Database Administration
Overview
Modern databases typically have very large data holdings and are faced with completing huge numbers of transactions. Effective administration is needed to ensure databases function at their optimum against organisational requirements. This unit aims to deliver a set of concepts and tools that can both enable and improve database administration. Students will use these approaches to both setup and assess design and implementation options that improve databases performance. Typical performance problems will be investigated and remedied using appropriate tuning options. The potential of distributed databases, replicated databases, and data warehouses will be explored.
Requisites
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Apply concepts and techniques for completing key database administration tasks
- Analyse an organisation’s database performance requirements and recommend strategies for improvement
- Individually and collaboratively use database performance tuning tools to optimise database performance
- Evaluate the distribution of databases over multiple servers within an organisation with particular reference to performance improvement
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face to Face Contact (Phasing out) Lecture | 2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| Face to Face Contact (Phasing out) Tutorial Labs | 1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out) Independent Learning | 9.50 | 12 weeks | 114 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment | Group | 20 - 30% | 1,3 |
| Assignment | Individual | 20 - 30% | 1,2,3,4 |
| Examination | Individual | 40 - 60% | 1,2,3,4 |
Content
- Database configuration, management and file structures
- Scripts, commands, and edits
- User management, roles and privileges
- Performance requirements, tuning, and query optimisation
- Database risk management, security, backup, and recovery
- Distributed databases, replicated databases, data warehouses, and reporting databases
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.