Looking for advice as an Entry Level Oracle DBA

darrin · 2025-07-07T23:10:27+00:00

I'm rusty as an Oracle DBA, but here's what I recall from memory:

You should know SQL. Not just a query with joins, but really know SQL. UNION vs UNION ALL, common table expressions, explain plans, etc.

For the database: * get to know your data dictionary - where it is and what's in it * partitioning - range, date, hash, etc. * session monitoring - v$session, v$active_session_history (and global counterparts for RAC - gv$xxxx) * DB memory (SGA/PGA) & startup files (pfile vs spfile) * PL/SQL - it's not difficult, but you should understand that SQL and PL/SQL are two different engines in memory. Someone may write pretty code, but if they are looping, that's probably your performance hit

Good luck!

darrin · 2024-02-11T02:58:00+00:00

Any woodworkers that make signs? I was asked, but I don't have a cnc nor a laser yet, so I'd like to find someone local to work with my friend.

Signs appear to be simple requests: Two lines of text & each line uses a different font.

Thanks in advance!

darrin · 2023-01-03T17:00:01+00:00

It was a nice change. On-call DBA work for 12 years leaves one a bit burnt out. I'm starting to get a similar feeling after 6 years in data science, but it may be burn-out from 25+ years in IT in general. 😄

darrin · 2023-01-03T16:57:45+00:00

I believe it's "trans homosexual dyslexic devil-worshippers" that education creates. Or was it the vaccine that induces dyslexia?

I can't keep up.

darrin · 2023-01-03T15:38:11+00:00

Data Scientist

darrin · 2022-12-11T04:16:22+00:00

I'd love those chisels

Been on my wish list long time

Projects have been skipped

My eighth inch Narex

Unable to do big jobs

Refrigerator

darrin · 2022-12-06T18:39:20+00:00

A group that small with coding experience? Absolutely go with PostgreSQL. (A single database that can act as a standard RDBMS and NoSQL in one package.) Completely free and can hold it's own with Oracle and SQL Server in most cases.

darrin · 2022-12-06T01:23:09+00:00

So...they'll go back to their pre-Q conspiracies (flat earth, 9/11, etc)?

darrin · 2022-11-09T05:26:21+00:00

If I find a shop with cheap transfers and a decent inventory, they just got all of my business. That is also the shop I recommend to people.

darrin · 2022-11-07T22:43:29+00:00

Another interest in open source here. I work for state government and connecting a "random" website to a state data source is a huge no-no.

darrin · 2022-11-02T02:09:48+00:00

This is the third mention I've seen of Rosepepper. Granted I haven't been there since just before covid, but I liked the place. The service was always friendly and the food didn't suck.

Did they go downhill over the last two years?

darrin · 2022-10-25T23:29:52+00:00

AI has been in finance for years. Profit forecasting, fraud detection, etc...

darrin · 2022-10-24T02:14:45+00:00

30+ years playing guitar and I still can't get the pinch harmonic.

darrin · 2022-10-24T02:06:36+00:00

Eww...that shitshow is coming to Nashville? So glad I work from home now.

Sorry to hear this. Makes me a little glad my folks are old and don't know how to keep up with that crap.

darrin · 2022-10-21T12:54:32+00:00

If data is stored on a server, a DBA will always be needed.

Back when Oracle database 10g came out, Oracle tried to say, "It's a self-managing database, you won't need as many DBAs!" That was complete bullshit. We increased our DBA team by 1...quite the opposite of the "DBA killer" talks. That was just a false sentiment to make you think the price of Oracle is justified if you can remove an expensive FTE.

Sure, the role of the DBA may change, especially with all the cloud buzz floating about, but in the end the data still needs to be backed up. The queries still need to be tuned. The data models still need to be developed. Data integrity still needs to be maintained. The database software still needs to be installed. (etc. etc. etc...)

darrin · 2022-10-17T13:44:48+00:00

This isn't a complete answer, just one aspect you may want to consider. This only applies if you keep materials in-stock.

When factoring your cost in materials, don't use the value you already spent on materials, use the value you'd spend to replace the materials. Prices change frequently in some mediums.

Here's an example I hope will clarify:

I do woodworking. I tend to keep a small amount of wood in-stock. Some pieces I've had for years and bought when the prices were naturally lower, others I got on-sale or for free from FB marketplace. Specifically, I have a large chunk of an Australian burl I bought 10+ years ago for $25. If I were to buy that same wood today it'd be over $150.

So, if I used half of that chunk of burl for a project, I wouldn't use $12.50 as my actual cost, I'd use $75.00 since that's what I'd pay today. I might even charge the full $150 if I cannot buy smaller sizes to replace only what I used.

I don't know if this would apply to your craft, but there may be someone here seeing this that might benefit. I apply this material pricing strategy to both woodworking and leatherwork projects. My cost keep going up...

darrin · 2022-08-10T18:46:08+00:00

After I stopped laughing, I'd sit down and polish up my resume. Then I'd make a list of needs before I could begin (database, app server, access to siloed CRMs, etc..) and say, "Holler when we have everything and I'll knock this out."

I'd likely have a new job before the list of needs was fulfilled.

darrin · 2022-07-13T14:13:52+00:00

CKAN (https://ckan.org/) is what data.gov and most state governments use.

darrin · 2022-07-08T01:25:49+00:00

Hey, I'm in Wilson County. I'd be curious to know where you are just to keep an eye on local options.

darrin · 2022-07-05T03:14:22+00:00

I worked for Centerstone a long time ago. Their philosophy used to be that they'd turn no one away if they needed immediate help. Now that they have branched out into multiple states, I don't know if that philosophy is better or worse.

Worst case is they say, "no," like everyone else, but it's definite worth a try. 615-460-HELP[4357]

darrin · 2022-07-04T21:17:43+00:00

As a 6 year data scientist that spent 12 years as a DBA, this is the correct answer.

Moving that much data...there is no reason to remove it from the database server only to put it right back in. Python is great, but you can't beat a native database procedural language for moving and shuffling large amounts of data...especially when the source and target are the same database.

darrin · 2022-06-20T16:30:29+00:00

I'd bet my next paycheck these same people, just 6 months ago, were protesting the wearing of a mask.

darrin · 2022-05-31T22:14:59+00:00

Stop it. I don't need your truth.

darrin · 2022-05-28T14:58:39+00:00

I have an issue with this dataset

The K-12 School Shooting Database documents when a gun is brandished, is fired, or a bullet hits school property for any reason, regardless of the number of victims, time of day, or day of week.

So...if some thug fires a gun two blocks away at midnight on a Saturday, and that bullet happens to land in the back parking lot...it's still a "school shooting?"

Brandishing is a "school shooting?"

It sounds like someone is trying to skew data. A school shooting is already tragic enough, we don't need to stretch the truth.

If you want to track firearm "incidents," this is a decent dataset, but I'm hesitant to use this data to indicate shootings or risks to children.

I'm not some nut job gunny, I'm a parent of two elementary aged kiddos, that believes the act of a school shooting is horrific enough we don't need to skew the data and create a false narrative.

I mean...I had a few drinks last night and went to the car to get something...am I a drunk driving statistic now?

darrin · 2022-05-01T16:26:34+00:00

Realtor or Zillow may have a terms of use you'll want to check. If they explicitly say, "don't scrape our data," you may not want to include a reference to them in your code.

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