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Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective

Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective. Jacob Shadix Session D18 The Home Depot Wednesday, 4 / 25 @ 4:45. Disclaimer. The material presented is intended for general information only and represents the views and opinions of the Speaker . Background.

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Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective

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  1. Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective Jacob Shadix Session D18 The Home Depot Wednesday, 4/25@ 4:45

  2. Disclaimer The material presented is intended for general information only and represents the views and opinions of the Speaker. Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  3. Background • Bachelor of Science – Information Technology • Security track • Skills • Programming • Java • C# • Shell • Database Administration • PostgreSQL • MySQL • SQL • Networking • Operating Systems Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  4. Experience • Summer Internships • Georgia State Insurance Office • Help Desk Specialist • The Home Depot • Informix DBA • Family IT Guru In other words….. • Little to NO experience in the IT industry Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  5. Short-Term Goals • Find a job Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  6. Long-Term Goals • Start a career • Network • Learn new technologies • Take arising opportunities • Don’t Look Back Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  7. Weaknesses • Shell Scripting • Only Object-Oriented languages were enforced • Java • C# • System Administration • Hierarchy (The BIG picture) • Troubleshooting • RDBMS Platforms (What is Informix?!?) • VIM (Vi-IMproved) text editor Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  8. Strengths • SQL • Object-based Programming • Networking • Security • Operating Systems Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  9. Impressions • IT Profession = NEVER a dull moment • Professionals have varying: • Personalities • Skill Sets • Experience • Tactics “Such an inconsistency amounts to great productivity” Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  10. Collegiate Appreciation Starting a career fresh out of college brought me to the following realization: While college may not prepare its graduates for every challenge, it ensures that they leave with a solid foundation to build upon however they choose Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  11. A Fork in the Road Developer or DBA? • DBA • System Administration • Scripting • Debugging (Java, 4GL, SQL) • Much, much more… • Developer • Java • Java • Java Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  12. A piece of the puzzle Team Building • How to adapt • Develop strong relationships • Identify a mentor • Take advantage of the diversity • Remember that each member comes from a different background. Methodologies will vary. Such a variance allows you to look at a problem through multiple angles and choose which direction to take based on an unbiased and personal preference Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  13. Why Informix? (1/2) • Highly resilient • Recoverability • Active monitoring • Low administrative overhead • High performance and availability • Cost • Ownership fees are lower (by wide margins) than those of competitive platforms • User Interface • CLI (For us command-line junkies) • GUI Tools • Server Studio (Fee-based) • OAT – Open Admin Tool (Freeware) Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  14. Why Informix? (2/2) • Active User Groups • IIUG • Proactive Support • If eligible, take advantage or raising a PMR with IBM • Loyal Fan-base • Low administrative overhead • High Performance and Availability Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  15. If I could do it all over again.. • College • Perl or KShell • UNIX/Linux System Administration • MySQL • Project Management • Experience • Participate in more Internships • Certifications • CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) • A+ (Certification of a computer technician) Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  16. Training • The learning curve for an entry-level IT position is vast • Take advantage of training opportunities presented to you • Don’t limit your skills to a single technology • Ask questions, but don’t expect to be handed the answer (where’s the challenge there?) • Always set aside time outside of business hours to dive into other technologies of interest • Participate in forums & user groups Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  17. Internship Feedback (1/3) Technical Background • “It was a mutually productive relationship. The intern got a taste of a real-world working environment and we got some help over a busy summer. Best of all, we have gone on to hire the 3 interns who worked in our department; so that we reap the benefits of the training we invested in them. This is a much better model than training contractors (who always seem to be leaving just after they get proficient)” Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  18. Internship Feedback (2/3) Technical Background • Kate Tomchik (IIUG Board) - “There is nothing better to have on your team than people fresh out of college ready to hit the ground running. Our interns work so hard it makes the rest of us step up. And interns aren’t afraid to say they don’t know something. Where old-time DBA’s might know what you mean by a step in a standard document, the interns really make you state it clearly. We were so happy to get an intern on our team and are fighting for another on next year” Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  19. Internship Feedback (3/3) Managerial Background • “We have had great success with our intern program at The Home Depot.  I have personally hired 4 interns in the past 3 years thru this program and have been extremely pleased with their eagerness to learn and ability to adopt to the corporate environment and hit the ground running.  They bring an energy to some of these teams that we haven’t seen in a while” Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  20. Certifications • Where? • IIUG Conference: This is a great spot to get certified. While you’re learning about new and exciting tools and features of Informix, why not put that knowledge towards good use and take any one of the FREE certifications offered on-site?!? • Prometric: Take both practice and official certifications at any authorized Prometric center. Fees start at $200 • Why? • Great Experience • Regardless of whether or not your employer values certifications, it is well worth going through the process. During which, you not only reveal strengths and weaknesses towards Informix , but insight into self-development skills and areas of improvement within. • Marketing • Tack it on your resume • Justification • $$$ - How much can you save your employer? Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  21. Rolling forward.. • Informix Certified System Administrator – v11.5 • Where? IIUG Conference • Informix Certified System Administrator – v11.7 • Where? IIUG Conference • Informix Certified Database Associate – 11.7 Fundamentals • Where? IIUG Conference • Additional Supported Platforms: • PostgreSQL • MySQL • Hadoop/HBase Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  22. IBM Reaching Out • The “Informix in a Box” Program is offered to both faculty and students of participating universities. • “We are excited to be offering the Informix in a Box program to campus faculty and students. In addition to free academic license editions of Informix software, we will send an ambassador to your school to teach students about various database related topics of your choice” • Fees • “The program is completely FREE to interested faculty and students!” Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  23. The ‘Informix In A Box’ Program • Benefits: • Flexible • Hands-on labs • FREE to interested faculty and students • Rewards • Firm grasp of RDBMS concepts • A solid foundation over the Informix architecture • KNOWLEDGE • Certificate of completion • Free T-shirt • Contact • For additional inquiries, contact idsoncampus@us.ibm.com Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  24. Sources • https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/wikis/display/IDS101/Informix+in+a+Box • https://iiug.org • http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/idshelp/v10/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.bar.doc/barmst374.htm • http://www.prometric.com/IBM/default.htm • ftp://public.dhe.ibm.com/software/data/sw-library/informix/analyst/ITG1009_Informix_SQL_MS.pdf Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  25. Questions?!? Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective - Session D18

  26. Informix DBA – A Newbie’s Perspective Jacob Shadix jacobshadix@gmail.com

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