Re: Application Developer Vs DBA Positions

"Ashwin Philar" <ashwinphilar_at_hotmail.com> wrote in message news:33fe2089.0205130849.8f91414_at_posting.google.com...
> Hi!!
>
> I am Ashwin Philar. I am planning to do an Oracle certification.
>
> These are the questions in my mind:
>
> 1)What are the advantages of being an Oracle App Dev over a regular
> App Dev, like what are the reasons that a company might hire a person
> with OCP AD rather than a person who has 3 years of VB development
> experience ?
>

OCP is not all that relavent if you dont have experience anyway and if you dont have a technical degree or other technical experience... dont try until the economy picks up. you wont get a job.

Well if you develop with Oracle sure you can do a front end in java and VB but you will still need to write code in the database anyway... so you gotta know Oracle as well. Plus the Oracle tools integrate fully with the database. There is an Oracle Java tool as well.

> 2)Can't applications be developed for Oracle Database using VB / Java
> ? So how does OCP AD help ?
>

OCP doesnt help much anyway. See above.

> 3)What work does an Oracle DBA do in a company ?
>

Maintain and manage the database. You cant really figure out what a DBA does until you work in a shop as a developer first. Dont waste your money on trying to be a DBA first. Noone will hire you. Anyone who tells you that they will is either lying or stupid. Gotta be a developer first. Dont let people steal your money.

> 4)Can a programmer become a DBA, I mean is that a logical path to
> take.
>

yes. Im moving into DBA side myself now. You HAVE to start as a developer and lots of DBA write code too. There are several different types of DBA job roles.

> 5) What path should a person with 3 yrs of programming experience
> take, OCP -AD OR OCP - DBA ?

you have 3 years doing what kind of programming? 3GL? You gotta go developer anyway. Learn SQL, PL/SQL and the forms tool(part of the internet application developer suite). if you know Java learn Jdeveloper.

Oracle tools are free. download them at otn.oracle.com
>
> 6) What qualification provides more job opportunities DBA or AD?

work as a developer first for several years and try to break in. in small to mid-size shops the dba and developer roles overlap so you end up doing both anyway. Its also like that at the more senior levels too. I do development and some DBA stuff myself.
>
> I'd be grateful, if you can answer my questions.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Regards,
> Ashwin Philar
Received on Mon May 13 2002 - 16:57:43 CDT