Yes, I know they administrate databases.

I asked this question because I'd like to get a further insight into the kind of day-to-day duties a DBA might perform, and the real-world business problems they solve.

For example:

• I optimized a 'products' query so that it ran 25% faster, which made the overall application faster.

Is this a typical duty? Or is there more to being a DBA than simply making things faster?

In what situations does DBA work involve planning and creativity?