The Secret to Choosing the Best Oracle DBA Certification

 

Oracle began its certification program with Oracle Database 7.3. At that time, you could choose one of two certification paths.

  • Database Developer
  • Database Administrator

Since then, there have been several changes and upgrades in the certifications offered by Oracle today. You can now choose from Oracle Database as well as Java certifications, along with a wide range of implementation certifications.

No business today can function without database systems. And when it comes to naming a DBMS, Oracle is one of the leading contenders in the market. So, if you are looking to get an Oracle certification and cannot decide how to proceed, here are a few simple steps and different roles that you can explore.

Choose The Right Oracle Certification Based on Your Role:

It is important to first start with the role you want to pursue. With an Oracle certification, you can enter or continue along one of the following streams:

  1. Database Administrator
  2. Database Developer 
  3. Database Implementor

Database Administrator-

Your skill set as a Database administrator is subject to change, based on whether you have a developer or an architectural administrator role or a production role. The main role of a database administrator is to manage and store critical data for an organisation. An administrator plays an important role as this stored data is used to create strategic business plans and help advance the profitability and productivity of the business, by analysing database management systems. Overall, your skillset must include as many of the following as possible –

  • Patching
  • Installing
  • Configuring
  • Security
  • Backup and recovery
  • Migrating
  • Capacity planning
  • Data modelling, both logical and physical
  • Database designing
  • Managing performance
  • SQL tuning and troubleshooting within Oracle Cloud, both remotely and on-premise
  • Knowing aspects related to OS administration
  • Disaster recovery

Database Developer-

Database developers need a foundation of strong technical knowledge and skills in their area of expertise. You need to have strong programming skills as well as problem-solving and analytical skills. As a database developer, your skill set should include 

  • SQL
  • SQL*PLUS
  • SQLCL
  • PL/SQ
  • Application Express
  • Java
  • Database designing
  • Physical and logical modelling
  • SQL tuning

Implementers-

An implementer should ideally have a strong background of technical knowledge relating to the product area on which they are certified. As an implementer, you are responsible for the implementation and installation of specific software or its various aspects. 

Explore the Right Certification Path:

Consider that you’ve chosen a role, say that of a DBA. The next step should be to figure out which version of the certification you should pursue. Here are some criteria to help you make a decision:

  • If you are employed or working for an organisation in any capacity, check the version(s) of Oracle Database that they use.
  • Check job descriptions while looking for jobs and see the version of Oracle Database that is demanded the most.
  • If you have completed an Oracle training course of any kind in the past, keep that as a starting point. An OCP certification or Oracle Certified Professional certification demands that you train on the version matching your certification or any version more recent. For example, if you have trained for Oracle Database 11g, go for an 11g certification or upgrade to 12c. 
  • You don’t need any extra training to upgrade to a higher version once you hold a Database Administrator Oracle Certified Professional certification.
  • If you train on a version higher than the one used in your organisation, you can be an asset while they define the strategy for the adoption of new functionalities and features.
  • When any version of Oracle Database gets de-supported, certified professionals must upgrade their certification to match the new version or any supported version of Oracle Database. This way, they can keep their certification active.

The Journey After Getting Your DBA Credentials:

As a certified Database Administrator, you can attempt the OCP certification level after completing Oracle training and passing the exam. Even if you don’t clear the exam, completing the training program will give you an edge over your colleagues and other applicants. 

Once you get the certification, you can start working at the level for which you are certified. For example, if you are just entering the field, attempt the OCA certification. With this certification, you can get employed as an entry-level employee in a database management team. 

If you have enough knowledge to qualify for an intermediate level, you should aim for the Oracle Certified Professional (OCP) certification. This certification will teach you database management and how to develop large applications according to the database.

Start Learning Today

If you know where you stand, you can easily choose the certification that will be most beneficial for you and fulfil your dream of working in the largest firms in the country.

Database technology has become a big part of almost every industry and business, with many opportunities up for grabs. With the right Oracle certification and training, take your place in this fast-paced world.