Database Administration Training Course

Duration 5 days 10 modules · 33 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Database Administrators, Systems Administrators and others
Fee from USD 1,100 KSh 95,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 9 Nov 2026 Course code SD-DS-050

Before you join: Participants should be comfortable using Windows, working with files and services, and reading basic SQL statements such as SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

SQL Server databases support payment processing, customer records, operational reporting, regulated data retention and business applications. When administration is weak, teams face failed backups, slow queries, uncontrolled access, blocked transactions and recovery uncertainty. Database administrators need disciplined procedures for installation, security, maintenance, monitoring and incident response, not just knowledge of Transact-SQL commands.

This course develops the practical skills required to administer Microsoft SQL Server instances and databases. Participants configure server components, create and secure databases, manage storage, plan backups, perform restores, monitor performance, investigate blocking and deadlocks, automate routine work and prepare for high-availability and disaster-recovery requirements. The course also addresses SQL Server Agent, Database Mail, maintenance plans, index maintenance, statistics and capacity planning.

Teaching combines focused technical briefings with guided configuration tasks, operational case work and troubleshooting scenarios based on business systems such as banking transaction platforms, public-sector case-management services and corporate reporting databases. Participants work through administration decisions using SQL Server Management Studio and documented operating procedures. They leave with a reusable SQL Server administration pack containing maintenance, backup, recovery, security and monitoring artefacts that can be adapted for their own environment.

The course suits IT professionals who administer SQL Server databases, support business applications or hold responsibility for database availability, security and recoverability. It is particularly relevant for teams moving from informal database support towards documented, repeatable administration controls.

What you will be able to do

  • Configure SQL Server instances, databases, storage settings and service accounts
  • Implement role-based access control using logins, users, roles and permissions
  • Create backup and restore strategies using recovery models and recovery objectives
  • Investigate SQL Server performance issues using waits, execution plans and DMVs
  • Schedule repeatable administration tasks with SQL Server Agent jobs and alerts
  • Diagnose blocking, deadlocks and transaction log growth using documented methods
  • Prepare high-availability and disaster-recovery options against defined service requirements
  • Produce a SQL Server operational administration plan with monitoring and escalation controls

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Apply documented backup and restore procedures with greater operational confidence
  • Diagnose common SQL Server incidents using evidence from logs, waits and DMVs
  • Build credible maintenance schedules for production database estates
  • Make security decisions using SQL Server principals, roles and permission models
  • Contribute practical recovery and availability recommendations to service planning

For your organisation

  • Reduces recovery uncertainty through tested backup, restore and recovery-model procedures
  • Improves database service availability through monitoring, alerting and maintenance controls
  • Limits inappropriate data access through role-based security and permission reviews
  • Shortens incident investigation through consistent diagnostic queries and escalation records
  • Supports audit readiness with documented database administration responsibilities and evidence

Course modules

10 modules over 5 days

Participants can identify SQL Server components and apply core administration responsibilities.

  • SQL Server Database Engine architecture, services and instance-level configuration
  • System databases master, model, msdb and tempdb administration responsibilities
  • Authentication modes, service accounts and SQL Server service startup
  • SQL Server Management Studio navigation, registered servers and server properties
  • Configuration Manager use for protocols, ports and service control
  • Collation choices, database compatibility levels and contained database implications

Participants can create databases and manage files, filegroups and storage growth.

  • CREATE DATABASE options for data files, log files and filegroups
  • Primary filegroups, secondary filegroups and proportional fill behaviour
  • Autogrowth settings sized to avoid frequent virtual log file creation
  • File placement decisions using storage tiers and input-output patterns
  • Manage database properties, ownership, compatibility and recovery model settings
  • Capacity forecasts based on database growth, transaction volume and retention

Participants can administer SQL Server access using least-privilege security controls.

  • Server logins, database users and authentication scope relationships
  • Fixed server roles and fixed database roles risk assessment
  • GRANT, DENY and REVOKE permissions applied through role membership
  • Schema ownership and ownership chaining effects on permission checks
  • Least-privilege access design for application, reporting and support accounts
  • SQL Server Audit specifications for privileged actions and sensitive data access

Participants can plan and perform SQL Server backup and recovery operations.

  • Simple, full and bulk-logged recovery models matched to recovery needs
  • Full, differential, transaction log and copy-only backup purposes
  • Backup chain validation using recovery history and RESTORE HEADERONLY
  • Restore sequences for point-in-time recovery after transaction loss
  • Tail-log backups used before restoring damaged full recovery databases
  • Recovery time and recovery point objectives translated into backup schedules

Participants can schedule maintenance tasks that protect database integrity and performance.

  • DBCC CHECKDB scheduling based on database size and service windows
  • Index reorganise and rebuild choices using fragmentation thresholds
  • Statistics update strategies for changing data distribution and cardinality
  • SQL Server Agent jobs, schedules, operators and job-step outcomes
  • Maintenance plans assessed against custom Transact-SQL administration jobs
  • Database Mail configuration for job failures and operational notifications

Participants can identify SQL Server performance bottlenecks using structured diagnostic evidence.

  • Baseline metrics for CPU, memory, latency, throughput and connection counts
  • Dynamic Management Views used to inspect active requests and waits
  • Wait statistics interpretation for common SQL Server resource bottlenecks
  • Actual execution plans reveal scans, joins, spills and estimates
  • Query Store captures plan history, regressions and forced plans
  • PerfMon counters correlated with SQL Server workload symptoms

Participants can resolve blocking and transaction log issues while protecting data consistency.

  • Transaction isolation levels and their effects on concurrent data access
  • Blocking chains identified through sessions, locks and request details
  • Deadlock graphs analysed to identify conflicting resources and statements
  • Extended Events sessions capture deadlocks, errors and long-running queries
  • Transaction log reuse waits explain unexpected log file growth
  • Snapshot isolation and read committed snapshot trade-offs for workloads

Participants can compare SQL Server continuity options against service recovery requirements.

  • Availability Groups architecture, replicas, listeners and failover modes
  • Failover Cluster Instances compared with Availability Groups responsibilities
  • Log shipping configuration for delayed secondary database recovery
  • Backup restore recovery plans for lower-cost disaster recovery arrangements
  • Recovery objectives mapped to availability, data loss and operational costs
  • Failover runbooks define authority, communication, validation and rollback steps

Participants can establish monitoring and escalation controls for SQL Server services.

  • SQL Server error logs reviewed for startup, backup and security events
  • Agent alerts configured for severity errors, job failures and thresholds
  • Health check routines cover space, backups, jobs, integrity and availability
  • Service-level indicators defined for uptime, restore success and performance
  • Escalation matrices assign incident ownership, evidence requirements and response times
  • Operational runbooks document routine checks, interventions and closure records

Participants can create a practical SQL Server administration plan for their service environment.

  • Administration ownership matrix covering database, infrastructure and application responsibilities
  • Change control records for schema changes, patches and configuration amendments
  • Patch management planning considers testing, rollback and maintenance windows
  • Configuration baselines document instance settings, security and database standards
  • Recovery test evidence records timing, exceptions, actions and sign-off
  • Ninety-day administration plan prioritises risks, controls and stakeholder actions

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. SQL Server backup and restore runbook template
  2. Database maintenance schedule template
  3. Role-based access control matrix
  4. Performance diagnostic query pack
  5. Database health check checklist
  6. Ninety-day SQL Server administration plan

Who should attend

  • Database Administrators — need repeatable methods for SQL Server operations and incident response
  • Systems Administrators — support SQL Server hosts, services, storage and scheduled maintenance
  • Application Support Analysts — diagnose database failures affecting business applications
  • Data Engineers — manage operational SQL Server databases supporting data pipelines
  • IT Operations Engineers — monitor availability, capacity, alerts and recovery procedures
  • Technical Team Leaders — oversee database controls, service continuity and support standards

Skills and tools covered

SQL Server administrationBackup and recoveryDatabase securityPerformance tuningOperational monitoringDisaster recovery planning

Tools and standards

Microsoft SQL Server, SQL Server Management Studio, SQL Server Agent, Extended Events

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short instructor briefings followed by guided work in SQL Server Management Studio. Participants analyse realistic incidents involving failed backups, permission errors, blocking sessions, storage pressure and slow queries. Group discussions compare administration choices against recovery objectives, security requirements and service commitments. Troubleshooting simulations develop an evidence-led approach using error logs, Dynamic Management Views and execution plans. Each participant completes application planning for a SQL Server estate, identifying procedures, schedules, monitoring thresholds and escalation actions.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should be comfortable using Windows, working with files and services, and reading basic SQL statements such as SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE. Prior exposure to SQL Server Management Studio or another relational database platform is useful. Participants should understand basic relational concepts including tables, indexes, keys and transactions. Previous database administration experience is not required, but the course moves beyond introductory SQL querying. Programming expertise, advanced Transact-SQL development, PowerShell scripting and prior high-availability configuration are not required.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

You should understand basic relational database concepts and be able to read simple SQL statements. Prior SQL Server administration experience is useful but not essential; advanced programming and PowerShell skills are not expected.

Bring a laptop if your delivery arrangement requires one, plus notes on any SQL Server responsibilities or recurring issues you handle. Training environments and course materials are provided for the technical work.

It is designed for database administrators, systems administrators, application support analysts and IT operations staff supporting Microsoft SQL Server. It also suits technical leads responsible for database availability, security and recovery controls.

This course focuses on operating SQL Server instances and databases rather than writing application queries or designing data models. It covers backups, recovery, security, maintenance, monitoring, performance diagnosis and continuity planning.

Participants can use the runbooks, checklists, diagnostic queries and planning templates to improve existing SQL Server procedures. The course methods apply to production databases supporting business applications, reporting platforms and internal services.

Each day runs from 08:30 to 16:30, with about 6.5 contact hours. Time is divided between instructor briefings, guided technical work, incident-based analysis, group discussion and administration planning.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com