Re: DBA Certification?

I don't have certification yet, but plan on it in the future. From the employers side it provides additional evidence/proof of a certain degree of skill via an independent source (not the person you are hiring or their 'friends' ie 'references').

From another side, it is just part of an ongong trend in the software industry as a whole. One hundred years ago the exact same types of arguments were voiced when it was proposed that 'engineers' or 'architects' get certified or licensed. Of course, once the process began there was a sudden decrease in catastrophic failures leading to industrial injuries and deaths (industrial boilers are the classic example here I believe) , and a more predictable level of consistency between products/services by different providers since everyone built to a basic level of standards.

Now that software is replacing/controlling hardware in so many activities and equipment, there is an increasing need to ensure that the software 'engineers', 'dbas', etc have a min level of skill. This not only protects the company in the obvious manner, but also gives them a better footing in court should there be a liability question (remember the Therac x-ray machine software bug fiasco of the '80s).

Consider, if you were on a jury, would you give more credance to an" expert's testimony" if he were (a) a self proclaimed expert which his friends & employer says 'knows his stuff' , or (2) a board certified and licensed physician?

Colin Polykett <polyketc_at_bibip1.spam.wgw.bt.co.uk> wrote in article <330D5985.5966_at_bibip1.spam.wgw.bt.co.uk>...

> Joseph Testa wrote: