Career Overlap Transition record
RecordMove

Database administrator to data centre operator

A database administrator already meets 62% of what the data centre operator role asks for. The move turns on 6 required skills not yet in the profile.

Fig. 1 · Skill transfer ESCO v1.2.1 · directional
From database administrator
62 % overlap
Strong match
To data centre operator
32 You already bring
6 Still to learn
49 Skills in the target role2
Learning distance Real move, short list to learn

44.3/ 100

1 How much of what a data centre operator is expected to do is already part of a database administrator’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the data centre operator role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.

Why

Why this move works

A data centre operator role treats 8 of its required skills as things a database administrator already does. You would walk in with these on day one.

  • administer ICT system
  • balance database resources
  • database management systems
  • maintain database performance
  • maintain database security
  • manage database

What stands in the way is 6 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 32 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A data centre operator role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a database administrator background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area
  • already held maintain database performance working with computers
  • already held balance database resources working with computers
  • already held maintain database security working with computers
  • already held Filemaker (database management systems) information and communication technologies (icts)
  • already held IBM Informix information and communication technologies (icts)
  • already held MySQL information and communication technologies (icts)

All 32 carried skills, including the 8 the data centre operator role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you may need to learn

The 17 missing skills fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.

Skill to pick up Tier
01 working with computers 3 required, 3 supplementary
  • still to learn analyse ICT system required
  • still to learn maintain ICT server required
  • still to learn migrate existing data required
  • optional, not held implement a virtual private network optional
  • optional, not held integrate system components optional
  • optional, not held use ICT ticketing system optional
02 information skills 1 required, 1 supplementary
  • still to learn keep up with the latest information systems solutions required
  • optional, not held control of expenses optional
03 management skills 1 required, 1 supplementary
  • still to learn develop contingency plans for emergencies required
  • optional, not held develop automated migration methods optional
04 constructing 1 required
  • still to learn monitor system performance required
05 information and communication technologies (icts) 5 supplementary
  • optional, not held CA Datacom/DB optional
  • optional, not held business ICT systems optional
  • optional, not held information confidentiality optional
  • optional, not held unstructured data optional
  • optional, not held World Wide Web Consortium standards optional
06 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held create solutions to problems optional
Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a data centre operator role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 32 skills that carry over
Skill Type
  • already held administer ICT system skill
  • already held balance database resources skill
  • already held database management systems knowledge
  • already held maintain database performance skill
  • already held maintain database security skill
  • already held manage database skill
  • already held query languages knowledge
  • already held resource description framework query language knowledge
  • already held DB2 knowledge
  • already held Filemaker (database management systems) knowledge
  • already held IBM Informix knowledge
  • already held LDAP knowledge
  • already held LINQ knowledge
  • already held MDX knowledge
  • already held Microsoft Access knowledge
  • already held MySQL knowledge
  • already held N1QL knowledge
  • already held ObjectStore knowledge
  • already held OpenEdge Database knowledge
  • already held PostgreSQL knowledge
  • already held SPARQL knowledge
  • already held SQL Server knowledge
  • already held Teradata Database knowledge
  • already held XQuery knowledge
  • already held data models knowledge
  • already held data storage knowledge
  • already held database development tools knowledge
  • already held implement a firewall skill
  • already held implement anti-virus software skill
  • already held use back-up and recovery tools skill
  • already held use databases skill
  • already held use different communication channels skill
11 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
Skill to pick up Tier
  • optional, not held CA Datacom/DB optional
  • optional, not held business ICT systems optional
  • optional, not held develop automated migration methods optional
  • optional, not held implement a virtual private network optional
  • optional, not held information confidentiality optional
  • optional, not held integrate system components optional
  • optional, not held unstructured data optional
  • optional, not held World Wide Web Consortium standards optional
  • optional, not held control of expenses optional
  • optional, not held create solutions to problems optional
  • optional, not held use ICT ticketing system optional
35 held skills the data centre operator role does not ask for
Skill Type
  • not needed by the target role MarkLogic knowledge
  • not needed by the target role Oracle Relational Database knowledge
  • not needed by the target role TripleStore knowledge
  • not needed by the target role apply company policies skill
  • not needed by the target role business intelligence knowledge
  • not needed by the target role create data models skill
  • not needed by the target role data engineering knowledge
  • not needed by the target role data quality assessment knowledge
  • not needed by the target role define database physical structure skill
  • not needed by the target role design database backup specifications skill
  • not needed by the target role design database in the cloud skill
  • not needed by the target role design database scheme skill
  • not needed by the target role distributed computing knowledge
  • not needed by the target role domain name service knowledge
  • not needed by the target role estimate duration of work skill
  • not needed by the target role execute ICT audits skill
  • not needed by the target role implement ICT security policies skill
  • not needed by the target role information structure knowledge
  • not needed by the target role interpret technical texts skill
  • not needed by the target role manage cloud data and storage skill
  • not needed by the target role online analytical processing knowledge
  • not needed by the target role operate relational database management system skill
  • not needed by the target role perform ICT troubleshooting skill
  • not needed by the target role perform backups skill
  • not needed by the target role protect personal data and privacy skill
  • not needed by the target role provide ICT support skill
  • not needed by the target role provide technical training skill
  • not needed by the target role quality assurance methodologies knowledge
  • not needed by the target role remove computer virus or malware from a computer skill
  • not needed by the target role support ICT system users skill
  • not needed by the target role system backup best practice knowledge
  • not needed by the target role use an application-specific interface skill
  • not needed by the target role use automatic programming skill
  • not needed by the target role use scripting programming skill
  • not needed by the target role use spreadsheets software skill
5 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to pick up Tier
  • optional, not held CA Datacom/DB optional
  • optional, not held business ICT systems optional
  • optional, not held information confidentiality optional
  • optional, not held unstructured data optional
  • optional, not held World Wide Web Consortium standards optional
Index

Other moves recorded from database administrator

Full index of moves from database administrator

FAQ

Common questions about this move

Can a database administrator become a data centre operator?

Yes, and it is a moderate move. A database administrator already covers 62% of what a data centre operator is expected to do: 32 skills carry over, 8 of which the data centre operator role treats as required.

What skills does a database administrator need to become a data centre operator?

6 required skills are missing, plus 11 optional ones. They fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by working with computers. The single most important is analyse ICT system.

How hard is the move from database administrator to data centre operator?

Its learning distance is 44.3 out of 100, which is the moderate band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.