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Date: Sun, 2 Feb 2014 08:37:11 -0800 (PST)
From: John Hurley <hurleyjohnb@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: training for new DBA's
To: "andy@oracledepot.com" <andy@oracledepot.com>,
  "backseatdba@gmail.com" <backseatdba@gmail.com>
Cc: "oracle-l@freelists.org" <oracle-l@freelists.org>
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I really like Andy's answer below ( first thought ).=0A=0AThere are a bunch=
 of "Introduction to SQL" or "Introduction to Relational Database" books th=
at are worth considering.=A0 One possible approach is to find one of these =
that you like and work through the material "chapter by chapter" topic by t=
opic with someone new.=A0 Give assigments or reading allocations and follow=
 through and discuss them.=0A=0AAt work we are taking a similar approach wi=
th some very strong people who are not yet accomplished "Oracle system DBAs=
" but are good application DBA's ( custom apps ).=0A=0AFor that approach we=
 are going through=A0( well just started ) Tom Kyte's second edition "Exper=
t Oracle Database Architecture" book.=A0 People will be responsible for rea=
ding chapters and presenting key concepts to the team every two weeks.=A0 (=
 Then we will go through Cary Millsaps Optimizing Oracle Performance book a=
nd then probably Jonathan's new Core Fundamentals book.=0A=0AFor someone to=
tally knew to Oracle and also SQL it is kind of a chicken and egg kind of t=
hing where to start.=0A=0A=0A***=0A=0A=0AI've tried to hire within before a=
nd also tried to talk smart technical folks to making the switch to becomin=
g Oracle DBAs and failed miserably. To me Oracle database administration is=
 much like golf. =A0They are both very well documented and the basic concep=
ts are really not very hard, but to be successful (and happy) it also takes=
 something deeper. And I'm not exactly sure what that is. =0A=0AAs for ques=
tions or tests, I like to find out how much people read. Not necessarily wh=
at they read (though that gives you further insights too) but how much. =A0=
Since databases and relational models may be new to the candidate, general =
problem solving questions and puzzles are really important. Possibly a take=
 home test where they each have to design a tricky system or something. Tha=
t could be fun. =0A=0AI remember the excitement I felt when I first ran, "s=
elect * from dict". I just don't know how to test for it in others. 
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<html><body><div style=3D"color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:Co=
urier New, courier, monaco, monospace, sans-serif;font-size:12pt"><div><spa=
n></span></div><div>I really like Andy's answer below ( first thought ).</d=
iv><div><br></div><div>There are a bunch of "Introduction to SQL" or "Intro=
duction to Relational Database" books that are worth considering.&nbsp; One=
 possible approach is to find one of these that you like and work through t=
he material "chapter by chapter" topic by topic with someone new.&nbsp; Giv=
e assigments or reading allocations and follow through and discuss them.</d=
iv><div><br></div><div>At work we are taking a similar approach with some v=
ery strong people who are not yet accomplished "Oracle system DBAs" but are=
 good application DBA's ( custom apps ).</div><div><br></div><div>For that =
approach we are going through&nbsp;( well just started ) Tom Kyte's second =
edition "Expert Oracle Database Architecture" book.&nbsp; People will
 be responsible for reading chapters and presenting key concepts to the tea=
m every two weeks.&nbsp; ( Then we will go through Cary Millsaps Optimizing=
 Oracle Performance book and then probably Jonathan's new Core Fundamentals=
 book.</div><div><br></div><div>For someone totally knew to Oracle and also=
 SQL it is kind of a chicken and egg kind of thing where to start.</div><di=
v><br></div><div><br></div><div>***</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div=
 style=3D"font-family: Courier New, courier, monaco, monospace, sans-serif;=
 font-size: 12pt;"><div style=3D"font-family: times new roman, new york, ti=
mes, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><div class=3D"y_msg_container"><div id=3D"yiv=
1862071334"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"yiv1862071334gmail_extra"><div c=
lass=3D"yiv1862071334gmail_quote"><div>I've tried to hire within before and=
 also tried to talk smart technical folks to making the switch to becoming =
Oracle DBAs and failed miserably. To me Oracle database administration is m=
uch
 like golf. &nbsp;They are both very well documented and the basic concepts=
 are really not very hard, but to be successful (and happy) it also takes s=
omething deeper. And I'm not exactly sure what that is.</div>=0A<div><br></=
div><div>As for questions or tests, I like to find out how much people read=
. Not necessarily what they read (though that gives you further insights to=
o) but how much. &nbsp;Since databases and relational models may be new to =
the candidate, general problem solving questions and puzzles are really imp=
ortant. Possibly a take home test where they each have to design a tricky s=
ystem or something. That could be fun.</div>=0A<div><br></div><div>I rememb=
er the excitement I felt when I first ran, "select * from dict". I just don=
't know how to test for it in others. </div></div></div></div></div></div><=
/div></div></div></body></html>
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