Certification

1

• Certification
• Secrets !

Howard Fosdick (630)-279-4286 hfosdick_at_compuserve.
com
(C) 2004 FCI
v.U.1
2

• Who Am I ?

Independent Contractor Hands-on DBA /
SA Oracle, DB2 UDB, SQL Server
Articles, books, presentations Founder
past president - IDUG MWDUG
hfosdick_at_compuserve.com Certifications
Oracle DBA IBM DB2 DBA
3

• Why this Talk?

Thanks, I needed that!

• In 1997 I took my 1st cert exam
• I barely passed
• On my next exam I missed just 1 question
• This talk tells you the certification
  secrets I discovered

Please share yours too !
4

• Why this Talk?

Most certification articles are biased
Dont mislead me!
We need OBJECTIVE information !
5

• Outline

1. How did Certification start ? 2. Why the
Sales Job ? 3. How to make it work for you
4. Secrets to Saving Money 5. Secrets to
Passing the Tests ! 6. Certs
SA DBA
6

• The Dawn of Certification

Every Vendor Joins in !!
Microsoft joins in
Novell
Late 90s
Early 80s
Early 90s
7

• Today Hundreds of Certs

5
95
Vendor-neutral Organizations
Software Hardware Vendors
Vendors Sun, IBM, NP, Microsoft, IBM, Oracle,
CA, Red Hat, Novell, BMC,
CompTIA, LPI, Cisco, others...
Areas SA, SE, DBA, Programmer, Developer,
others...
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Theyre Selling it to You !
Why ?
Software Vendors
Training Firms
Trade Press
Publishers
Contract Firms
Colleges and Junior Colleges
Hardware Vendors
User Groups
Conferences
Mutual sales interest
9
Because Self-Interests Converge!
Why ?
Vendors
Employers
Employees
Employers want a quick way to qualify
applicants Some use certification
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The Vendors Real Game
Few certify with more than 1 product IT
pros promote what they know Converts an SA
to a Product SA Creates a hidden, unpaid
sales force ! Product control manipulation

Buffy tells me youre ours now...
Marketing
Manipulation
Control
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II. How to Make Certification Work for
You !
 
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• Can You Benefit ?

Those with marginal credentials benefit most !
1. College grad breaking in 2. Mom
returning to workforce 3. Programmer trying to
become DBA 4. Unemployed IT manager going back
to technical 5. Prove skills are current 6.
SA expanding skills to another platform 7.
Contractor trump card 8. Junior person
Intangible Benefits Fun, Challenge, Satisfaction
13

• Who Loses ?

Those who already have the credentials
You may be forced to certify if it becomes
a job credential in your area ! Costs you
Time and Money Esp. if courses are required
Forces you to specialize Forces career
dependency on (1) Product
(2) Vendor
But I do know Oracle!
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Cert Traps
Why ?

• Not marketable
  
• Require courses (vendor
  revenue-generator)
• Too many tests
  
• Too-frequent upgrade tests (vendor
  control freak)
• Rules change too frequently
  
• Vendor de-certifies
  
• Non-transparent scoring (like SAT)
  

15

• How Valuable are Certs ?

• Certification Magazine 2003 Survey
• See www.certmag.com
• 19,000 IT pros worldwide
• How objectively are results interpreted ?
• 3.2 certs / person avg survey respondent
• 15 avg salary increase due to cert
• 2,715 avg cost to individual for each cert

Cisco CCIE 96.9 MS MCDBA
65.9 CompTIA A 47.8 MS MCSE
64.0 CompTIA Linux 52.4 Novell CAN
63.5 CompTIA Server 53.1 Novell CNE
71.5 HP SA 73.5 Oracle DBA
72.5 HP SE 69.2 Red Hat
RHCT 60.6 HP Master SE 78.7 Red Hat RHCE
71.6 IBM DB2 DBA 77.4 Sun Java Dev. 75.0
IBM SA n/a Sun SA
70.7 LPI 68.1 UNIX
72.8
 
Key 96.6 96,600
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How Do You Figure Out WhichCerts Matter
Career-wise ?

• View job ads
• Web
• In print (Sunday Tribune)
• Community indicators
• Restricted access to web sites, other resources

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Which Certs Are Key Career-wise?
Windows MCSE
Exceptions Depending on where you work
System Administrators
Solaris
AIX
HP/UX
Other Unix
Linux
Database Administrators
Oracle
DB2
SQL Server
MySQL
Others
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• Certification Costs

Oracle 8i DBA example . . . 1. 5 required
tests 125 625 2. 4 books w/
CDs 75 300 3. 5 sample
test CDs 100 500 4. 2 training
classes 1,600 3,200
--------

4,625 Biggest single item is Classes
Time is key (study 3 to 5 weeks per test)
Here, I dont need it. Am I smart enough
to certify ?
Computerworld article pegged costs at 4k - 10k
on 03/01
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• Hidden Cost Upgrade Tests

Joe SA
1 Upgrade Test per Release
Solaris 9
Solaris 8
Solaris 7
Upgrade tests costs Time and Money
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• Secrets to Reducing Your Costs
• -- Dont take Classes

YES
NO
vendor required?
NO
YES
product experience?
Save your money
Consider them
Youre stuck

• Get employer to pay
• Find cheaper Cert.

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• Secrets to Reducing Your Costs

1. Employers pay for Employee
Development they can quantify. Download
vendors website sales pitches to sell them! 2.
Get them to (1) Pay for Classes or Exam
fees (2) Time at
work (3) Product access/practice 3.
Get free product access (download or via
employer) 4. Vendors offer free online
Practice Tests 5. Take Beta Tests 6. Free
testing at conferences, user groups, etc. 7.
Lots of free cert info online
www.cramsession.com, www.certmag.com,
www.certcities.com, the vendors
The world is ours!
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How To Take the Tests

• See vendor website
• Prometric at www.prometric.com
• Vue at www.vue.com
• Pay by credit card
• Go to a Testing Center on test day/time
• You show 2 forms of picture ID
• They give you a PC
• PC program gives you the test
• Most are multiple-choice (some adaptive)
• You end the test or screen freezes if time runs
  out
• You get immediate PASS/FAIL plus printout
• Some tests tell you how well you did with topic
  analysis
• Others are like the SAT and give you no info!

23

• What Percent Pass Each Test ?

75
70
60 - 65
Pass Rate (est.)
60
55
LPI Red Hat Microsoft Oracle
IBM
Sources DB2 Magazine, Cert. Magazine, LPI,
IDUG, Red Hat, etc.
Pass Rate relates inversely to Trivia Ratio
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• Secrets to Passing the Tests

Wisdom !
Steps to Certification

• 1. Check vendor website
• Rules
• Freebies, study materials, etc.
• 2. Study a Cert Book (Written on the test
  youll take)
• 3. Hands-on Experience
• 4. Practice Tests (Do not rely on
  vendors practice tests)

boom !
Skip a step and your chances of a pass plummet !
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• Secrets to Passing the Tests

• Vendor owns their tests (quality control,
  difficulty)
• Understand their policies and the lay of the
  land before proceeding!
  
• Flunk rates are 1 in 2 to 1 in 4
  therefore
• You must study specifically for the test you
  want to pass
• It does not matter what you know or can do
• You must memorize the trivia !
• Memorizing product-specific technical trivial
  is key !

Little correspondence between passing tests and
your effectiveness on the job
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• Secrets to Passing the Tests

• Many vended Practice Tests give you a huge
  edge
• Example
• 50 questions, Practice Test gives you 5 key
  answers
• to the hardest questions this
  almost guarantees passing
• MCSE buy Transcender Oracle buy
  SelfTest
• Plug into the online community for the test
  youll take
• Spend 2 hours surfing to get info
• before you spend 3 to 5 weeks
  preparing per test

Example 50 questions, Practice Test gives
you 5 answers to the hardest questions this
almost guarantees a pass !
Psyche out the test before you take it !
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III. SA Certifications
 
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• Market Share Trends

The Big 3 Server OSs
The Big 3 Unixes
Sun Solaris IBM AIX HP HP/UX
Unix Linux Windows
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• Number of Tests Required
• --- Standard SA Certs.

Number of Tests
2
1
Solaris AIX HP/UX CompTIA LPI
9 5L Linux
Level 1
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Sun Solaris Certification
Solaris 9
 
Solaris Security
Solaris Certified Administrator
--- or ---
optionally
2 tests _at_150 each
Solaris Network
 
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Sun Solaris Certification
 

• Sun also offers Java Developer, other certs
• Web-based practice exams for all tests
• Solaris 9 Upgrade test
• 100, 41 questions, 68 to pass, 60
  minutes
• Website http//training.sun.com/US/certificati
  on
• Secrets to passing
• Buy ExamCram2 study book w/ questions
• and/or the QUE Training Guide

 
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AIX Certification
AIX 5L
 
Typical System Administrator path
Advanced Technical Expert
AIX System Administrator
1 test 120?
3 tests
Fuller Explanation
Advanced Technical Expert
--- or ---
AIX System Administrator
HACMP Certified
--- or ---
--- or ---
pSeries Systems Support
P690 Technical Support
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AIX Certification
 
 
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IBM AIX Certification
 

• IBM offers many related certs
• Web-based practice exams for all tests
• Website http//www-1.ibm.com/certify
• Details on each test at
• http//www-1.ibm.com/certify/tests/info.sh
  tml
• Secrets to saving money
• IBM offers many free downloads for studying
• (Redbooks, manuals, articles, etc)

 
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HP/UX Certification
HP/UX
 
Typical System Administrator path
HP/UX Certified System Administrator (CSA)
HP/UX Certified System Engineer (CSE)
2 day course with on-site exam 1,300 plus travel
1 test 100 (2 hours, 80 Qs)

• HP offers many related certs for SAs
• Tru64, OpenVMS, etc.
• Website www.hp.com/go/certification

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Linux SA Certs
Linux
-- Fragmented mess ! -- No dominant cert
Vendor Neutral
Vendor Specific
Red Hat RHCT, RHCE
CompTIA Linux
Required courses -- Expensive ! -- 40 fail !
1 test -- lightweight
 
LPI
Suse
IBM
others. . .
6 tests In 3 levels -- 50 fail !
-- fragmented market
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Linux
Linux Professional Institute (LPI)
 
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
2 tests _at_100 each
2 tests _at_100 each
2 tests _at_100 each

• Vendor neutral
• 2 Tests per Level _at_ 100 per test
• No expiration
• Level 3 tests are in development
• Website www.lpi.org
• Extreme trivia challenge
• Complex passing algorithm
• Only 50 pass -- by design !

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CompTIA
Linux
 
Linux
1 test 145 (90 minutes, 94
questions, complex pass algorithm)

• Vendor neutral
• CompTIA is known for A (popular for PC support
  technicians)
• Server, Network, Security, others
• All are 1 Test each _at_ 145
• Linux covers hardware !
• Website www.comptia.org

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Red Hat
Red Hat 9
 
Red Hat Certified Technician (RHCT)
Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE)
4.5 day course includes ½ day hands-on test
Required course includes test

• Expensive ! (900 - 3000 per course plus
  travel)
• (Average is 2000)
• Failure rate is between 37 and 42
• If the course is any good, youd think youd
  pass !
• Website www.redhat.com
• www.redhat.com/training/certi
  fication

Source Failure Rate from Red Hat website
03/15/04
40
Windows Server 2003
Microsoft MCSE
 
MCSE
I feel like a hamster on the wheel
7 tests _at_125 each

• An important cert to have if you support
  Windows servers
• MS makes frequent program changes
• MS de-certifies those who dont upgrade on
  their schedule
• Windows 2000 - Windows 2003 requires two
  upgrade tests
• Trivial pursuit style questions
• Adaptive testing ???
• Website www.microsoft.com
• or www.microsoft.com/trainingandservi
  ces/
• Secrets to passing
• Buy practice tests from
  www.transcender.com
• Buy Microsofts MCSE Training Kits

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IV. DBA Certifications
 
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• Market Share Trends

The Big 3 Databases
Other 15
IBM 34
Oracle 34
Microsoft 17
Sources Gartner, Dataquest, IDC, FCI
43

• Marketability by Platform

Windows Server
Other 40
MS 50
Unixes
ORACLE 40
ORACLE 60
Other 10
Mainframe
iSeries
DB2 90
DB2 90
Other 10
Sources Gartner, IDC, Dataquest, FCI
44

• Number of Tests Required
• --- Standard DBA Certs.

Plus 1 required course
4
Number of Tests
2
MS Oracle IBM
SQL Server 9i OCP V8 2000
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Oracle9i
Oracle DBA
 
OCA (Associate)
OCP (DBA)
OCM (Master)
1 test _at_90 1 test _at_125
2 tests _at_125 each Plus 1 course
2 courses Plus 1 test

• OCP is the most marketable DBA cert
• OCP is the standard DBA certification
• Oracle offers many other related certs
• OCP course requirement is new in 9i release 2
• OCM is expensive -- few will pay this
• Download Oracle trial copy free
• Website www.oracle.com
• or www.oracle.com/education/certific
  ation/index.html
• Secrets to passing
• Buy practice tests from
  www.selftestsoftware.com
• Buy Jason S. Couchmans book with
  practice tests

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DB2 V8
IBM DB2 DBA
You choose z/OS or LUW
 
Database Associate
Advanced Database Administrator
Database Administrator
1 test 120
1 test 120
1 test 120

• IBM offers many other DB2-related certs
• Website www.ibm.com
• or www-1.ibm.com/certify/certs/db_index.s
  html
• 75 pass rate
• Secrets to saving money --
• Free downloadable GUI test prep materials from
  IBM !
• Free testing at IDUG (www.idug.org)
• Free DB2 trial copy download
• Secret to passing use IBMs free courseware

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SQL Server 2000
Microsoft DBA
 
MCDBA
4 tests _at_125 each

• Only 1 cert -- requires passing 4 tests
• Can re-use Passes from other MS certs
• Only 2 of the tests must be on SQL Server !
• Only worth it for Windows professionals
• Microsoft may de-certify
• Download SQL Server trial copy free
• Website www.microsoft.com
• or www.microsoft.com/trainingandservi
  ces/
• Secrets to passing
• Buy practice tests from
  www.transcender.com
• Buy Microsofts SQL Server Training
  Kit

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• Certification Websites

www.cramsession.com www.certmag.com www.certcities
.com Vendor website for the product your
interested in Check users group websites
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