Program
Database Administration
Keep production databases fast, available, and safe
Learn to install, secure, tune, and back up production databases — the skills that keep a company's data online and trustworthy.
8
Weeks
40
Chapters
4
Practice formats
1
Portfolio artifact
8 weeks — one module per week (8 modules, 40 chapters), each week ending with a live class every Saturday, plus a module exam before the next module opens.
Curriculum
40 chapters across 8 modules — each with guided notes, a live example, a quiz, an exercise, a challenge, and class practice.
Module 1 · DATABASE FOUNDATIONS
- 1Introduction to Database AdministrationWhat a DBA does, the major database platforms, production responsibilities, and keeping an accurate server inventory.Learn →
- 2How a Database Engine WorksInstances and databases, data and log files, pages and the buffer cache, the transaction log, ACID, and how storage grows.Learn →
- 3Installation, Configuration & EnvironmentsSizing hardware, key configuration settings, standard builds, configuration drift, patching, and managing dev/test/prod.Learn →
- 4Data Integrity & Design for DBAsKeys and constraints, normalization basics, data types, referential integrity, finding orphaned and duplicate data, and reviewing schema changes.Learn →
- 5Essential SQL & System Catalogs for DBAsDDL, DML and DCL; transactions; and querying system catalogs (information_schema, sys views, pg_catalog) to inspect databases, tables, columns and keys.Learn →
Module 2 · PROTECT THE DATA
- 6Security, Logins & Least PrivilegeAuthentication, logins and users, roles, least privilege, service accounts, auditing, and reviewing access regularly.Learn →
- 7Encryption, Masking & ComplianceEncryption in transit and at rest, column-level encryption, key management, data masking, classification, and regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.Learn →
- 8Backup Strategies & Recovery TargetsRPO and RTO, full, differential, and log backups, recovery models, the 3-2-1 rule, retention, and monitoring backup success.Learn →
- 9Recovery, High Availability & Disaster RecoveryRestore sequences, point-in-time recovery, testing restores against RTO, replication and failover clusters, and disaster recovery plans.Learn →
- 10Auditing & Activity MonitoringWhat to audit, server and database audit features, login and permission-change auditing, failed-login detection, protecting audit logs, and reviewing them.Learn →
Module 3 · PERFORMANCE & OPERATIONS
- 11Monitoring, Alerting & MaintenanceKey health metrics, alert design, capacity and disk space, index and statistics maintenance, integrity checks, and job scheduling.Learn →
- 12Indexing for PerformanceHow indexes work, clustered and nonclustered indexes, composite and covering indexes, selectivity, the cost of indexes, and finding missing and unused ones.Learn →
- 13Query Tuning & Execution PlansFinding the queries that matter, reading execution plans, common plan problems, SARGable predicates, statistics and parameter sensitivity, and verifying fixes.Learn →
- 14Concurrency, Locking & BlockingLocks and why they exist, blocking chains, deadlocks, isolation levels and row versioning, long transactions, and troubleshooting live blocking.Learn →
- 15Cloud Databases & AutomationManaged database services, what changes for the DBA, sizing and cost, migrating to the cloud, and automating routine work with scripts and infrastructure as code.Learn →
Module 4 · SQL SERVER ADMINISTRATION IN DEPTH
- 16SQL Server Instance ConfigurationMax server memory, MAXDOP and cost threshold for parallelism, tempdb design, instant file initialisation, and checking settings against a baseline.Learn →
- 17SQL Server Agent: Jobs, Schedules & AlertsAutomating maintenance with Agent jobs and steps, schedules, operators and notifications, job history, and spotting failed or missed jobs.Learn →
- 18Integrity Checks & CorruptionHow corruption happens, page checksums, DBCC CHECKDB and its options, responding to corruption without making it worse, and restore-based recovery.Learn →
- 19Database Files, Filegroups & GrowthData and log file layout, filegroups, autogrowth settings, virtual log files, why not to shrink, and monitoring free space.Learn →
- 20Index & Statistics MaintenanceFragmentation and page density, reorganise vs. rebuild thresholds, online rebuilds, statistics updates, and modern maintenance strategy.Learn →
Module 5 · POSTGRESQL & MYSQL ADMINISTRATION
- 21PostgreSQL Architecture & ConfigurationClusters, processes and shared memory; postgresql.conf essentials (shared_buffers, work_mem, max_connections); pg_hba.conf authentication; and connection pooling.Learn →
- 22PostgreSQL MVCC, VACUUM & MaintenanceHow MVCC creates dead tuples, VACUUM and autovacuum tuning, ANALYZE, transaction ID wraparound, bloat, and reindexing.Learn →
- 23MySQL & InnoDB AdministrationInnoDB buffer pool and redo log, key my.cnf settings, users and privileges, binary logs, slow query log, and health metrics.Learn →
- 24Replication in PostgreSQL & MySQLStreaming and logical replication in PostgreSQL, MySQL source/replica and group replication, replication lag, slots, failover and monitoring.Learn →
- 25Backup Tools for PostgreSQL & MySQLLogical vs. physical backups: pg_dump/pg_restore, pg_basebackup and WAL archiving (pgBackRest), mysqldump, Percona XtraBackup and MySQL Shell — and verifying them.Learn →
Module 6 · CLOUD DATABASE ADMINISTRATION
- 26Azure SQL: Database, Managed Instance & VMsChoosing between Azure SQL Database, SQL Managed Instance and SQL Server on Azure VMs; purchasing models; serverless and elastic pools; and what the DBA still owns.Learn →
- 27AWS RDS & AuroraManaged databases on AWS: RDS engines, Aurora architecture, parameter and option groups, automated backups and snapshots, Multi-AZ and read replicas.Learn →
- 28Right-Sizing & Cloud Cost ManagementReading utilisation to right-size, scaling up vs. out, reserved capacity, pausing non-production, storage and backup costs, and FinOps habits for DBAs.Learn →
- 29Cloud High Availability & Disaster RecoveryZone redundancy, geo-replication and failover groups, cross-region read replicas and global databases, RPO/RTO in the cloud, and DR drills.Learn →
- 30Cloud Database Security & IdentityNetwork isolation with private endpoints, firewall rules, identity-based authentication (Microsoft Entra ID, IAM), managed identities, encryption keys, and threat detection.Learn →
Module 7 · AUTOMATION, DEVOPS & DATA PLATFORMS
- 31Automating with PowerShell & dbatoolsScripting DBA tasks across many servers with PowerShell and the dbatools module: inventory, backups, restores, migrations, and health checks.Learn →
- 32Database DevOps & Schema MigrationsVersioning database changes, migration-based vs. state-based deployment, tools (Flyway, Liquibase, SSDT, EF migrations), CI/CD pipelines and safe production releases.Learn →
- 33Infrastructure as Code for DatabasesDefining database servers, settings, networking and backups as code with Terraform, Bicep/ARM and CloudFormation; reviews, drift detection and environments.Learn →
- 34Observability: Wait Statistics & Monitoring ToolsFinding bottlenecks with wait statistics, Query Store and pg_stat_statements, baselines, dashboards and choosing monitoring tools.Learn →
- 35NoSQL & Modern Data Stores for DBAsDocument, key-value, wide-column and graph databases; MongoDB, Cosmos DB, Redis and DynamoDB basics; consistency trade-offs; and what DBA skills transfer.Learn →
Module 8 · DBA PRACTICE, CAREER & CAPSTONE
- 36Incident Response for DatabasesSeverity levels, first-response steps for outages and slowdowns, communication during incidents, runbooks, and blameless post-incident reviews.Learn →
- 37Capacity Planning & ForecastingMeasuring growth, forecasting when storage or compute runs out, planning headroom, and communicating capacity needs before they become emergencies.Learn →
- 38DBA Certifications & Learning PathCertifications for SQL Server/Azure (DP-300), AWS, PostgreSQL and MySQL; how to prepare; and building a continuous learning habit.Learn →
- 39DBA Career & InterviewsDBA career paths, building a portfolio, writing an impact-focused CV, common technical interview questions, and practical troubleshooting exercises.Learn →
- 40Capstone: Backup/Recovery Plan & Tuning ReportDeliver a documented backup and recovery plan and a set of evidence-backed performance-tuning fixes for a sample production database.Learn →
Delivery
Blended — self-paced lessons plus live lab sessions
Portfolio outcome
A documented backup/recovery plan and a set of performance-tuning fixes for a sample production database.
Certificate
Certificate of completion, verifiable online with its credential code.
By the end of this program, you'll be job-ready to…
- Tune slow queries using indexing and query plan analysis
- Design a backup and recovery strategy that meets real recovery targets
- Apply security fundamentals: least-privilege access and encryption
Salary expectations
Estimated U.S. national average annual salary by experience level.
$70,000
Entry-level
$100,000
Mid-level
$135,000
Senior-level
Estimated figures for planning purposes — actual pay varies by location, employer, and experience.
Tools you'll master
SQL Server / PostgreSQL / MySQLAzure SQL / Amazon RDSBackup & recovery toolsQuery performance tuning
Practical training, every chapter
- A live "try it yourself" example in every chapter you can run immediately
- A hands-on exercise per chapter, with hints and a reveal-able answer
- An open-ended challenge per chapter, graded against real success criteria
- Class practice prompts for pairs or cohorts, not just solo homework
Why take this program
Interview- and job-ready
Built to the same bar Aicloud actually hires against — not a generic syllabus.
Tier 1 company partners
Program partnerships with leading employers are in progress — see Affiliation for status.
Job connection access
Graduates get access to Aicloud's own hiring pipeline and employer referral network.
Professional networking
Cohort discussion boards and live sessions connect you with peers and mentors, not just content.
A real portfolio
You leave with a concrete, explainable artifact — proof of knowledge, not just a certificate.