Stephen, whether he liked it or not, was, in effect, the DBA for the system. After all, there was nobody else in that role. That applies to anyone else in that situation.
In that situation he needed to acquire the two essentials. No, not what you're thinking, definitely not those.
1. The required level of paranoia. (Extreme)
2. Detailed knowledge of what he's doing.
Note the order.
The database is the equivalent of all the paper records the business might have had otherwise. Operating on it is the equivalent of opening all the filing cabinet drawers and peering into them with a lighted candle in one hand and a jug of petrol in the other.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
