While operating a business, costs always remain in the picture. Whether it is an expenditure, which is as large as setting up infrastructure or as small as miscellaneous operational costs, everything makes up to the balance sheet and matters while calculating the finances.

To run the business optimally by ensuring high profits, one has to be really good with the finances. It not only involves noting down the expenses and income but also requires extensive strategic planning to ensure a maximum profit by preventing extra expenditure and improving sources of income.

And thus, every cost has to be analyzed to ensure, whether it is actually worth it or not? Similar is the case of hiring a Database Administrator. While some people find it just an additional burden of expenditure, it is very important to analyze the one-time incurring cost and the value it adds to the business in order to make a right move.

Before we conclude whether or not hiring a DBA is essential, by comparing the costs of hiring a DBA to the cost a bad performing DBA would incur to the business, let us first understand the fundamentals of Database and its significance in the Entrepreneurial landscape.

Significance of the Database in the Entrepreneurial landscape

The Database has become quintessential for enterprises in today’s digital era. With the world leveraging the power of data to their benefit, the database holds a prominent position in the IT landscape. Technologies are built upon the data that has to be very efficiently stored and managed in order to keep the operations going seamless.

For fulfilling the fast-paced demand of building up advance functionalities, one has to ensure a strong foundation in the form of high performing databases.

The functioning of software platforms whether application or website totally rely upon the data flow between the modules of the system. Thereby, high database performance can ensure quick access to improving the overall functioning of the software.

Moreover, with the emergence of Data Science and Analytics, the importance of data in various industries have increased by several folds.

Using technologies such as Machine Learning have benefited the businesses in terms of attracting a larger customer base.

By leveraging these, enterprises are successful in delivering personalized experiences to their customers and plan strategies that attract business.

Such is the power of data in today’s time. While most of your competitors are using digital platforms to the behest of their business gains, you have to take additional steps to stand ahead.

To answer the question of whether hiring a DBA is worth it or not, we need to first understand what a DBA does and how’s that important to the business.

Why is DBA important for your business?

Now that we have already discussed the importance of having a strong and stable database infrastructure in place, it is also very essential to keep this database intact and high performing. That is where a DBA comes into the picture.

A diligent DBA with a proactive approach ensures that your Database Management system is not just robust against the breakdowns, but also performs well with a quick turnaround. This results in your operations being up almost every time, with the constant dataflow.

Moreover, quick data access would mean your software platform delivers faster performance and better user experience. This, in turn, would help your business grow in many ways.

Hiring DBA vs Bad performing Database: The Verdict

Can you afford to risk the robustness of your software platform just to save some incurring costs? Thinking on a practical note, hiring DBA is not a cost but an investment which you make in scaling your operations and making them robust by securing your data.

If you get all this by hiring a DBA, which not only gives a better user experience, and a faster platform but also improves your business prospects and reliability, then why not? Having a bad performing database could result in a slow functioning that can breakdown at any given point.

To have a great business, one must invest tactfully. Hiring a diligent expert DBA is that move, go ahead and you would reap the benefits by several folds.

The next step

Now that the importance of having a DBA, is clear, finding the right Database Professional for your business has to be the next and foremost step, which has to be taken diligently.

If you are looking for an expert DBA with vast industry experience, then you are in the right place. I, Eric Vanier, have been working as a Database consultant for over a decade with some of the Fortune 500 companies in my clientele, delivering optimized database solutions.

Feel free to contact me and get consultation for Database optimization of your Enterprise database.

Big Data has taken over the world by storm. And with focus narrowing to the ever-increasing amount of data, database consultants are more important than ever. Hence, there is an influx of job opportunities for database consultants.

But, with organizations looking out for database professionals, it is very important to understand the right set of skills for a qualified and efficient database consultant. Most of the functions of a Database Administrator are technical in nature. However, there is a set of skills that differentiate the good from the best. Today we look at the top five unique skills of a database consultant and understand their importance in the industry.

Problem Solving abilities

The most basic qualification for any database consultant is the ability to tackle complex problems. Now with such a vast amount of data, it is very important to recognize the patterns being formed. A good database consultant, with problem skills, will not only be able to understand the patterns but also create algorithms and process flows to optimize the output.

While technology has advanced over the years, it is very important to have a human intervention for problem-solving. This human intervention will further reduce any errors and ensure an efficient working of the database.

Data Visualization

For a database consultant, it is very important to understand the data and create a visual representation of the same. This representation consists of charts, graphs and flows charts. But simple visualization lacks innovation and clarity. A quality of a good DBA is the ability to tell stories through the data.

In the modern day, stories are an essential part of our life. Scrolling through the internet or magazines, stories are the easiest way to communicate. This storytelling through data influences the ways products are created and work. An organization looking for a good database consultant should look for an individual who can inspire the User interface as well as the User experience of the product based on data.

Clear communication

While technical qualifications and a sound understanding of the industry are a must for any database consultant, it is equally important to have a set of soft skills as well. Communication is the key to any successful venture.

When it comes to database management, communication with the client is very important. This isn’t necessarily presentations and Excel sheets but a display of the output. This involves understanding the customer’s needs and presenting it accordingly. A website framework presented on a localhost preview will have a better impact than a PPT. But, it is the key skill of a database consultant to identify these methods and communicate effectively.

Managerial Capabilities

Managing a project is one of the most important skills for any industry. Even for database management, project management plays an important role. Organizations looking for a good database consultant should look out for some key management qualities as a skillset.

Not every individual is capable of all the technical aspects. This means work needs to be divided as per skillsets and capabilities. As a good database consultant, it is necessary to manage both the product as well as the client. Hence, management is a key skill that an organization should seek when looking for a database consultant.

The Hardware/ Software understanding

Database management is a combination of high-end hardware and software. As the amount of data increases, the requirements increase too. Common issues with data often arise and these are highly dependent on the hardware such as storage devices. The hardware is powered by compatible software.

An understanding of this combination is essential to a successful execution. As a database consultant, it is important to know the why and the how. So understanding how the system works both on the inside and the outside is what makes a perfect database consultant.

So, for any organization looking at a database consultant to take control of their database management system, the above-mentioned skills can help them find the perfect match. Moreover, a combination of all these will lead to an efficient and optimized working.