Oracle Training for Sybase/Microsoft/DB2 Database Administrators

Introduction

The Oracle Certification Program (OCP) Program was developed by Oracle to recognize technical professional who can demonstrate the depth of knowledge and hands-on skills required to fully support Oracle core products according to a standard of excellence established by Oracle.

To become an Oracle Certified Database Administrator, you must pass four separate tests. Each test will challenge you to apply specific knowledge you have gained through Oracle training, as well as experience you have developed on your job.

You are not required to take any Oracle Education courses before completing the certification tests for your job role track. However, you are likely to find that Instructor-Led Training (ILT) courses, Media-Based Training (MBT) products, and Web-Based Training through Oracle Learning Architecture (OLA)-- included in the Oracle Education comprehensive job role-related curriculum—are excellent resources as you prepare to become an Oracle Certified Database Administrator.

This document has been prepared to outline those courses which are applicable to help existing Sybase/MS/DB2 Database Administrators gain the OCP certification. Considering Sybase/MS/DB2 is an all-together different database architecture, there is a learning curve when migrating from administering a Sybase/MS/DB2 database to an Oracle database. However, both environments are relational database environments, and much of the knowledge gained as a Sybase/MS/DB2 Database Administrator can be leveraged when training for the Oracle Certified Database Administrator tests.

Test 1Introduction to Oracle: SQL and PL/SQL

Certification Test Content

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Recommended Training for Test 1

Selecting Rows
Limiting Selected Rows
Single Row Functions
Displaying Data from Multiple Tables
Group Functions
Subqueries
Specifying Variables at Runtime
Overview of Data Modeling and Database Design
Creating Tables
Oracle Data Dictionary
Manipulating Data
Altering Tables and Constraints
Creating Sequences
Creating Views
Creating Indexes
Controlling User Access
Summary of SQL and SQL*Plus
Overview of PL/SQL
Developing a Simple PL/SQL Block
Interacting with Oracle
Controlling Flow in PL/SQL Blocks
Processing Queries by Using Explicit Cursors
Error Handling
Summary of PL/SQL / Instructor-Led Training (ILT)
Introduction to Oracle: SQL & PL/SQL
Media-Based Training (MBT)
Oracle SQL and SQL*Plus: Basic SELECT Statements
Oracle SQL and SQL*Plus: DML and DDL
PL/SQL Basics
Online Learning Architecture (OLA)
Oracle SQL and SQL*Plus: Basic SELECT Statements
Oracle SQL and SQL*Plus: DML and DDL
PL/SQL Basics

Recommendations for the Sybase/MS/DB2 Database Administrator for Test 1:

If the Sybase/MS/DB2 DBA is a strong T-SQL programmer, the SQL and PL/SQL classes are unnecessary. The language constructs and syntax differences can be learned by using the Oracle Press: PL/SQL Programming book as a reference, and practicing by making packages, procedures, and functions in the database. A Sybase/MS/DB2 DBA who has no prior experience in T-SQL, however, should take the Instructor Led Training course Introduction to SQL and PL/SQL. This will give the Sybase/MS/DB2 DBA a strong foundation for the PL/SQL interface to the Oracle database.

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Test 2Oracle10g: Database Administration

Certification Test Content

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Recommended Training for Test 2

Overview of Oracle10g Architecture
Start up and Shut down an Instance
Create a Database
Accessing and Updating Data
Manage Transaction Concurrency
Manage the Database Structure
Manage Storage Allocation
Manage Rollback Segments
Manage Table and Index Segments
Manage Cluster Segments
Manage Constraints
Manage Users
Manage Resource Usage
Manage Database Access
Manage Roles
Advanced Architecture
SQL Loader / Instructor-Led Training (ILT)
Oracle10g Database Administration
Media-Based Training (MBT)
Oracle10g Database Administration: Architecture
Oracle10g Database Administration: Create Databases
Oracle10g Database Administration: Manage Data
Oracle10g Database Administration: Manage Security
Online Learning Architecture (OLA)
Oracle10g Database Administration: Architecture
Oracle10g Database Administration: Create Databases
Oracle10g Database Administration: Manage Data
Oracle10g Database Administration: Manage Security

Recommendations for the Sybase/MS/DB2 Database Administrator for Test 2:

The Oracle10g Database Administration Instructor Led Class is probably the most important class for the Sybase/MS/DB2 DBA to attend. This class will help the Sybase/MS/DB2 DBA to begin to understand the architectural differences between Oracle and Sybase/MS/DB2, which will also help the Sybase/MS/DB2 DBA to start thinking in terms of how the Oracle database architecture accomplishes the same tasks they performed with Sybase/MS/DB2.

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Test 3Oracle10g: Backup and Recovery

Certification Test Content

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Recommended Training for Test 3

Backup and Recovery Motives
Review of Oracle10g Architecture
Backup Methods
Recovery Theory
Failure Scenarios
Recovery without Archiving
Enable Archiving
Complete Recovery with Archiving
Minimizing Downtime
Supporting 24-Hour Operations
Incomplete Recovery with Archiving
Logical Backups
Troubleshooting
Standby Database / Instructor-Led Training (ILT)
Oracle10g Backup and Recovery Workshop
Media-Based Training (MBT)
Backup and Recovery: Strategies
Backup and Recovery: Tools and Techniques
Online Learning Architecture (OLA)
Backup and Recovery: Strategies
Backup and Recovery: Tools and Techniques

Recommendations for the Sybase/MS/DB2 Database Administrator for Test 3:

The Oracle10g Backup and Recover Workshop is a very good class, and helps the Sybase/MS/DB2 DBA understand how they architect a backup and recovery strategy with the Oracle database architecture. The last day of this class is entirely hands on workshops, so it is VERY effective.

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Test 4Oracle10g: Performance Tuning Workshop

Certification Test Content

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Recommended Training for Test 4

Tuning Overview
Diagnosing Problems
Database Configuration
Tuning Applications
Tuning the Shared Pool
Tuning the Buffer Cache
Using Oracle Blocks Efficiently
Tuning Rollback Segments
Tuning Redo Mechanisms
Monitoring and Detecting Lock Contention
Tuning Sorts
Tuning for Differing Application Requirements
Optimizing Load / Instructor-Led Training (ILT)
Oracle10g Performance Tuning Workshop
Media-Based Training (MBT)
Oracle10g Performance Tuning: Architecture and Strategy
Oracle10g Performance Tuning: Memory, I/O, and Contention
Online Learning Architecture (OLA)
Oracle10g Performance Tuning: Architecture and Strategy
Oracle10g Performance Tuning: Memory, I/O, and Contention

Recommendations for the Sybase/MS/DB2 Database Administrator for Test 4:

The Oracle10g Performance Tuning Workshop class is too much too soon. The two classes mentioned in the Media-Based Training and/or Online Learning Architecture sections should be taken first. These should be taken AFTER the Database Administrator class, as well. Once the Sybase/MS/DB2 DBA has a firm understanding of the Architecture, Memory, I/O, and Contention courses, the Performance Tuning Workshop will tie everything together and give a strong foundation of performance tuning understanding.