Targeting Oracle 10g DBA Certifications

What is Oracle certification? How many Oracle credentials are available? Which credential to choose in order to start the certification path? These are some of the questions that may be striking your mind.

This article will provide you sufficient insight to all the certification programs offered by Oracle on the 10g technology. We will also try to explain the various job roles and the strategies to be adopted while preparing for these certification exams.

Certification paths

Here’s a description of the three levels of certification paths:

Oracle 10g OCA: The Oracle 10g OCA is the first step in the Oracle database 10g certification track. It is the stepping-stone in the Oracle 10g certification path. The demand for a highly skilled DBA is on the rise, and OCA credential is a great way to get started. It is an entrance level credential and makes the foundational skills robust to manage important database administration and configuration functions. To become an OCA on Oracle 10g, you will have to pass the 1Z0-042 exam.

Oracle 10g OCP: The Oracle 10g OCP is the next step towards expertise on Oracle Database. OCP is meant for serious database professionals who have experience in managing and maintaining database. Once you become an OCP, you will be considered as a highly skilled database professional. The prerequisite for this certification is the OCA DBA 10g certification. You have to take just on exam (1Z0-043) to get the OCP DBA status on Oracle 10g. To become an OCP, you are also required to fill a Hands-On-Course form. The form is available at any registered Oracle study center.

Oracle 10g OCM: The Oracle 10g OCM is the final destination of 10g credentials for all 10g aspirants. It is one of the most advanced Oracle 10g administrative credential. Once you get an OCM credential, you will be considered as a well-versed professional, who has dealt with complex areas such as installation, troubleshooting, backup, recovery, and tuning a database.

Special Accreditation

In the middle of 10g DBA certification path, you can also earn a special accreditation that will give you a formal recognition of proficiency in all advanced areas related to database administration.

Prerequisite for OCM

The pre-requisite to have OCM level of credential are as follows:

  • Oracle Database 10g DBA OCP.
  • An exhaustive two-advanced Hands-On-Course requirement.

Upgrade exams
The upgrade exams that Oracle offers for the DBA track are as follows:

  • 1z0-040: It upgrades the 9i DBA OCPs to 10g
  • 1z0-045: It upgrades the 8i OCPs to 10g

Job roles for Oracle 10g professionals

Each level of Oracle 10g DBA credential offers a firm foundation in fundamental administrative tasks and provides the essential knowledge and skills to set up, maintain, and troubleshoot an Oracle 10g database.

Exam particulars

The number of questions that you will get in the exam varies from 80 to 90. The time allotted to complete the test is 120 minutes. The cost of an exam is $125 approx. The minimum percentage of marks (passing percentage) that will get you the credential is approximately 68%.

Note: Oracle reserves the right to change the minimum requirements without any prior notice.

Preparation tips

Now the most brain churning, unanswered question. How to prepare? Firstly, you should visit the Oracle learning Web site and have a look on the paper objectives for which you made your mind to attempt. Choose a nicely written study guide. Understand all the concepts and technologies for a particular paper. Hands-On practice will certainly help you while preparing for the exam. It will also develop your career as a professional. You should focus on the major concepts and technologies such as backup and recovery.

We also suggest you to have a quality practice test available on the Web. They provide you the actual exam environment and can give you a feel of taking the Oracle certification exam.

If you follow the guidelines and the tips provided, we guarantee that you will walk out of the examination hall with one more credential added to your profile. Wish you best of luck!