Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Planning maintenance
In these busy times many people believe "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". I believe that also,
though it isn't an excuse for not taking action to maintain your database servers and be sure
that nothing will break.
Database maintenance is about making your database run smoothly.
Monitoring systems are not a substitute for good planning. They alert you to unplanned
situations that need attention. The more unplanned things you respond to, the greater
the chance that you will need to respond to multiple emergencies at once. And when
that happens, something will break. Ultimately that is your fault. If you wish to take your
responsibilities seriously you should plan ahead.
How to do it...
F
Let's break a rule: If you don't have a backup, take one
now
. I mean now, go on, off
you go. Then let's talk some more about planning maintenance. If you already do,
well done. It's hard to keep your job as a DBA if you lose data because of missing
backups, especially today when everybody's grandmother knows to keep her photos
backed up.
F
First, plan your time: Make a regular date on which to perform certain actions.
Don't allow yourself to be a puppet of your monitoring system, running up and down
every time the lights change. If you keep being dragged off on other assignments
then you'll need to make it clear that you need to get a good handle on the database
maintenance to make sure it doesn't bite you.
F
Don't be scared: It's easy to worry about what you don't know and either overreact
or underreact to the situation. Your database probably doesn't need to be inspected
daily, but never is definitely a bad place also.
How it works...
Build a regular cycle of activity around the following tasks:
F
Capacity planning: Observing long term trends in system performance and keeping
track of growth of database volumes. Plan in to the schedule any new data feeds,
new projects that increase rates of change. Best done monthly, so you monitor what
has happened and what will happen.
F
Backups, recovery testing, and emergency planning: Organize regular reviews
of written plans, test scripts, check tape rotation, confirm that you still have the
password to the off-site backups, and so on. Some sysadmins run a test recovery
every night so they always know that a successful recovery is possible.
