The primary role of a database administrator (DBA) is to manage and maintain database systems, ensuring their integrity, security, and availability. DBAs are responsible for tasks such as configuring databases, monitoring performance, and implementing backup and recovery procedures. They also work on optimizing queries and addressing any issues that arise, ensuring that users can access data efficiently. Additionally, DBAs play a key role in data modeling and implementing security protocols, thus safeguarding sensitive information from unauthorized access or breaches.