DBADM - Database Administrator Authority

Enhanced Definition

`DBADM` (Database Administrator authority) is a powerful authorization level within **DB2 for z/OS** that grants extensive control over a *specific* database and all its objects. It allows an authorized user to perform most administrative tasks, including data definition, utility execution, and granting/revoking privileges, but only within the scope of the assigned database.

Key Characteristics

- Database-Specific Scope: DBADM authority is granted for a single, designated database, not across the entire DB2 subsystem.
- Comprehensive Privileges: Includes the ability to create, alter, and drop tables, indexes, views, stored procedures, and triggers within the assigned database.
- Privilege Management: Allows the DBADM to grant and revoke most privileges on objects within their assigned database to other authorization IDs.
- Utility Execution: Typically includes the authority to run most DB2 utilities (e.g., REORG, COPY, RUNSTATS) against objects in their database.
- Implicit Ownership: An AUTHID with DBADM effectively "owns" the database and its contents, providing full control over its structure and access.
- Hierarchy: While powerful, DBADM is subordinate to SYSADM (System Administrator) authority, which has control over the entire DB2 subsystem.

Use Cases

- Application-Specific Database Management: A development team lead or application support specialist managing the schema and data access for a dedicated application database.
- Delegated Administration: Offloading administrative tasks for a particular database from SYSADM to a more specialized role without granting full system-wide control.
- Database Development and Testing: Granting developers full control over their test or development databases to create, modify, and drop objects as needed during the development lifecycle.
- Vendor Application Support: Providing a vendor or third-party support team with the necessary authority to manage their specific application's database without impacting other DB2 resources.

Related Concepts

DBADM is a crucial authorization level within DB2 for z/OS's security model. It sits below SYSADM, which has ultimate control over the entire DB2 subsystem, and SYSCTRL, which has system-wide operational control. DBADM is more powerful than DBCTRL (Database Control), which focuses more on data manipulation and utility execution but lacks the data definition capabilities of DBADM. An AUTHID granted DBADM implicitly holds many individual object privileges (e.g., CREATETAB, ALTER) for the objects within its assigned database.

Best Practices:

Principle of Least Privilege: Grant DBADM only when truly necessary. If more granular control is sufficient (e.g., CREATETAB on a specific schema), prefer that.
Scope Limitation: Ensure the DBADM authority is granted only for the specific database(s) an AUTHID needs to manage, avoiding accidental or unnecessary broad access.
Regular Auditing: Periodically review which AUTHIDs have DBADM authority and for which databases to ensure compliance and identify potential security risks.
Separation of Duties: Avoid granting DBADM to the same AUTHID that holds SYSADM or SECADM to maintain a clear separation of responsibilities and reduce the risk of unauthorized changes.
Documentation: Maintain clear documentation of all DBADM grants, including the AUTHID, the database, the reason for the grant, and the approval process.