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Proper guidance to learn Oracle for a begineer [message #448145] Fri, 19 March 2010 15:14 Go to next message
knw15pwr
Messages: 134
Registered: March 2010
Senior Member
Hello Everyone,

Could you please give me proper guidance to learn oracle. As in, how to start ? which books to refer? how to proceed? etc.
I'd also like to get certified in Oracle somewhere in the next 3 to 4 months.

I am working as a support engineer for Datawarehouse applications using Oracle since 2 years. I can understand SQL and PL-SQL - but I would be more interested to learn them thoroughly. (If you are wondering, I do a good job even though I admit I don't know oracle Embarassed I can read and understand what the code does but im no good at writing a good code by myself)

I have started with reading the 9i complete reference.(I figured i could start with 9i and then move on to later versions Confused )

Please note:
1. I do not want links to guides and dumps. (Dumps are for wimps!)
2. I do not want interview questions or a guide to crack them.

Appreciate all your help.

Thanks,
Ritesh
Re: Proper guidance to learn Oracle for a begineer [message #448147 is a reply to message #448145] Fri, 19 March 2010 15:23 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Michel Cadot
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http://www.orafaq.com/forum/m/382787/102589/

Regards
Michel
Re: Proper guidance to learn Oracle for a begineer [message #448148 is a reply to message #448145] Fri, 19 March 2010 15:25 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Michel Cadot
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http://www.amazon.com/Expert-Oracle-Database-Architecture-Programming/dp/1590595300/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269030287 &sr=8-3

Regards
Michel
Re: Proper guidance to learn Oracle for a begineer [message #448151 is a reply to message #448148] Fri, 19 March 2010 15:35 Go to previous messageGo to next message
knw15pwr
Messages: 134
Registered: March 2010
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Hi Michel,

I think these books are for a more advanced level.
I am just a beginner learning oracle.
Thomas Kyte would be the next step when im going at least at a good pace writing code.

Thanks,
Ritesh
Re: Proper guidance to learn Oracle for a begineer [message #448179 is a reply to message #448151] Sat, 20 March 2010 02:21 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Michel Cadot
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There are not so advanced book but anyway what do you want to learn first?

You have to first know the basics of SQL. Do you know them?
You can start with SQL for Dummies or the many SQL tutorials that exist.

Then if you want to know what is Oracle you have to read Database Concepts (Yes I know you don't want to read guides but without this book you will never be a skilled man in Oracle).

If you want to know PL/SQL you have to read PL/SQL User's Guide and Reference and Application Developer's Guide - Fundamentals (same remark).

And the next steps are Stephane Faroult and Tom Kyte books, they learn you how to correctly write an SQL and Oracle application.

Regards
Michel

[Updated on: Wed, 05 May 2010 10:11]

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Re: Proper guidance to learn Oracle for a begineer [message #448180 is a reply to message #448179] Sat, 20 March 2010 02:44 Go to previous messageGo to next message
knw15pwr
Messages: 134
Registered: March 2010
Senior Member
Thanks Michel !
By Guides - i meant the dumps that people use to crack exams and interviews, which is not my intention to learn oracle.

I have no background about database concepts. So I guess this should be my first step.

On a side note, i got the Complete reference for Oracle 9i. Where does this fit in ? Does it have relevant info about database concepts and SQL? Or should i keep it for after the database concepts ?

Thanks,
Ritesh
Re: Proper guidance to learn Oracle for a begineer [message #448182 is a reply to message #448180] Sat, 20 March 2010 03:06 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Michel Cadot
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I don't know this book but if you want to learn Oracle do not start with an (almost) obsolete version. We are now in 11.2 that is 4 or 5 releases after 9i.
The greatest part of the Oracle databases are in 10gR2 (10.2), so start with these books, then skip 11gR1 (11.1) and directly go to 11gR2 (11.2).

Complete Oracle 10gR2 documentation is at http://www.oracle.com/pls/db102/portal.portal_db?selected=3
Complete Oracle 11gR2 documentation is at http://tahiti.oracle.com/pls/db112/homepage (or http://tahiti.oracle.com/pls/db112/portal.all_books)

Regards
Michel
Re: Proper guidance to learn Oracle for a begineer [message #448185 is a reply to message #448182] Sat, 20 March 2010 06:00 Go to previous messageGo to next message
John Watson
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For exams, do the latest: 11g release 1. I actually disagree (slightly) with Michel on what version to study: most of what you learn with 11.1 is backward compatible with 10g, but there are some big architectural changes with 11g release 2. So if you start with 11.2 you may have problems back-porting your knowledge to 10g.
McGraw-Hill publishes the Oracle Press exam guides for OCA/OCP, browse to http://amazon.co.uk and search for "Oracle 11g exam" and you'll find them. I think they are good - but then I wrote them, so I would (I'm sure a moderator will remove this reply it is too commercial).
The first book is for the SQL exam, which I wrote with a colleague, Roopesh Ramklass; he included a lot of material on use of functions and aggregation which I find very useful, it certainly goes beyond the exam requirements. The "Admin 1" exam guide is mine, again it goes beyond the exam requirements: I really tried to make sure that the discussions of architecture are complete, not just enough to get through the exams. I can't comment on the third book, for the last exam; it is by someone I don't know. There is also the Oracle Press "All-In-One Exam Guide", which is one huge volume Roopesh and I constructed largely from the three individual books. This is more of an exam cram: everything essential is there, but we had to cut some of the additional material to fit the page budget. None-the-less, I think it is still a good resource for learning to do the job, as well to pass exams. It is cheaper than the separate books.
Sybex has an equivalent set of books, you'll read the reviews and make up your own mind. The impression I've gained is that the Sybex series is more limited: it will teach you to pass the exams, whereas Roopesh and I try to teach you to be a DBA.

I won't say "good luck" - if you study hard, you won't need it.
Re: Proper guidance to learn Oracle for a begineer [message #448209 is a reply to message #448185] Sat, 20 March 2010 10:34 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Michel Cadot
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Quote:
So if you start with 11.2 you may have problems back-porting your knowledge to 10g.

This is why I recomended to start with 10gR2 but then skip 11gR1 to directly go to 11gR2 as 1) for my personal statistics (and forums which have asked this to their members (and I will add a pool in this one) most will direclty go from 10gR2 to 11gR2.

If I well understood OP, I don't think he wants materials to run exams but some to well learn Oracle and in this case I strongly advise against exam guides.

Quote:
I won't say "good luck" - if you study hard, you won't need it.

I strongly concur.

Regards
Michel


Re: Proper guidance to learn Oracle for a begineer [message #448426 is a reply to message #448209] Tue, 23 March 2010 05:51 Go to previous message
knw15pwr
Messages: 134
Registered: March 2010
Senior Member
@John Watson-
Thanks for your suggestions. No offense. But an exam guide no matter how thourough, remains just that -an exam guide. To 'learn' oracle i would rather have to go into basics and details beyond an exam guide. As I am a rather newcomer to this field, i am not even aware of any basic database concepts.

Quote:
If I well understood OP, I don't think he wants materials to run exams but some to well learn Oracle ..

Perfectly understood! and thanks a million for your suggestions Michel.
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