Bad Standards: #5--"None Shall Pass"
For just about every standard you can think of, I can think of an exception. A good standard should be put in place not to be a rigid bottleneck to productivity. Instead, a good standard is there because it works well most of the time in terms of delivering superior service, availability, or functionality. But sometimes, diverting from that standard can make sense, too. The key is for DBAs to keep an open mind and to be reasonable.
Of course, I do not mean to suggest that developers should be allowed to thwart the written standards of the organization whenever they see fit. Instead, all parties involved should be reasonable and have a valid, business reason for failing to enforce a standard.
When going against a standard makes more sense than enforcing it, let's all agree that it is wiser to make an exception. After all, our standards are supposed to be there to make sure we do the right thing. And they normally do... except when they don't.
© 2005, Craig S. Mullins
