[skullone]

DBAs in orgs who resource their data teams indeed do constant validation of recovery. I know many DBAs who are in more demand than ever due to the rise of managed databases. If you don't need a DBA, you aren't at a scale or maturity just yet. That you're so dismissive of this role, I have to dismiss your entire opinion because you simply don't grasp the scale of large databases

[drdexebtjl]

>constant validation of recovery

So the same thing I said we do, a periodic validation of recovery, but with an acceptably short period.

SWEs can do that too. They can even write software to do most of it automatically.

They went through systems design interviews to ensure they know how to scale without picking technology choices that require a dedicated human caretaker.

It’s the opposite. Needing a DBA to operate a completely managed database is a sign of not enough maturity.

[skullone]

DBAs write software to do this too. You think DBAs are just clicking around in some gui? Hate to break it to you, but every field has done leaps and bounds over the decades too. SWEs can certainly "learn the trade" as a DBA can "learn to code" their own tooling as well, but you realize people specialize, there's fields of practice and domain experts. One of the greatest inventions is the division of labor and specialization.