Distinguish data administration from database administration.

Answer

Data administration is a strategic/organizational function — enterprise data policies, standards, planning, conflict resolution, and managing the metadata repository (best filled by a senior business manager). Database administration is a technical/operational function — physical design, performance tuning, security, backup/recovery, and availability. The DBA implements what data administration defines.

Rule of thumb: policy/planning/conflicts/metadata → data administration; anything physical and operational → database administration.