Database Administration Practice Exam

About Database Administration
Database administration refers to the whole set of activities performed to ensure that a database is always available as needed. Other closely related tasks and roles are database security, database monitoring and troubleshooting, and planning for future growth.

Database administration is an important function in any organization that is dependent on one or more databases.

The primary role of database administration is to ensure maximum up time for the database so that it is always available when needed. This will typically involve proactive periodic monitoring and troubleshooting. This in turn entails some technical skills on the part of the DBA. In addition to in-depth knowledge of the database in question, the DBA will also need knowledge and perhaps training in the platform (database engine and operating system) on which the database runs.

A DBA is typically also responsible for other secondary, but still critically important, tasks and roles. Some of these include:
•    Database Security: Ensuring that only authorized users have access to the database and fortifying it against any external, unauthorized access.
•    Database Tuning: Tweaking any of several parameters to optimize performance, such as server memory allocation, file fragmentation and disk usage.
•    Backup and Recovery: It is a DBA's role to ensure that the database has adequate backup and recovery procedures in place to recover from any accidental or deliberate loss of data.
•    Producing Reports from Queries: DBAs are frequently called upon to generate reports by writing queries, which are then run against the database.
Database Administration has gained immense popularity across the globe resulting in huge demand for certified professionals.

Why is Database Administration important?
The benefits of database administration are

•    Enhances Decision-Making Processes - Effective data administration where data is well managed, access is available and qualify information is generated, provides the needed framework for making the right decisions.
•    Increases Productivity of End-User - Making use of an excellent data management system can help increase productivity across the different departments of a business.
•    Maintains Collected Data Integrity and Security - For organizations interested in keeping their data safe, an effective data administration policy must be initiated and implemented.
•    Predict Customer Behavioural Pattern to Enhance Sales - The ability to carry out any predictive analysis is made possible by database management systems and effective data administration policies.

Certified Database Administration professionals, executives and managers are in high demand in companies across the globe.

Important Concepts for Database Administration Practice Exam

• Database Basics
• Data Definition
• Data Manipulation
• Locking
• Integrity and Repair
• Backup and Recovery
• Security
• Optimization
• Error Handling
• Scaling
  
  

Who should take the Database Administration Exam?
•    IT or Database management professionals
•    Anyone who wants to assess their database skills
•    IT or Database management managers and senior executives
•    Database consultants
•    Professionals working in outsourced companies responsible for database management
•    Any professional with skills and knowledge on database management
•    Anyone interested in the management of database management
•    Students

Database Administration Practice Exam Objectives

Database Administration exam focuses on assessing your skills and knowledge in administering a database.

Database Administration Practice Exam Pre-requisite

There are no prerequisites for the Database Administration exam. Candidate should be well versed  in administering a database to clear the exam.

Database Administration Certification Course Outline
1. Database Basics
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Client/Server Basics
1.3 Database, DBMS and RDBMS
1.4 Communication Protocols
1.5 Database Architecture
1.6 Storage Engine Tiers
1.7 The SQL Parser
1.8 Installation

2. Data Definition
2.1 Databases and tables
2.2 Relational Theory
2.3 Data types
2.4 Constraints, Indexes and Views
2.5 Character Data Type


3. Data Manipulation
3.1 Search, add, remove and update data
3.2 Expressions
3.3 Operators
3.4 Functions
3.5 Joins
3.6 Stored Procedures
3.7 Trigger
3.8 Views
3.9 Transactions
3.10 Database Subqueries

4. Database Service
4.1 Database Distributions
4.2 Start and stop Database server and runtime configuration
4.3 Log and status files
4.4 Security-related configuration

5. Client Programs
5.1 Database
5.2 Client programs

6. Locking
6.1 Locking Overview
6.2 Database Locking
    
7. Storage Engines
7.1 Database Storage Engines

8. Integrity and Repair
8.1 Integrity Basics
8.2 Table Maintenance
8.3 Client Programs
8.4 Auto-Repair

9. Backup and Recovery
9.1 Backup Types
9.2 Binary and Textual backups
9.3 Log and status files
9.4 Replication, Data Recovery and Database cluster

10. Security
10.1 User account management
10.2 User Privilege
10.3 Access Control System
10.4 Securing Database
10.5 Stored Procedures
10.6 Triggers

11. Optimization
11.1 Query Optimization
11.2 Caching
11.3 Schema Optimization
11.4 Server Optimization

12. Error Handling
12.1 The Database Diagnostics Area
12.2 Error Log and Slow Query Log
12.3 Hardware, Disk and Network issues

13. Scaling
13.1 Scaling Basics
13.2 Database Scalability
13.3 Multiple Servers
13.4 Replication
13.5 Database Cluster

Exam Format and Information
Certification name – Database Administration Certification
Exam duration – 60 minutes
Exam type - Multiple Choice Questions
Eligibility / pre-requisite - None
Exam language - English
Exam format - Online
Passing score - 25
Exam Fees  - INR 1199