Data Integrity, AI Governance and Multi-Platform Database Management Drive the Shifts Expanding DBA’s Responsibilities.
ALISO VIEJO, CA – March 11, 2025 – Quest Software, a global leader in data, cybersecurity, and migration software, today released a groundbreaking report on the evolving database management landscape. The report, The Database Management Market Landscape and the Evolving DBA*, highlights the challenges facing DBAs as they take on broader, more strategic roles while managing increasing demands around data integrity, AI, and security.
The study shows that managing databases is growing more complex, pushing organizations to reassess how they equip DBAs to support key business initiatives. Ensuring data integrity is crucial for migration, integration, and observability, which directly enhances database efficiency and security.
“Modern database management plays a critical role in an organization’s digital transformation,” said Bharath Vasudevan, VP of Product Management at Quest Software. In the past, DBAs’ responsibilities involved depth within a single database environment. Today, DBAs must also balance operational challenges with strategic data initiatives around the data and AI lifecycle. Businesses must invest in the right tools and processes to ensure they can manage the entire database ecosystem, consisting of multi-platform environments, data security considerations, and AI-driven applications.”
Key Findings from the Report:
- Data Integrity Challenges: 35% of organizations cite data integration as a top challenge. Additionally, 42% of organizations report that data migrations are a significant obstacle to overcome, with complications in ensuring database reliability and performance.
- Multi-Platform Complexity: 93% of companies use multiple database platforms, leading to increased costs, security risks and potential operational inefficiencies.
- AI Governance Issues: 52% of organizations have yet to fully develop or implement AI governance policies.
The DBA Role Is Expanding – Along with Concerns About AI:
The findings highlight a growing divide: DBAs are expected to take on more strategic roles, but many are still bogged down by integration challenges, and the uncertainty of AI’s impact on their jobs.
As the role of DBAs evolves, organizations that fail to modernize their database management strategy could face higher security risks, slower AI adoption, and operational inefficiencies. With data breaches and AI-powered cyberattacks increasing, IT and security leaders must be proactive about database governance and security.
Investing in data integrity, observability, AI governance, and automation is essential for building scalable, secure, and high-performing databases. These investments also help close the growing skills gap and boost DBA’s productivity
Findings show:
- 61% of extremely confident DBAs worry that AI and automation could make their roles obsolete.
- 40% of DBAs weren’t originally hired for the role, reflecting a growing skills gap in database management and the need for ongoing training and upskilling programs.
- 32% of companies see observability tools as critical in transitioning DBAs from reactive maintenance to proactive, strategic data management.
To explore the full insights and recommendations, download the complimentary report, The Database Management Market Landscape and the Evolving DBA, and join Quest’s team of experts in a webinar, The State of the Database Market: Mastering Multi-Platform Environments, where they will review the report’s findings.
This research is based on a survey of 220 IT and data professionals familiar with their organization’s database tools, policies, and management practices.
*Enterprise Strategy Group Research commissioned by Quest Software, “The Database Management Market Landscape and the Evolving DBA”, January 2025
