Our day to day activities are now heavily noted on Databases. Most people don't consider it, but in actual fact much of what we do is recorded & filed on many different Databases. The sum total of our economy is run on information from 'databases'. Banks, share values & property-records are all huge databases of records, & whilst much of the information is usually archived in the form of physical documentation, it's also stored (or indexed) 'digitally' for ease of access. Each and every time you buy something with a credit card or a store loyalty card, you include an additional piece of information to that particular database. Your regular shopping habits are recorded so that retailers can provide you with 'loyalty' vouchers for products you're probably buying - for instance, if you have recently been buying cat food, you may be offered a reduced premium for cat insurance. All garages (and of course the police force) utilise the DVLA's car registration number database to get the precise particulars of any vehicle or truck etc. documented in the UK. London's congestion-charging system, & the government's road-tax avoidance-scheme also use this data, by working with the street cameras that we find everywhere.

Both DBA's and DB Developers tend to be very thorough & ordered people, who have an impressive interest in details, and enjoy being employed in smaller teams, or by themselves. Very good communication skills are certainly an advantage, as there'll be recurring interaction with more senior managers. Security is an increasing dilemma as progressively more 'sensitive' data is recorded and stored - making Database work extremely responsible. A high degree of personal ethics & commercial trustworthiness will undoubtedly be required - & in a lot of organisations you will be asked for some type of security clearance. Accountant-types & business-process specialists prosper in this environment, and many progress on to higher manager's roles, as a solid understanding of the data that underpins an organisation can result in improved opportunity for promotion.

The leading Database systems in use around the globe are Microsoft 'SQL' Server and Oracle. A significant number of sizeable installations still make use of the more mature 'Oracle' system, but SQL-Server has become the most popular System for most business settings, & as far as on-line Databases go it rules the roost. Naturally, as SQL Server is owned by Microsoft, the organisation has built it in to each of it's platforms and programs. For all those aiming to become commercially accredited then, this is the obvious path to take. Accreditations have recently been up-dated, & the 'MCDBA' ('Microsoft Certified Database Administrator') has been replaced by the MCITP (Microsoft Certified IT Professional) & the MCTS (Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist). 'SQL' Server 08 is gaining a bit of momentum, but it is not extensively utilised in the commercial world just yet. As a result, the MCITP DBA accreditation includes the more popular 'SQL' Server 2005. In common with a number of Microsoft's other qualifications, quite a few MCTS modules precede the final MCITP.

If you're starting out in this sector, it would be smart to preface your database training with software support training. Together with obtaining a useful insight into a different aspect of the business, it gives you a certification to get you started in the I.T. sector. A very good program for a novice is the MCDST (Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician). If you then accompany this qualification with the 'MCTS' & the 'MCITP', you will have done a whole career track that will typically take approximately 500 hrs to complete. As with any specific career track though, we urge you to consider very carefully prior to finalising your options. You should be confident that the instruction methods & the selected profession are going to be right for you, so talk things through with an established I.T. training advisor first. Always start by bearing the ending in mind; an inability to adhere to this one elementary rule has cost thousands of trainees a substantial amount of money and lost time.

Consequently, if Databases are everywhere & such a significant aspect of life today, what type of work roles can be found? If we look at the careers of of I.T. professionals, there are 2 key Database areas - Creating the software and building the Database is the first aspect, & administering the data and putting together reporting-systems in order to use the data is the second area. The expression 'DBA', or 'Database Administrator', is a common acronym applied through-out the IT industry. Generally its the mid-large establishments which have a need to hire DBAs, as they need them to over-see their operations on an everyday basis. They will deal with the processes that impact the data, such as security & backing up, and work with senior management to provide reports - to ensure the business can make use of that intelligence to perform better. The language of databases is known as SQL, which is an acronym for 'Structured Query Language'. DBA's must fully grasp this language in order to interrogate the database and extract relevant information.

If it's the development area of Databases that appeals to you, then the MCITP DB-Developer from Microsoft will suit your needs. It will cover more of the preliminary design, rationalisation & set up of Databases, but doesn't essentially stretch to full database programming. It's best to check out the Programming area of this web-site if you're interested in that side of Databases. Generally, there is a lot greater focus with students & employers alike for the Administration of databases. However, if the developer track is for you, it would be sensible to include the 'MCITP' DB-Developer in to a wider Programming training-track. As each year passes by, it's advisable to additionally consider taking the 'MCTS' qualification in 'SQL' Server 2008.

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