400 database servers, especially the 40 that won't reboot, what do you do first?




CODO ERGO SUM
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Kristen
Test

22859 Posts

Posted - 2010-09-09 : 02:21:45
Why would my boss be calling to tell me that? I would already have been alerted, have fixed it, and have called my boss at 05:00 to reassure him that everything was all right
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SwePeso
Patron Saint of Lost Yaks

30421 Posts

Posted - 2010-09-09 : 03:20:14
Especially when the lightning occured 05:15. Now, that's a proactive DBA!



N 56°04'39.26"
E 12°55'05.63"
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X002548
Not Just a Number

15586 Posts

Posted - 2010-09-09 : 14:22:56
quote:
Originally posted by Michael Valentine Jones

15. When your boss calls on New Years morning at 7:00 am to say that the data center suffered a massive outage due to a direct lightning strike and that you need to check out all 400 database servers, especially the 40 that won't reboot, what do you do first?




CODO ERGO SUM



I'd say I was in the wrong career path



Brett

8-)

Hint: Want your questions answered fast? Follow the direction in this link
http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/archive/2005/05/25/5276.aspx

Add yourself!
http://www.frappr.com/sqlteam



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robvolk
Most Valuable Yak

15732 Posts

Posted - 2010-09-09 : 14:34:36
quote:
Originally posted by Michael Valentine Jones

15. When your boss calls on New Years morning at 7:00 am to say that the data center suffered a massive outage due to a direct lightning strike and that you need to check out all 400 database servers, especially the 40 that won't reboot, what do you do first?

Happy New Year! Listen, about that bonus situation you and I were supposed to "talk about next year", well, it's next year, and I know you have a lot on your mind right now, but I'm thinking that bonus could pay for a lot of hangover remedy right about now.
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