Roles in Data Management — If Both DA and DBA Exist, What Is the DBA Primarily Responsible For? In organizations that separate Data Administration (DA) and Database Administration (DBA), the DBA is chiefly responsible for which activity?

Introduction / Context:
Many organizations differentiate strategic data roles (DA) from technical implementation roles (DBA). Knowing who owns which responsibility clarifies handoffs from conceptual modeling to physical deployment and ongoing operations.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• A DA function exists for enterprise-level data planning.
• A DBA function exists for technical database implementation and operations.
• We must pick the primary DBA responsibility among the choices.

Concept / Approach:
Data Administration focuses on enterprise data policies, conceptual models, metadata standards, and stewardship. Database Administration focuses on logical/physical database design, indexing strategies, storage layout, security implementation, backup and recovery, and performance tuning. Between the listed items, “database design” (especially physical design) is a core DBA responsibility, whereas DA typically leads “data modeling” and “metadata” stewardship at the enterprise level.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Map DA to conceptual modeling and metadata governance.Map DBA to logical/physical schema design and operations.Identify “database design” as the clearest DBA-owned activity among the options.Select “Database design.”

Verification / Alternative check:
Organizational RACI charts typically show DAs accountable for enterprise models and definitions, and DBAs responsible for implementing those designs in specific DBMS platforms.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Data modeling: Usually led by DA (conceptual/enterprise) though DBAs may contribute.
• Metadata: An enterprise governance artifact typically owned by DA.
• All of the above: Overstates DBA scope in organizations where roles are split.
• Enterprise policies: DA/Chief Data Office remit, not DBA.

Common Pitfalls:
Conflating logical modeling (often DA) with physical design (DBA). In practice, collaboration is close, but ownership differs.

Final Answer:
Database design