How do you validate your database solutions online?

Working in Production DB enviroment and certification knowledge are a bit different , as we need to have a right selection of activities to keep production database alive all the time. Certifications are good enough to get basic DB knowledge regarding DB tunning , Query optimizations , and failover management but experience in production enviroment for DB is highly preferred than certifications.

To provide any database solution , It’s mandate to understand the requirements and the need deeply. Choosing the most suitable platform depends on factors such as the nature of the database, its size, and the required level of complexity. Tailoring the choice to these aspects ensures a more efficient and effective validation of database solutions, ultimately contributing to better data management and decision-making processes.

For any database solution below should be taken into consideration: 1. Availability and Fault Tolerance: NoSQL databases provides inherent fault tolerance but if someone is using relational databases then implementation like active-active with FSFO is recommended. 2. Scale: Scalability of DB solution should be during design phase only. Thinking of scalability afterwards is like making a washroom after house is made. 3. Performance: Need to have predefined SLA's and SLO's. 4. Security: Solution needs to be robust against unwanted users. 6. Maintenance: Solution should be easy to maintain (likes to upgrades and monthly releases) 7. Use of telemetry and runbooks: One can harness power of telemetry to have proper alerts where oncall can triage

Ideally we may validate using a 2 or 3 phase development approach. We have to have build and maintain a test environment, a pre-prod and a production environment. They have to be close as possible from each other in terms of configuration, design and data. Each change we apply first on test, validate for some days, then apply same changes on pre-prod and so on until we deliver them in production.

- Use online database solutions from known and authorized sites only - Check the product manufacturer websites for valid solutions - Do not implement untrusted solutions without validation and testing - Use sandboxes to test the solutions before applying them to the live server

Most important thing is to keep in mind is that learning any database takes some amount of time so don't rush into things.Take some time to understand for what specific usecase this database was designed and what is the core functionality of this database.Then for most of the databases do join there university/classes so that you can start learning and in parallel try to do some kind of practical so that you can easily test your learned concepts.

While a new wave of cloud based data platforms have recently emerged they do share some similar concepts to on premises systems. It’s easy to get confused by the marketing buzzwords and hype surrounding the cloud, and while some certain features are true innovations many are a evolution of what went before. Therefore it makes sense to aim to leverage those existing skills and experience you have spent time and effort building for the latest data platforms. Whilst training and certifications are important there is absolutely no substitute for real world hands on experience. Look for development opportunities when you can get hands on with new technologies to help solidify your understanding of new concepts.

Online courses or videos available in several platforms are good to get the knowledge of databases but working in a practice machine and working in a real time environment doesn't have any match they are totally different.

Diving into online database courses is a surefire career upgrade. You go from theory to practice, with mentorships that make a difference. Practical challenges, such as projects and quizzes, elevate your skills to another level. Platforms like Coursera and DataCamp guide you through a personalized journey.

Enroll in online courses from platforms like Coursera, Udemy, or LinkedIn Learning that specialize in database management and optimization. These courses often provide practical projects that can help you apply best practices and receive feedback.

One of the important place to learn any particular database is its online community like for Oracle we have OTN and similarly we have stackoverflow for multiple technologies.Try to put some time everyday to look into problem faced by other tech people by either understanding there problem statement and if you are able to assist them do reply.It will take some time before you become an active contributor in this forum so take your time.

My own Mastering Snowflake program not only provides real world hands on examples along with certification guidance and advice it also has a members only community. This is important as everyone has their own unique experiences they can bring to the table. The community is a core tenant of our program and creates a sense of belonging as everyone is on the journey together. Making connections and working together- even virtually - creates a strong motivation to continue to learn.

Join forums such as Stack Overflow, the Database Administrators Stack Exchange, or specialized LinkedIn groups. These communities can provide peer reviews and expert advice on your database solutions and design patterns.

There are many tools available these days to validate your database solution but it is better to get a better understanding of databases so that you can understand in granularity those test release.I can understand sometime due to fast project cycle we have less time to understand granularity so better try to understand Application flow to database and what all component come into picture so that you can tweek this parameters accordingly.

To allow you data products to scale without adding people you need to leverage automation. Automation around testing is a huge unlock for many data teams. And, thankfully, many tools such as dbt for example can not only apply transformations to your data but can also automatically run generic out of the box tests as well as more advanced custom tests. If you are a data engineer then getting this early feedback on new code produced before it reaches production helps reduce the risk of errors and downtime for your production environment.

Use tools such as SQLTest or HammerDB for stress testing your databases. These tools can simulate workloads to see how your database performs under various conditions and help you identify potential bottlenecks.

Certifications are important but for me they underline your commercial experience of using a product in the real world. When interviewing candidates I’d always look for real world implementation experience through specific question rather than anything certification related. Certification is merely a bonus in these scenarios. Certification worth out real world experience is average at best. Real world experience without certification is good. Real world experience with certification is even better.

Certification is one of the major accreditation given by any Database solution provider and most of them now a days provide free certification coupons so you can easily sit for those exam and test your learnings and knowledge.Most important point to keep in mind is that even though you are not able to clear certification in first attempt don't loose hope as sometime it may require multiple attempt.Also keep on upgrading your certification with all latest version which has been released by particular database provider.

It’s not possible to have all scenarios in real time experience with available database systems in their respective environments, I would say certification will give you more insightful information on various topics and helpful for us to make use of it for our database management and requirements. Latest Certification will keep you updated and confident in our respective database technologies…

Certification only indicates that you're familiar with the technology , although it doesn't show how much hands-on experience you've in the technology, organisations always recruit resources only the basis of their hands on experience in a real time environment not on the basis of their certification.

Pursuing certifications from recognized institutions like Oracle, Microsoft, or MongoDB can not only validate your skills but also ensure you are up-to-date with the latest best practices and technologies in database management.

Documentation and Best Practices: Ensure your database solutions are well-documented and follow industry best practices. Documentation helps in auditing and validating your solutions against compliance and security standards. Regular Audits and Updates: Conduct regular audits of your database setups and apply updates to software and hardware to maintain performance and security. Peer Reviews: Have your database designs and architectures reviewed by peers or through consultancy services to ensure optimal design and performance.

I agree with Adam Mortan, but there is only one small fact and it is when you wants to jump on next level you need the support of accredited certifications, and when you carry on to smoothen your runings, you need a help from practical knowledge person. I know many people will oppose my way of thinking but its fact of life. Best of Luck and have a good day