Question for those that work with Databases

[CowboysFan02]

So I am thinking that I might want to be a DBA when I graduate. So which degree do you think would be more suitable, a Computer Information Systems BS, or a Computer Science BS? I already have a Computer Science AS, and hopefully next year will be transfering to Cal Poly Pomona after I knock out the last of the transferable classes at a local JC. Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[Meat-O-Rama]

So I am thinking that I might want to be a DBA when I graduate. So which degree do you think would be more suitable, a Computer Information Systems BS, or a Computer Science BS? I already have a Computer Science AS, and hopefully next year will be transfering to Cal Poly Pomona after I knock out the last of the transferable classes at a local JC. Any advice would be much appreciated.

I am guessing that the CIS degree is likely to give you more exposure to database related courses than the CS degree.

I would check out the course catalog for the school you plan to transfer to and find out which of the programs offers the most exposure to both databases and Unix.

In the meantime, don't wait to get your degree to start getting experience with databases and Unix-like operating systems. Download and install a Linux distribution, then download a DBMS such as Oracle. It's free to download and use for non commercial purposes, and a great way to start getting your hands dirty with a database.

There are a ton of resources out there for Linux and Oracle and every other DB/OS combination you can think. So start banging away and get some experience solving some real issues.

 

[CowboysFan02]

I am guessing that the CIS degree is likely to give you more exposure to database related courses than the CS degree.

I would check out the course catalog for the school you plan to transfer to and find out which of the programs offers the most exposure to both databases and Unix.

In the meantime, don't wait to get your degree to start getting experience with databases and Unix-like operating systems. Download and install a Linux distribution, then download a DBMS such as Oracle. It's free to download and use for non commercial purposes, and a great way to start getting your hands dirty with a database.

There are a ton of resources out there for Linux and Oracle and every other DB/OS combination you can think. So start banging away and get some experience solving some real issues.

I have had a little experiance with Linux, and have took a class in Orcale, any suggestions on which distro is most Unix-like.

 

[Dallas]

Oracle - hands down.

You got to pay to play. Im an ODBA here in my office as well as the network administrator. I am in the process of setting up Oracle 10g to run in a RAC environment on Solaris 10. Its taken some time but the new updates Oracle pushed out the last couple of months have made things much smoother.

Good luck.

Unix is GOD. People just dont understand it.

D

 

[jterrell]

DBs are very similar.

I've used a ton of them and db2/udb is right there with oracle in need to know.

Essentially the biggest thing is getting good backups because restores are almost inevitable.

What you will ultimately want to do is be able to handle a full life cycle.

hardware>OS>DB>applications

Specilization is nice but nowdaya in a competitive markey it helps to have alittle of everything.

As with Dallas I do a ton of different things right now.

I am a linux/aix admin but I build out servers including setting up the configuring/installing DBs and supporting the proprietary applications afterwards, work with the SAN/NAS and admin TSM/ASDM for backups.

 

[Khartun]

I'm a Sys Admin. I work with MySQL, SQLServer, PostgreSQL...

If I were doing it over, I'd take what transfers from that CS degree and carry on for a Business degree. Then on for an MBA. That is mainly based on the job market where I'm at though.

Most of what I learned in school about the DBs that I use today was about design of the DB and I had learned most of that in the first two years. Everything else you'll learn from real world experience.

The CS degree is nice but a Business degree with your knowledge of technology will really give you more options in the job market. IMO anyway.

 

[CowboysFan02]

Thanks for the help so far guys!! Well I changed programs to CIS, and I'm actually closer to transfer to Cal Poly Pomona in CIS than I was in the CS program.

Ok so I have some experience in SQL when I took an class with Oracle 8. I know a little C++, and Java, I have some experience with networks, and Linux from screwing around with it at home, I know hardware some as well from building computers.

So guys any suggestions on which distro I should mess around with(I have tried my hand with Mandrake both at home and in class), and what other languages I should check out?

 

[Kangaroo]

Thanks for the help so far guys!! Well I changed programs to CIS, and I'm actually closer to transfer to Cal Poly Pomona in CIS than I was in the CS program.

Ok so I have some experience in SQL when I took an class with Oracle 8. I know a little C++, and Java, I have some experience with networks, and Linux from screwing around with it at home, I know hardware some as well from building computers.

So guys any suggestions on which distro I should mess around with(I have tried my hand with Mandrake both at home and in class), and what other languages I should check out?

On the Linux side pearl is always in demand; SAP development just write yourself a pay check

 

[CowboysFan02]

On the Linux side pearl is always in demand; SAP development just write yourself a pay check

What is SAP?

 

[Kangaroo]

What is SAP?

A big money pit kind of like a boat of the IT industry.

In reality it is a CRM software basically a finance software; it is a German Company and it is one of the larger CRM vendors. It has its hooks into a lot of large corporations and I am now at my second place to be implementing it. :bang2:. That is the reason I am taking a pop shot at it but yes there is really good money in it. (Looking at the jobs out there for it the pay range on SAP developers runs pretty good but must developer type work tends to pay well.


http://www.sap.com/index.epx

 

[jterrell]

Thanks for the help so far guys!! Well I changed programs to CIS, and I'm actually closer to transfer to Cal Poly Pomona in CIS than I was in the CS program.

Ok so I have some experience in SQL when I took an class with Oracle 8. I know a little C++, and Java, I have some experience with networks, and Linux from screwing around with it at home, I know hardware some as well from building computers.

So guys any suggestions on which distro I should mess around with(I have tried my hand with Mandrake both at home and in class), and what other languages I should check out?

I'd suggest using Red Hat.
You can go fedora for free stuff but if you can get a hold of RHEL workstation 3 or 4 then that would be even better. Lots of businesses are oging that route because they are supported(a big keyword to getting managers to sign off on switching away from microsoft).

I run redhat 9.0(old as dirt), mandrake 10.1 almost as bad and ubuntu's breezy badger. I have a LAMP server on the ubuntu box because it was painless to set up. LAMP is Linux-Apache-MySQL-PHP and basically makes a complete web server with front end, backend and anything else you need except an editor though vi works just fine.

I have been getting tons of calls lately because I have alot of current AIX and Red Hat Linux experience. They play quite well together and give you server/client enviroments at a good price point. Some things about IBM suck but others are simply impossible to beat.

 

[jterrell]

But again I can not stress enough versatility because you never know what keyword on your resume is gonna get you contacted for the "dream gig".

In this field you absolutely never stop learning if you intend to remain employable. I have had some lax jobs but this is almost like sports where you have to constantly challenge yourself to move up. Any time you feel too comfortable means you are falling behind however many other folks who are putting together complex projects and breaking new ground. Businesses pay huge dollars for that and seldom pay much for basic day to day administration.

I'd definitely suggest a combination project management base with technical skill in a full lifecycle.

You are a in a quite good area for the field.
But you might consider the San Antonio/Austin area for bang for the buck.
That area has high salaries(due to plenty of tech jobs at all times) and reasonable cost of living.

 

[junk]

I'm a Sys Admin. I work with MySQL, SQLServer, PostgreSQL...

If I were doing it over, I'd take what transfers from that CS degree and carry on for a Business degree. Then on for an MBA. That is mainly based on the job market where I'm at though.

Most of what I learned in school about the DBs that I use today was about design of the DB and I had learned most of that in the first two years. Everything else you'll learn from real world experience.

The CS degree is nice but a Business degree with your knowledge of technology will really give you more options in the job market. IMO anyway.

If it was me, I'd get the CS degree, get my foot in the door with some employer and have them pay for your MBA. Undergrad student loans are hard enough to work off as it is.

Be up front in your interview and indicate that this is a career path you'd be interested in and be sure that this is a path they will help you follow. Many companies that are decent sized will pay for at least a portion of your MBA. That was what I did. I basically got an MBA for the cost of books.

However, if you are simply interested in being a DBA, the CIS course work might be better. The only reason I recommend CS is that it might open up some doors in other areas if you get into the work place and find out that you don't really enjoy being a DBA.

Good luck.