MySQL DBA

[Lisa Kachold]

As a Linux Administrator for ISPs since the early 1990's in the
Pacific Northwest, I have never been able to find others to hold a
compartmentalized role of DBA.  So, all OO development, extensions to
custom ticketing applications, MySqL (and Oracle, or db2, postgresql)
backups and optimizations (especially troubleshooting with
developers), has falled under my ultimate hands.  Pretty much in every
shop, the Linux administrator is the end of the ticket hockey, holding
root, they also hold all the other stack tools to support things, and
it's often just so much more cost effective to let them just handle
dba work,

VOIP providers require VLDB MySQL people.  I did an extenstion to a
SER switch for Local Number Portability with php/MySQL for
AffinityVoipTelecom.com as a VOIP Linux/FreeBSD Administrator.  I have
been involved in large MySQL clustered systems from the "internet
startup" engineering level, which means we do everything.  We get in
and make it work; we develop solutions; we interact in the open source
community documenting along the way.

There have been some exceptional changes in the past 10 years for
my.cnf, table design and php6, not to mention perl.  But not every
shop needs to use everything.  I don't even, as a technical person
commit to memory every single aspect of any technology, because when I
walk into a shop, I know that there are at least 20 different ways
Mysql could be setup.    And when I go to support it tomorrow, a good
deal will have changed.  I simply do the Evelyn Would Reading Dynamixs
download of the docs and implement solutions and suggestions.

But that's just me.  I have had to develop, build and load/sec test
custom binary LAMP stack, while also assisting baby php developers
with releases, etc.  So, I feel I am competent to manage LAMP stack -
but don't suggest it's the best technology for all web endeavors,
since I have played with Backtrack4.

Come to the October/November HackFests and we will do a presentation
on LAMP security with Backtrack4.

On Thu, Aug 20, 2009 at 4:27 PM, Trent Shipley<tshipley at deru.com> wrote:
> I am used to seeing jobs involving MySQL as part of positions being
> advertised for a LAMP generalist.  I never respond.  Not only am I not
> particularly competent in any of the components, I have a hard time
> seeing myself as competent to manage that kind of stack.  I actually
> doubt many people are really competent at managing a LAMP stack all by
> themselves.
>
> However, I was recently looking for jobs on DICE and I saw
> advertisements for dedicated MySQL positions -- with more emphasis on
> DBA that development.  I can imagine being a competent DBA.  I taught
> myself to work with Oracle and I like database work.
>
> In the early 2000's Oracle was complex, DB2 somewhat less complex, SQL
> Server was almost friendly in comparison, and MySQL pretty simple to
> administer -- almost a toy compared to the big boys.  How much more
> complex has MySQL gotten in the last five years or so?  What would be
> involved in gaining competence.  Do you think you could read up on
> MySQL, then find people stupid enough to let you work on MySQL
> databases, preferably for money so you could get experience?  How would
> you encourage such stupidity?
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