Pre-installation Focus

A database administrator (DBA) has to focus on keeping the SQL server running and doing it fast. Configuration of the server and the software is the prime responsibility of database administrator. Mere installing of the server software is not an end in itself. More important is the pre-installation decisions like layout of the drive, number of servers, schemes for replication, etc. The role of the SQL server towards proper sizing and configuration of the hardware is also required to be determined.

Post-installation Issues

Space management is one of the most pressing issues after installation of the server. An administrator may adopt an approach of setting the server and leaving it like that since SQL server can grow or reduce any database automatically. Instead the administrator should follow any of the many appropriate strategies to monitor and notify the server space.

Backups

The DBA is mainly responsible for taking regular backups and this is one thing a DBA cannot afford to ignore. Lack of such backups could spell disaster in the event of a crisis of meltdown of the SQL server in which situation not even the best SQL skill can help if there is no backup. There are wizards and tools to help in such situation but that does not take away the necessity for the DBA to understand what the wizard has chosen to do.

Roles

Roles, a new feature of SQL Server 7.0 which was not with earlier versions, perform like Windows NT local group. Server roles is one of the several roles supported by MS SQL Server, the others being database and application roles.

Server Roles

At the server level is defined the server roles which lie outside users databases. Server roles are fixed and cannot be added, deleted or modified. Users can only be added as server roles member.

Types

Fixed server roles are of seven types- sysadmin, serveradmin, setupadmin, securityadmin, processadmin, dbcreator and diskadmin. All activities in SQL Server can be performed by sysadmin server role members and overall database functions are completely controlled by them. The function of the members of the serveradmin server role is to change server configuration parameters and shutting down of the server. Setupadmin server role members can add or remove linked servers, manage replication and extended stored procedures. Some system stored procedures like sp serveroption can be executed by this role. Creation and management of server logins and auditing and reading error logs are done by securityadmin server role members. Management of the processes that run in SQL Server is done by processadmin server role members. Database creation, alteration and resizing are the functions of dbcreator server role members. Disk files are managed by diskadmin server role members.