Oracle DBA Exam Cram: Test 3 and Test 4: Exam: TEST 3 & TEST 4 [Paperback]

Michael R. Ault (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1576103315 | ISBN-13: 978-1576103319 | Publication Date: September 3, 1998

Oracle DBA Exam: Test 3 and Test 4 is the only book available to help DBAs improve their chances of becoming certified. Covers all required topics, concepts, and terminology. Helps readers make use of the best study materials available with end-of-chapter resource sections. Features practice exam questions formatted like those encountered on the actual exam. Provides a special tear-out Cram Sheet with tips, acronyms, and memory joggers that readers can review just prior to taking an exam.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The second pair of tests required for Oracle Certified Professional DBA status measure not only your technical knowledge of Oracle but also your foresight and skill at designing recovery strategies and tuning installations for performance. Oracle DBA Test 3 and Test 4 Exam Cram distills the key information on these database topics to prepare you for the certification tests.

The book begins with an excellent discussion of tuning in which the authors present a structured process to tuning and provide exceptional coverage of the statistics and tracing tools at your disposal. Subsequent chapters examine specific aspects of tuning: database configuration, Shared Global Area (SGA), lock contention, sorting, rollback segments, and redo logs. The amount of information dedicated to these topics is rather cursory, with only the critical material presented.

In the final chapters of the book, backup and recovery topics are discussed in preparation for Exam 4. The discussion begins at a high level, focusing on overall backup plans, and then moves downward into the various backup and recovery mechanisms, including exporting possibilities and recovery scenarios. This section wraps up with a chapter on troubleshooting backups and plucking errors from log files.

At the end of each portion of the book is a sample test that gauges your knowledge, and occasional icons punctuate the text to draw your attention to tips and possible trick questions. Chapter quizzes and a fold-out cram sheet also help keep you on track. Oracle DBA Test 3 and Test 4 Exam Cram is designed as a test preparatory tool, but it also works well as a refresher for database administrators rusty on their tuning and recovery skills. --Stephen Plain

About the Author

Michael R. Ault (Alpharetta, GA) is Chief Technical Officer and part owner of DBMentors, International, Inc., an Oracle consulting and training firm, and was a quality control expert for the OCP exams. Michael is the author of Oracle DBA Exam Cram: Test 1 and Test 2, and the co-author of Oracle DBA Exam Cram: Test 3 and Test 4. His books have been translated into German, Portuguese, and Chinese.

Paul Collins (Fulton, MO) is a senior Oracle consultant for Skyler-Marks Consulting, where he specializes in Oracle database design and administration. He has been a speaker at both Oracle Open World and the IOUG-Alive conferences. Paul was one of the DBAs who worked with Oracle and the Chauncy Group to develop the Oracle 7 Database Administrator certification test. He is Oracle8 certified, and the co-author of Oracle DBA Exam Cram: Test 3 and Test 4with Michael Ault, as well as a contributor on the Oracle DBA Exam Cram: Test 1 and Test 2.

Barbara Ann Pascavage, Chauncey Oracle 7, OCP 7.3, OCP 8.0 (Alexandria, VA) has been working with Oracle since 1987, and has been a full-time Oracle DBA since 1991. She has taught several Oracle SQL and relational database classes. Barbara is currently a Senior Oracle DBA with the Washington Post, and is the co-author of Oracle DBA Exam Cram Test 3 and Test 4with Michael Ault.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Coriolis Group (September 3, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576103315
• ISBN-13: 978-1576103319
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,680,066 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Confusing and not up-to-date, but the questions are ok, June 22, 2000

By 

Andre Whittick Nasser - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oracle DBA Exam Cram: Test 3 and Test 4: Exam: TEST 3 & TEST 4 (Paperback)

I am an IT consultant and Oracle DBA with 8 years of experience in high-end technology, working for a large international bank in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I have decided to become Oracle certified because it would certainly give me more visibility in my work. Now, I am an Oracle8 OCP DBA with an average score of 97% in the five exams of the Oracle8 DBA track.

I must admit it was very difficult at first to find out what the best way would be to prepare for the tests. It took me some time to understand that the exams are entirely based on the original Oracle course books and that the practice tests offered by Self Test Software are a superset of the real exams. Now I have a keen perception of what the whole process is all about. The real trick to get a 90+% score is to attend the Oracle classes and cram with the STS practice tests. However, this is a rather expensive way to study, since each course costs around US$ 1,000 and each practice test costs US$ 99, not to mention the exam price itself (US$ 125).

When I fist set off my study, I bought Mr. Jason Couchman's Oracle8 DBA Certification Guide by Oracle Press. Bad choice... It was completely out of synch with the real exam contents and had a lot of typos and gross conceptual errors. I do feel sorry for those people who were caught unawares buying the big red book. I wonder how Oracle signed off on it.

I also bought the 'Oracle 7 Exam Cram Tests 1 and 2' by Mr. Michael Ault and 'Oracle 7 Exam Cram Tests 3 and 4' by Mr. Ault and others. They were both better than Mr. Couchman's, but a bit confusing, especially because they mixed two tests in each book. Besides, they did not cover Oracle8.

As a last resort, I borrowed the original course materials from an acquaintance, with the exception of the Network Administration book. I read the reviews on Mrs. Pascavage's 'Oracle8: Network Administration', and decided to order it from Amazon.

I was surprised. This book is really great ! It was evident that the author was careful to study the original oracle course material and practice test, giving priceless tips and accurately separating the chapters according to those of the course books and the exams sections. Also, the questions in the book are very close to the real ones one would encounter. Congratulations, Mrs. Pascavage !

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Get it for the practice tests, August 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Oracle DBA Exam Cram: Test 3 and Test 4: Exam: TEST 3 & TEST 4 (Paperback)

Better organized than the first Exam Cram book (Tests 1 & 2). Plus there are fewer mistakes/typos.

I didn't feel that the chapters on Backup & Recovery prepared you adequately for the test. However the author does admit that this book is intended as a "pocket guide".

My recommendation is that you combine this book with other study material. The practice questions, sample tests and cram sheet are the best aspects of this publication.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Don't expect anything about RMAN, June 27, 2000

By 

Todd Sorenson - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oracle DBA Exam Cram: Test 3 and Test 4: Exam: TEST 3 & TEST 4 (Paperback)

Although this was an easier read than Oracle's DBA Certification Exam Guide, I expected that it would be more up to date. Oracle has had RMAN since version 8 and there is not even a reference to its existence in this book! Exam 3 is heavily weighted on RMAN and understanding it is critical to your success on the test along with your sucess as a DBA. This book needs to be updated!