This post covers the Roles, Responsibilities & Tasks performed by DBAs & Apps DBAs in Oracle Cloud.
Roles / Tasks of Oracle Cloud DBA / Apps DBAs
One of the most common questions being asked in our Telegram Group dedicated to Oracle Cloud and those who have joined our Oracle Database Cloud Service Training is about Role of Cloud DBA
Looking at so many requests, here I have discussed, How the Role of DBA changes with Cloud and how the Roles and Responsibilities change as you upgrade yourself from DBA to Cloud DBA.
These are the roles and responsibilities of the cloud DBA:
1) Design & Deployment of Database:
The first thing you as a senior Cloud DBA or Architect will be doing is designing & need to decide where you deploy these Databases.
There are three categories of database deployments in OCI:
- Autonomous database: Shared/Serverless or Dedicated
- User Managed (PaaS: DBCS/ DBaaS): VM DB, BM DB, Exadata on Cloud, Exadata Cloud at Customer
- Database on Compute (IaaS: Unmanaged)
Note: Read our blog to know more about Database deployments types.
- Once you decide the Database type, then you will decide in which Region & AD to deploy this Database.
- You also need to decide if you want to configure High Availability (HA) & Disaster Recovery (DR) like RAC & Data Guard
Note: Read our blog to know more about Data Guard in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.
Note: Also check our blog on RAC to understad better.
2) Provision Database On Cloud
Once you have done the designing part then next will come is Provisioning of Database.
In order to provision the database, you should have the knowledge of the pre-requisites depending upon whether you are setting up an Autonomous Database, User-Managed Database or you are simply deploying a Database on Compute
- You should be familiar with Pre-requisites like Network Setup connectivity (VCN, Subent, Security rules).
- Read our blog to know more about the different types of editions (SE, EE, HP, EP).
Note: for Exadata, it’s always Extreme Performance.
- The SSH keys which is used to connect the DB Instance.
Note: Check our blog to know more about how to generate SSH key pair for Oracle Cloud.
Note: Read our blog to know more about how to provision a VMDB database on oracle cloud.
Note: We also have a post on how to provision Autonomous database on oracle cloud.
3) Connectivity to Cloud
The third thing you should know about is how to connect to database.
- There are three ways to connect from the On-premise to the Oracle Cloud, a) using Public IP (for testing only not a recommended approach) b) IPSec VPN connect c) Fast connect
- In the case of the Autonomous Database, you should be familiar with the Client Credentials, how to download them & how to make connectivity.
- Also, you should have knowledge of Network connectivity, things like Security List (SL) & Network Security Groups (NSG) which are kind of firewalls in Oracle Public Cloud. Read our blog to know more in detail about Network Security Groups (NSGs) Vs. Security List (SL).
Also read: Database statistics on AWR Report.
Oracle Cloud: Security Rules
To allow/block incoming & outgoing connections, A security list provides a virtual firewall for an instance, with ingress and egress rules that specify the types of traffic allowed in and out. Checkout our blog to know more about Security Rules.
4) Administration
Then the other responsibilities of DBAs are Administration.
It is the main functionality, so you will be looking for things like:
- Performance Tuning (Using the Performance Hub or Service Console for Autonomous DB).
- Scaling up & Scaling down of the services (CPU, disk space or memory)
- Cloning
- Access controls, and resetting the passwords.
Other tasks are maybe adding the SSH keys or terminating the Database, start and stop the databases.
5) Patching In Cloud
The 6 things you should know about Patching.
- Database Patching
- Grid Infrastructure patching
- Cloud tooling patching
- Operating systems patches
- Rollback a patch
You have to apply patches to the User-Managed Databases i.e VM DB, BM DB, and Exadata Cloud Service.
Note: Patching in the Autonomous database is being taken care of by Oracle.
As an Oracle Cloud DBA, you need to learn new tools for Start/Stop i.e. dbcli and dbaascli (Database as a Service Command Line Interface) or Database Service Console to perform the patching.
6) Backup & Restore
The Sixth task will be Backup & Restore.
Oracle provides you all the necessary tools to back up the databases on the cloud but you have to configure the backup scenarios. Backup methods like schedules backup or on time backup will be configured you still have to do the Back-up and Recovery using new tools. To take database backup we use a different type of Cloud Tools which includes OCI Console, APIs, RMAN, dbcli, bkup_api.
Note: Check our blog to know more about backup and restore in Oracle database.
7) Security
In my view, Security is the most important thing apart from Lift & Shift
All the cloud vendors work on a shared security model in which some of the responsibility lies to the Cloud vendor and some to the customer.
Recently, Oracle announced Three new Security Services in Oracle OpenWorld 2019 that have been added: Oracle Datasafe, Cloud Data Guard, and Maximum Security Zone.
Note: Read our blog to understand about Data guard.
Note: Check our video to know more about the Compartment & Policy in oracle Cloud.
8) Migration (Lift & Shift)
Once the security is done then you will be doing migration Lift & shift
In this task, you will be migrating your databases from on-premise to the cloud. Oracle provides you a lot of migration options like ZDM( Zero Downtime), MV2ADB (move to ADB), SQL Developer, Data-Pump, RMAN, Plug-Unplug, etc.
You will also have migration methods like physical, logical, offline or online, etc.
Above all the tasks are undertaken by a CloudDBA.
Note: Check our blog to know more in details about Migration Autonomous Database to Cloud Options.
Note: We have discussed in our blog on how to migrate the database to oracle Cloud using Hybrid Data Guard.
Note: Join our FREE masterclass to know more about Migration using Zero Downtime Migration (ZDM).
For Apps DBAs
1) EBS Cloud Manager (EBS CM)
Check our blog to know more about Roles and Responsibility on Oracle Apps DBA (EBS).
If you are an Apps DBA, Working on E-Bussiness Suite, PeopleSoft, JD Edwards then you have a few additional roles & responsibilities.
You will be managing your application like EBS or Peoplesoft on Cloud & for that, you have EBS Cloud Manager which is a GUI to build, manage & migrate application on cloud. Also, it will be used for Migrating & cloning applications on the cloud.
- Note: Read out blog to know more about EBS Cloud Manager in detail.
- Note: Checkout our blog to know more in details about Lift & Shift Migration to Cloud.
So as shown in the video above, the role of Oracle DBA will transition to Oracle Cloud DBA. A quote from Charles Darwin “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”
Related/References
- [Video] Oracle Cloud Database Options (VMDB, BMDB, ExaCS, ExaCS & Autonomous (ADW, ATP)
- How To Create Database on Oracle’s Gen2 Cloud (OCI)
- How to Create Oracle Autonomous Linux On Oracle Cloud
- Oracle Database Migration To Cloud (Lift & Shift)
- Migrate Database To Oracle Autonomous Database Cloud Options
- Backup Database on Cloud: Everything You Must Know
- AWR Report: Automatic Workload Repository Report
Next Task For You
If you want to upgrade your career from an Oracle DBA to Oracle Cloud DBA, and want to clear Oracle Cloud Database Service Specialist[1Z0-1093-21] then register for a FREE class, and don’t miss an opportunity to gain a plethora of insights on becoming a certified Oracle Cloud DBA.
Shrikant says
Price and duration..any discount ?
Atul Kumar says
@Shrikant, You can get both in our Oracle Cloud DBA Training/Course Page https://k21academy.com/clouddba03 or send mail to contact@k21academy.com with your number with country code if you wish to speak to someone in my Team. Atul