EXPERT RESPONSE
These types of questions are very difficult to answer succinctly in this type of forum, except perhaps the first one. And the answer to that is "very important."
Data is the lifeblood of the modern organization and every company should use DBMS technology to store, retrieve, modify and manage their critical data. Failure to use a DBMS, opens data up to be corrupted or accessed without authorization.
To answer the remainder of your questions, I am going to recommend a couple of books. The first is one that I wrote titled "Database Administration: The Complete Guide to Practices and Procedures" (2002, Addison-Wesley, ISBN: 0201741296). This book provides complete coverage of the role of the DBA and will answer your question about how to maintain and manage a DBMS. It can be ordered at this link.
I would also recommend a good book on the basics of database processing and database management systems. The best book for that is probably Chris Date's "An Introduction to Database Systems (Introduction to Database Systems, 7th Ed)" (2000, Addison-Wesley, ISBN: 0201385902). It can be ordered here.
For some, though, Date's book can be intimidating. If you wish a simpler introduction to database systems try one of these books instead of (or in addition to) Date's book:
Concepts of Database Management, Fourth Edition by Philip J. Pratt, Joseph J. Adamski (2002, Course Technology, ISBN: 0619064625)
Database Processing: Fundamentals, Design, and Implementation, Ninth Edition by David Kroenke (2003, Prentice-Hall, ISBN: 0131015141)
Data and Databases: Concepts in Practice by Joe Celko (1999, Morgan
Kaufmann, ISBN: 1558604324)
Good luck!
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