This is a continuation of the discussion question from Unit 4 (we all know that databases supply the fuel for the productivity engine in the information age, but at what cost). In this unit we will focus on what effort is required to maintain the data by DBA(s) or functions performed by DBA(s) in a database in your corporate (where you work now or have worked in the past) and personal databases (resources – dollars or people hours and other input (such as the cost of updating licenses for the DBMS); getting this quantitative information may be difficult, but I want you to provide at least an estimate if historical records are not available)? Provide this information for either one example of a personal database, or one example of a corporate database that you are familiar with. Even if you are not experienced with databases yourself, the idea is to go find out about the effort needed to maintain the database and upgrade the DBMS software periodically, and make sure you provide appropriate releasable citations for your references. This question in not concerned with the effort to initially build/develop and populate a database (we answered that question in the Unit 4 discussion), but instead the ongoing/long term effort to keep the data and DBMS functioning by DBAs. As always, for those of you in the military, if you use one of your database systems, make sure the information is releasable. And for those who will interview someone to get the information to answer this question, make sure you provide a personal reference for that person (see the course FAQs for examples [include name, position, organization, etc.).

 

200 words if able.