Last night I delivered my PASS presentation to an Advanced Database Management class at my local college. Before I started the presentation I explained some concepts that were important in the presentation but outside the scope of it. Things a SQL Server DBA should already know, but students wouldn't necessarily know.
The presentation took longer than it did at PASS, because a number of points needed explanation, again because of the lack of exposure to the product, but it was well received. It also gave the students a chance to see the kind of real activities they can expect to perform when they graduate.
The thing I found interesting were some of the questions. I was asked about setting up the Alerts, and could I do that in a Try-Catch block (for example). What struck me about this question was the fact that the question was based on a programming perspective on all things. As a Database Administrator, I spend most of my time working with tools like SQL Server Management Studio to set configuration parameters that SQL Server uses to perform effectively. These students are taught to program everything. (Well, not everything, but that's a major focus.) I'm not sure if that "problem" is inherent in an educational environment. The students are learning skills across the breadth of the IT spectrum, so they can find a job in an area that some company needs help. It's good that they get a broad perspective.
I just wonder if it'd be a good idea to have a class that focuses on general adminstrative topics. One 16 week class could cover 4 weeks each on the administration of SQL Server, Exchange, ADS, and Windows Server, for example. (I know - it's all Microsoft-centric, but the skills would be very marketable.) The important thing here is that there's no programming, other than some scripting.
Just a thought.
Allen
Cross-posted from SQLBlog! -
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