Most of my energy lately has been devoted to building new skills and stepping into new challenges, including pursuing a Master’s degree in Database Administration and Design, driving performance improvements and cost savings at work, and somehow surviving a kitchen renovation. That’s why I haven’t been as active lately.
The good news? A lot of those projects are finally winding down. If I stay on track, I should be graduating next year.
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about where I’m headed, what’s next, and what it all means. I have a feeling I’m not the only one asking these questions. Maybe you’re in a similar position, wondering how your role is evolving or what’s coming next for you.
One thing I’ve noticed is that participation in user groups and SQL conferences isn’t what it used to be. It’s not that DBAs are disappearing, but the traditional sessions aren’t getting the attention they once did. The landscape is shifting, and the kind of knowledge people want is changing.
Today’s DBAs aren’t just looking for tips on must indexing or stats. They want to know how to automate those tasks, how to scale across environments, and how to make it all work in hybrid or cloud-native setups. The hunger to learn is still there. It’s just headed in a new direction.
DBA jobs haven’t disappeared, but the titles and expectations have changed. We’re managing much larger data volumes. Automation isn’t optional anymore; it is a must-have to keep up with demand and stay competitive. Platforms like MongoDB, CosmosDB, PostgreSQL, and Cassandra are becoming increasingly common as SQL Server starts to strain under monolithic workloads and high-throughput needs.
That doesn’t mean SQL Server is irrelevant. I still love working with it, and I’m pretty good at it. However, there is a shift toward polyglot persistence and cloud-native design. My job title hasn’t just been “DBA” for a while, but I’ve felt this change happening for years. I chose to grow with it.
Can Your Role Be Automated?
Here’s something I believe:
If your job can be automated, it’s at risk of becoming obsolete.
Now, let me be clear: I’m not saying your job is going away. But I am saying that if automation can do what you do, you need to stay ahead to stay valuable.
You might be thinking, “But DBAs still set up backups, get paged at night to grow disks, and check for failed jobs!” …but here’s the thing: all of that can be automated.
So here’s the real question:
Can your current role be replaced by a script or a scheduler?
If the answer is yes, what are you doing to stay ahead?
There are still tasks that DBAs need to perform to ensure platform stability, data integrity, security, and effective disaster recovery planning. Those aren’t going away anytime soon. However, as our systems become increasingly complex, automation and cost awareness are becoming equally important. I believe these will only become more central to the DBA’s role moving forward.
Think about it: how many companies have moved to the cloud in the last five years? And how many are now experiencing sticker shock? We’ve gone from managing 500 GB of data being “a lot” to living in a world where petabytes are standard.
I once chatted with a guy named Scott during a Fortified roundtable. He managed thousands of SQL Servers and petabytes of data. I asked how he handled change at that scale. His answer:
“I automate everything.”
I couldn’t agree more. I’m also one of those DBAs who believes in automation. It’s not just a time-saver—it’s a survival skill. At scale, manual processes don’t just slow you down; they become a liability. Automation is one of the best investments you can make in yourself and your systems.
From One DBA to Another: How to Stay Ahead
Let’s be honest. Not everyone is going to agree with what I’m about to say. I always seem to run into that one grumpy Gus who wants to log in, run a few scripts, and log out without a second thought, and hey, if that’s your thing, more power to you. Maybe you’re a DBA who only manages a single SQL Server instance. I’m genuinely envious of your simplicity… but not of your paycheck.
This advice might not be for you, and that’s okay. However, I will say that you might be missing out on some awesome experiences. In my world, the best thing you can do is stay ahead of the curve instead of trying to catch up later.
So, if you’re in this for the long haul and want to keep growing, here are some practical ways to sharpen your skills and keep your career moving forward:
Learn New Languages
Don’t stop at SQL. Learn PowerShell, Python, or even Go. Scripting has become essential for modern DBAs.
Tip: My friend Ben Miller from DBA Duck is an excellent resource for PowerShell topics specific to DBAs.
Get Comfortable with Cloud Platforms
Whether it’s AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, it’s time to get hands-on. Learn how to deploy, monitor, and scale databases in the cloud.
Tip: Kendra Little blogs great content for Azure and managed instances.
Understand Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
Tools like Terraform let you manage infrastructure the same way you manage code: versioned, repeatable, and automated.
Learn the Basics of Containers
Docker and Kubernetes are changing the way we manage databases. Many enterprise databases are being containerized or deployed in orchestrated environments. You don’t need to be an expert, but understanding the fundamentals is a benefit.
Tip: Check out my friend Anthony Nocentino’s Pluralsight courses on Kubernetes. I can’t speak highly enough of him. He explains things in a way that clicks for DBAs. Also, Andrew Pruski shares great content on Kubernetes, Docker, and SQL Server on Linux at DBAFromTheCold.com.
Study Distributed Databases
Learn how databases like DynamoDB, Cassandra, and CockroachDB handle replication, sharding, and high availability at scale. These are becoming increasingly common in enterprise environments, and the skills required to manage them often come with high-paying opportunities.
Learn Other Databases
Don’t limit yourself to SQL Server. I started learning PostgreSQL before I even had a use case for it. Understanding different database engines makes you a stronger, more flexible DBA.
Tip: Grant Fritchey and Brent Ozar are both worth following. That’s right, Brent has even embraced the PostgreSQL.
Use the Right Tool for the Job
SQL Server isn’t always the right answer. Sometimes MongoDB is a better fit. Sometimes, Python outperforms PowerShell. Don’t get stuck in a comfort zone. Expand your toolbox and pick the right tool for the task.
Stay Business- and Application-Aware
Understand how your work impacts the business: uptime, revenue, performance, and feature delivery. The best DBAs think like product and engineering teams.
Stay Active in the Community
Get involved. Join local user groups, attend webinars, and follow blogs and industry leaders to stay informed and up-to-date. It keeps your skills sharp and your mindset fresh.
Tip: My friend Erik Darling creates fantastic content and knows his stuff. He offers free training on YouTube, but I get the most value from his paid courses. Check him out at erikdarling.com.
Earn Certifications That Matter
Certs like AWS Certified Database Specialty or Azure can boost your confidence and help you communicate better with DevOps and cloud teams.
Automate What You Can
If you find yourself repeating the same task over and over, stop and ask, “Can I automate this?” If the answer is yes, go for it. Free up your time for higher-value work.
The Best Advice I Can Give:
Technology changes constantly, and so should you. Keep learning, stay curious, and remember that growth isn’t optional in this field. It’s part of the job.
Somewhere along the way, people forget why they got into tech in the first place. It wasn’t just for a paycheck or job security. It was a challenge. The joy of solving complex problems. The excitement of making something work that wasn’t working before. That feeling you get when solving an issue or figuring out why something failed. That’s what brought many of us here.
But over time, stress, burnout, bad managers, or just too much “business as usual” can dull that passion. You start to coast. You stop being curious. You forget to ask “why” and settle for “good enough.”
That’s when it’s time to reset. Reconnect with what you love about this work. Pick up a new language. Try out a new tool. Attend a local tech meetup. Ask questions. Mentor someone. Rebuild your momentum.
In tech, standing still is falling behind. So keep pushing. Keep growing. Stay humble, stay hungry, and don’t ever forget why you started.
Final Thought: What Do You Think?
So let me ask you:
What do you think a DBA’s duties consist of today?
Is the market shifting?
Have you noticed a difference in the DBA descriptions in the job postings?
How do you feel about growing your skill set?
Comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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