COMP.

7217 Assignment S1 2020

COMP 7217 Advanced Database Administration

Assignment

Semester one, 2020

Due Date: Friday, 10 April 2020 at 4:00 p.m.
Weighting: 30%

Marks: 100 marks

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 COMP.7217 Assignment S1 2020

Learning outcomes
1. Understand the responsibilities of a database administrator;
2. Monitor and analyse the various parts of a database;
5. Discuss issues related to taking regular backups and restoring databases; and
6. Analyse and discuss the issues related to tuning a database to enhance performance.

Marks Allocation:
LO Topic Marks
1 Description of ten responsibilities of a DBA 20
2 Discuss five tools (or ways) of monitoring the performance of a 20
database.
6 Discuss five tools or ways of tuning to optimise performance of a 20
database.
6 Discuss two tools (or ways) of taking backups 10
5 Discussion on two different types of database files and reasons for 10
taking such backups.
6 Report Formatting (index, Introduction, Clarity, APA Ref) 20
Totals 100

Assignment Instructions
Select any version of SQL Server database management system (DBMS) and write a report on the
responsibilities of a database administrator with the following topics included.

• Describe ten responsibilities of a database administrator with the issues that can come up
while performing each of the responsibility.

• Discuss five tools (or ways) of monitoring the performance of a database. You are expected
to include in-depth details of each tool (or way) and how such tools could be used in
monitoring a database.

• Discuss five ways of tuning to optimise performance of a database. You are expected to
include in-depth details of each tool (or way) and how such tools could be used in tuning a
database.

• Discuss two tools (or ways) of taking backups of a SQL server database. You are expected to
include two different types of backups and in-depth details of two different types of
database files and the reason for taking such backups in your discussion.

You must refer to the tools available in the version of the DBMS to support your arguments. Your
arguments should be accurate and concise and cover as much detail as possible. You may also include
diagrams to illustrate your points. The report should be between ten and twenty pages.

Your report should be suitably referenced using APA format (6th Edition).

A softcopy of your report should be uploaded to the eCampus and TurnItIn by 4.00pm on the deadline
date. You should also submit a hardcopy with a signed assignment coversheet, of your report, by 4.00
pm on the deadline date.

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 COMP.7217 Assignment S1 2020

Instructions
This is an individual assignment with two parts. The assignment must be a product of your own work.

Assistance to other Students

Students themselves can be an excellent resource to assist the learning of fellow students, but there
are issues that arise in assessments that relate to the type and amount of assistance given by
students to other students. It is important to recognise what types of assistance are beneficial to
another’s learning and also what types of assistance are acceptable in an assessment.

Beneficial Assistance
 Study Groups.
 Discussion.
 Sharing reading material.

Unacceptable Assistance
 Working together on one copy of the assessment and submitting it as your own
work.
 Giving your work to another student.
 Copying someone else’s work. This includes work done by someone not on the
course.
 Changing or correcting another student’s work.
 Copying from books, Internet etc. and submitting it as your own work. Anything
taken directly from another source must be referenced correctly: show the source
alongside the quotation in APA style.

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 COMP.7217 Assignment S1 2020

Marking Rubric

FORMATTNG REPORT

Index 5 marks

Index aligned and 5 Index aligned and 4-3 Index not aligned and 2-0
pages numbers No pages No pages numbers
included. numbers included.
included.

Introduction 5 marks

Clear introduction 5-4 Introduction 3-1 Introduction with no 0

covering all the covering some of topics covered.
topics. the topics.

Clarity of Written report 5 marks

Simple, relevant, 5 Relevant -need 4-3 Somewhat relevant - 2-0

concise, and no some needs more
grammatical improvements improvements and
mistakes. and with few many mistakes.
grammatical
mistakes.

References (APA). 5 marks

At least 10 5 Some references 4-3 Few references 2-0

references included, included, included, many
all formatted formatted formatted incorrectly
correctly and incorrectly and and many citations
citations included on some citations included on the body of
the body of the not included on the report, has less than
report with less than the body of the 10 mistakes.
3 mistakes. report, has less
than 5 mistakes.

Total marks for the format 20 marks

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 COMP.7217 Assignment S1 2020

TECHNICAL CONTENT

Responsibilities of a database administrator 20 marks

Good description 20- Average description 16-8 Poor description 7-0

of 10 17 of some (5 to 9) of few (0-4)
responsibilities responsibilities responsibilities
included. included. included.

Discuss five tools (or ways) of monitoring the performance of a database. 20 marks

Good discussion 20- Average discussion 16-8 Poor discussion 7-0

on 5 tools or 17 on some (4 to 3) on Few (< 3) tools
ways of tools or ways of or ways of
monitoring monitoring monitoring
enhancing enhancing enhancing
performance. performance. performance.

Discuss five tools or ways of tuning to optimise performance of a database. 20 marks

Good discussion 20 - Average discussion 16-8 Poor discussion 7-0

on 5 ways of 17 on Some (4-3) ways on Few (< 3) ways
tuning to of tuning to optimise of tuning to
optimise performance. optimise
performance. performance.

Discuss two tools (or ways) of taking backups. 10 marks

Good discussion 10-7 Average discussion 6-4 Poor discussion 3-0

on 2 tools (or on 2 tools (or ways) on 2 tools (or
ways) of taking of taking backups. ways) of taking
backups. backups.

Discuss two different types of backups and in-depth details of two 10 marks
different types of database files and the reason for taking such backups

2 different types 10 2 different types of 9-5 2 different types 4-0

of backups + two backups + two of backups + two
different types of different types of different types of
database backup database backup database backup
files and the files and the reason files and the
reason for taking for taking such reason for taking
such backups backups somewhat such backups
discussed in discussed. poorly discussed
depth.

Total marks for the technical content 80 marks

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 COMP.7217 Assignment S1 2020

References (APA style)

At the end of your report, a reference list (sorted in alphabetical order of the author name) is
expected. You may contact the learning advisor for more information on APA referencing. You may
download APA 6th Guide (pdf) from the library.

Suggested sources of Information;

Anderson, M., Fox, J., & Bolton, C. (2010). Microsoft SQL server 2008 administration for Oracle DBAs:
Mc Graw Hill.

DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/dbadmin/downloads/dbarolesandresponsibilities.pdf

Data Quality Services (2013). Retrieved from

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff877925(SQL.110).aspx

Petkovic, D. A (2008). Microsoft SQL server 2008 : A beginner’s guide : : Mc Graw Hill.

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