INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY: SOFTWARE

Based on insights from more than 1,000 IT professionals split between DBAs and IT executives, the report shows that rising data complexity, expanding environments and increasing privacy demands have made the DBA role both indispensable and overextended. As a result, one in three DBAs is considering a career move. Yet with unified tools, continuous training and better alignment, organizations can shift DBAs from constant firefighting to meaningful value-driven work that advances business goals.

In 2025, DBAs manage far more than Oracle and SQL Server though 81 % still oversee these platforms. Their responsibilities now extend across diverse data technologies powering analytics, AI and modern applications as well as multiple deployment environments: 57 % on-premises, 31 % public cloud and 12 % private cloud.

This expanded ecosystem magnifies operational risk and increases the consequences of misalignment between DBAs and IT leadership.

Firefighting remains the defining challenge. DBAs spend 27 of their 40 weekly hours reacting to incidents, leaving limited time for long-term planning or optimization. Seventy-five percent report alert fatigue and nearly half of those affected describe the intensity as“ great” or“ severe”. tools 62 % say AI improves the speed of diagnosing performance issues, 60 % cite more reliable execution of routine tasks, 54 % have cut time spent on manual work and 53 % say AI allows greater focus on high-impact priorities. These benefits demonstrate AI’ s potential to reduce burnout and improve alignment between operational teams and business strategy.

However, adoption challenges persist. DBAs are more likely than executives to report that AI introduces new oversight requirements, misaligned workflows or usability issues tied to poor data quality. Many also note gaps in data governance and unclear ownership which limit AI effectiveness.

Without addressing these foundational issues, organizations risk compounding the very complexity AI is meant to solve.

The report outlines a path forward: reduce complexity, strengthen communication between DBAs and executives and equip teams with unified platforms and continuous training. With these components, the DBA function can evolve from reactive support to a strategic partner capable of driving innovation, resilience and business growth. Organizations that move quickly will gain a competitive advantage in managing data-driven operations.

“ As enterprise architectures grow more complex, the DBA role becomes increasingly difficult especially when paired with persistent misalignment between DBAs and IT executives,” said Kevin Kline, Database Management Systems Expert at SolarWinds.

The constant influx of notifications obscures real issues, slows response times and drives dissatisfaction. The report stresses the need for leaders to adopt innovative consolidated tooling that reduces noise, controls costs and supports proactive management instead of constant reactivity.

AI is emerging as a powerful force multiplier for the DBA role. Among DBAs already using AI-enabled

“ Success requires a culture that eliminates unnecessary complexity and champions collaboration – enabling DBAs to deliver meaningful impact.”

Ultimately, the report underscores that empowering DBAs with the right tools, governance and support not only improves retention but also strengthens organizational performance in an increasingly datacentric world today. p

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