Reasons Given for NOT Hiring an External DBA − And Why You Should Reconsider

Hiring someone to look after your business critical data can be a scary prospect. Maybe you’ve managed to get this far without issues and can’t see the value. Maybe you have concerns over data security. This is not helped by common misconceptions that hold businesses back from feeling the benefits that an external DBA can provide. Below are 5 thoughts that you might have had, and why you need to reconsider your position.

I already have staff looking after our databases

Why hire someone when you already have an IT department that looks after this? This is one of the most common thoughts holding businesses back. The truth is, most IT departments do not have anyone specifically trained in all the ins and outs of SQL databases. Having to deal with the day to running of a businesses technology infrastructure can also leed to a reactive environment where small misconfigurations are missed until it’s too late. Bringing someone in to look after the DBA side of things will not only provide specialised knowledge, it will also free-up your IT staff to focus on other projects.

I’lI won’t know what’s happening with our databases

Giving one of your most important assets into the hands of someone else is not easy. Giving them access to change it is even harder. A DBA will give you regular system reports outlining the state of your databases and will strictly adhere to your business’ policies and procedures. For that extra peace of mind, all work is logged so you and your team can see exactly what has been done at any time.

I can’t trust external sources with our data

Data security is a big issue and a rightful concern. However, a DBA understands how critical access to your data is and works night and day to ensure that any problems are corrected with the bare minimun interruption to your business. Staff are handpicked through extensive hiring policies to ensure that only the most trustworthy DBA’s will get close to your databases. If you have specific security requirements, these can be incorporated into the service.

Consultants only react to my issues

Some people see the role of any external contractor as a Mr Fixit after problems occur, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. A DBA’s role is to ensure that your databases are properly configured to optimise performance and stability. Most of the work revolves around avoiding issues in the first place so your business isn’t affected. All this work happens in the background, with check-ups scheduled based on your business’ needs.

I won’t get return on my investment

Yes, hiring a specialised DBA costs money, however it also provides security for your business. How much would it cost your business if you lost access to your database for 15 minutes, or even just 1 minute. What if you lost the last half an hour’s worth of transactions? With deeper insights into how your databases are performing, minor issues can be identified and remedied before your systems are affected.

If you’ve had any of these thoughts, hopefully we’ve given you something extra to consider. Whilst it may seem like a big step, bringing in some specialised assistance will help your business. And doing so doesn’t have to be costly. At DBA Services, we offer flexible SQL Server support plans, so you will only pay for the services you need. Our service plans are scalable to suit your varying needs as a growing organisation. But no matter the plan you choose, you will gain access to advanced DBA systems often used by larger SQL server infrastructures. With us, you gain the benefits of DBA without the overhead costs of hiring full-time.

Additionally, we provide SQL Server consultancy services in which we find what works for your business. We’ll work closely with you and your in-house IT team to make your server fast, stable and easily accessible.

If you’ve still got reservations then we’d love to know what they are, send us a message and we’ll see how we can help you!