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Re: Advice for newbie getting into DBA admin.

From: Howard J. Rogers <howardjr_at_www.com>
Date: 2000/06/22
Message-ID: <39521898@news.iprimus.com.au>#1/1

"StygianAxeMan" <mnjg_at_netscape.net> wrote in message news:8is6fk$ci8$1_at_nnrp1.deja.com...
> Howard,
> I'm curious to know where you teach? I'm interested in enrolling into a
> tech training course that offers an Oracle DBA track...I have no prior
> experience with Oracle or working in Unix or NT for that matter. Any
> thoughts you would like to share.
>

Hi Manny,

I work for Oracle in Sydney, Australia. I do training in the DBA stream all over Australia. There's a few of us who do the same (others do other streams, such as Applications, Tools and so on). I'd recommend the Oracle training courses (on the grounds that they can be really useful, are the basis for the OCP exams, and at least give you a decent framework for subsequent self-study), but I have to admit that they are hideously expensive. I also happen to think that sitting for 5 days in a training room is a fantastic demonstration of the laws of diminishing returns... it's too long, I think.

This sounds facetious, but it's not meant to be: get yourself employed by someone who will pay for you to do the courses. I genuinely believe them to be a short-cut to learning Oracle effectively. I just wouldn't want to part with my *own* hard-earned cash for them!

I come from background where on first reading, most manuals mean sod all to me. But once someone has outlined the essentials, suddenly it all makes sense -that's what the courses can do for you. Plus you get to spend a week with other people with a huge range of experience, from zero to considerable in DB administration. I've seen people blossom, not from anything I've taught them, but just from having someone with some experience to bounce ideas off.

The OCP exams are (at least in Australia) a blank cheque: you basically write your own salary after getting it. It's well worth striving for. The DBA track for OCP requires you to pass exams in SQL, DB Administration, Backup and Recovery, Performance Tuning and Network Administration. That's 5 exams in all, about 16 days of training, at A$700 per day... you can do the sums!

I tell you in all candour that I encounter people all the time who have taught themselves from books, and who shouldn't have bothered! It is possible to go down deep dark holes, on your own!

Not very profound thoughts, I'm sure. But hope they help HJR
> Thanks,
> Manny G.
>
> In article <394f4a9d_at_news.iprimus.com.au>,
> "Howard J. Rogers" <howardjr_at_www.com> wrote:
> >
> > <dknite_at_mindspring.com> wrote in message
> > news:8im2hf$3vj$1_at_slb6.atl.mindspring.net...
> > > Hello,
> > >
> > > I have recently decided that I want to become an oracle dba.
> > > I have been in accounting for most of my career and want to make the
 switch
> > > to the tech side. I have worked briefly at by old job doing some
 system
> > > admin. I think that our system was using Oracle 7.03 in top of a
 unix
 box.
> > >
> > > I want to do some study at home to see if I really like this or not.
 Can
> > > anyone suggest which version of oracle to start on Oracle8 or Oracle
 8i
 and
> > > what version of unix I should use. I know that there are about 6
 flavors
 of
> > > unix out there. I want to set up my own database at home and try
 and
 learn
> > > from there before I spend thousands of smackers going to oracle
 class.
> >
> > I'd suggest 8i, but frankly I think you might be better off with 8i
 Release
> > 2 (better known as 8.1.6). As you describe your situation, I think it
> > possibly short-sighted to begin by learning a version of the product
 that is
> > already one behind the eight ball. Forget 8 completely.
> >
> > As for UNix, well... it's up to you. I have to tell you that a year
 ago,
> > about 75 to 80 per cent of my classes would be Unix users of one
 variety or
> > another. These days, the percentages are far more nearly 50:50
 Unix/NT.
> > And NT is a doddle to set up at home. Horses for courses, though, and
 if
> > you are already comfortable with Unix, fair enough. There are lots of
 Linux
> > people out there doing it at home (an arrestable offence, I suspect),
 and
> > Solaris is popular on the courses I run, too.
> >
> > Regards
> > HJR
> >
> > >
> > > Most appreciated
> > > David
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>
> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.
Received on Thu Jun 22 2000 - 00:00:00 CDT

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