Database Engine Developers and Administrators
The way tasks are assigned between database developers and database administrators varies in different organizations. Some organizations assign one type of task, such as database design, to administrators, while other organizations assign the same task to developers. This topic describes how the SQL Server Database Engine documentation categorizes tasks between the developer and administrator roles.
Database Engine Developers
Because an instance of the Database Engine forms a central store of relational data and XML documents, the Database Engine documentation is relevant to any type of developer who needs to work with that data. This ranges from the developers who design and implement databases to those who build the systems of applications and Web sites that allow users to work with the Database Engine data. The following table lists some of the more common types of developers and the way they interact with the Database Engine.
- Database designer
Builds the logical design of a database; designs the data storage objects such as tables and views; and writes the specifications for logic objects such as stored procedures, triggers, user-defined functions, and user-defined types.
- Database developer
Codes and tests database logic objects such as stored procedures, triggers, user-defined functions, and user-defined types.
- Data access developer
Codes and tests multitier or client-server applications that use APIs such as the SQLClient managed namespace or OLE DB to access relational data.
- XML developer
Codes and tests Web sites or data-driven applications that use the Database Engine as an XML data store, using features such as HTTP endpoints and the XQuery language for their data access.
- Administration application developer
Codes and tests applications that implement database administration functionality by using administration APIs such as SMO or the WMI provider, or by executing Transact-SQL statements.
Database Engine Administrators
The Database Engine administrator role covers planning and running the daily operations of instances of the Database Engine in such areas as system availability, performance monitoring and optimization, deployment, upgrades, troubleshooting, and configuration. Small and medium organizations may have only one database administrator job title that is assigned all administrator tasks. Larger organizations may split the administrator tasks between multiple job titles. The following table lists some of the more common types of administrators and the way they interact with the Database Engine.
- Database administrator
Designs the physical implementations of the logical database designs that are specified by the database designer. Produces the scripts, tools, and procedures that are used to implement the physical database. Designs the operational procedures for one or more instances of the Database Engine, and resolves exception conditions not covered by published procedures.
- Data center operator
Implements the operational procedures defined by the administrators, monitors the heath of the system, and diagnoses and escalates exception conditions that cannot be addressed by the published procedures.
- Helpdesk operator
Explains system procedures to general users, or helps users who are having problems with the system.
See Also
Other Resources
Database Engine Administrator InfoCenter
Database Engine Developer InfoCenter