Which of the following is a task NOT typically associated with traditional database administration?

The task of configuring hardware is not typically associated with traditional database administration. Database administrators primarily focus on managing the software elements of a database system, such as ensuring its performance, security, backups, and integrity. Their responsibilities also involve tasks like growing and shrinking databases, patching software, and loading data, which relate closely to the management of the database itself and the data it contains.

In contrast, configuring hardware falls more into the realm of system administrators or IT infrastructure professionals, who handle the physical components and specifications of the systems that run the database software. Their expertise is crucial for optimizing the environment in which databases operate, but this is separate from the direct responsibilities of database administration, which center around the software and data management aspects.