Certification Secrets !

1. Certification Secrets! Howard Fosdick (630)-279-4286 hfosdick@compuserve.com (C) 2004 FCI v.U.1

2. Independent Contractor: * Hands-on DBA / SA * Oracle, DB2 UDB, SQL Server * Articles, books, presentations * Founder & past president - IDUG & MWDUG * hfosdick@compuserve.com Certifications: * Oracle DBA * IBM DB2 DBA Who Am I ?

3. “Thanks, I needed that!” Why this Talk? * 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 “Don’t mislead me!” We need OBJECTIVE information !

5. 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 Outline

6. Every Vendor Joins in !! The Dawn of Certification … Microsoft joins in Novell Early 80s Early 90s Late 90s

7. Today: Hundreds of Certs 5% 95% Software & Hardware Vendors Vendor-neutral Organizations Vendors:Sun, IBM, NP, Microsoft, IBM, Oracle, CA, Red Hat, Novell, BMC, CompTIA, LPI, Cisco, others... Areas: SA, SE, DBA, Programmer, Developer, others...

8. Why ? They’re Selling it to You ! Software Vendors Training Firms Trade Press Publishers Contract Firms Colleges and Junior Colleges Hardware Vendors User Groups Conferences Mutual sales interest

9. Why ? Because Self-Interests Converge! Vendors Employers Employees Employers want a quick way to “qualify” applicants Some use certification

10. 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 you’re ours now...” Marketing Manipulation Control

11. II. How to Make Certification Work for You !

12. Those with marginal credentials benefit most ! Can You Benefit ? 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. Those who already have the credentials Who Loses ? 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!”

14. “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. 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 How Valuable are Certs ? 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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 * Timeis key (study 3 to 5 weeks per test) Certification Costs “Here, I don’t need it. Am I smart enough to certify ?” Computerworld article pegged costs at $4k - $10k on 03/01

19. Joe SA “Hidden” Cost = Upgrade Tests 1 Upgrade Test per Release Solaris 9 Solaris 8 Solaris 7 Upgrade tests costs Time and Money

20. YES NO vendor required? Secretsto Reducing Your Costs -- Don’t take Classes NO YES product experience? Save your money Consider them You’re stuck • Get employer to pay • Find cheaper Cert.

21. 1. Employers pay for “Employee Development” they can quantify. Download vendor’s 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!” Secretsto Reducing Your Costs

22. 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 HatMicrosoft Oracle IBM Sources: DB2 Magazine, Cert. Magazine, LPI, IDUG, Red Hat, etc. Pass Rate relates inversely to Trivia Ratio

24. Wisdom ! Steps to Certification: Secrets to Passing the Tests 1. Check vendor website * Rules * Freebies, study materials, etc. 2. Study a Cert Book (Written on the test you’ll take) 3. Hands-on Experience 4. Practice Tests (Do not rely on vendor’s practice tests) boom ! Skip a step and your chances of a pass plummet !

25. * 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 ! Secrets to Passing the Tests Little correspondence between passing tests and your effectiveness on the job

26. * 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 you’ll take • => Spend 2 hours surfing to get info • before you spend 3 to 5 weeks preparing per test Secrets to Passing the Tests 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 !

27. III. SA Certifications

28. Market Share Trends The “Big 3” Server OSs The “Big 3” Unixes * Unix * Linux * Windows * Sun Solaris * IBM AIX * HP HP/UX

29. Number of Tests Required --- Standard SA Certs. Number of Tests 2 1 Solaris AIX HP/UXCompTIA LPI 9 5L Linux+ Level 1

30. Certification: Cost: Questions Pass: Time: (minutes) Solaris Certified Admin I- $150 II- $150 57 58 64% 65% 105 105 Solaris Security $150 60 60% 90 Solaris Network $150 64 70% 105 Solaris 9 Sun Solaris Certification Solaris Security Solaris Certified Administrator --- or --- optionally 2 tests @$150 each Solaris Network

31. 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/certification • Secrets to passing – • Buy ExamCram2 study book w/ questions • and/or the QUE Training Guide

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

33. Certification: Tests to Pass: Prereqs: Tests You Take: Number of Questions: AIX System Administrator 1 none 191 62 PSeries Systems Support 1 none 199 72 HACMP Certified 1 191 or 199 187 50 P690 Technical Support 1 191 or 199 195 68 Advanced Technical Expert 3 191 or 199 Your choice- 233/4/5/6, 187 or 195 Varies AIX Certification

34. 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.shtml • Secrets to saving money– • IBM offers many free downloads for studying • (Redbooks, manuals, articles, etc)

35. HP/UX HP/UX Certification 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 SA’s • Tru64, OpenVMS, etc. • Website: www.hp.com/go/certification

36. Linux -- Fragmented mess ! -- No dominant cert Linux SA Certs 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

37. Linux Linux Professional Institute (LPI) Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 2 tests @$100 each 2 tests @$100 each 2 tests @$100 each • Vendor neutral • 2 Tests per Level @ $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 !

38. Linux CompTIA 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 @ $145 • Linux+ covers hardware ! • Website: www.comptia.org

39. Red Hat 9 Red Hat 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, you’d think you’d pass ! • Website: www.redhat.com • www.redhat.com/training/certification 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 @$125 each • An important cert to have if you support Windows servers • MS makes frequent program changes • MS de-certifies those who don’t 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/trainingandservices/ • Secrets to passing – • Buy practice tests from www.transcender.com • Buy Microsoft’s MCSE Training Kits

41. IV. DBA Certifications

42. The Big “3” Databases Market Share Trends Other 15% IBM 34% Oracle 34% Microsoft 17% Sources: Gartner, Dataquest, IDC, FCI

43. Windows Server Other 40% Unixes MS 50% Marketability by Platform ORACLE 40% ORACLE 60% Other 10% Mainframe iSeries DB2 > 90% DB2 > 90% Other 10% Sources: Gartner, IDC, Dataquest, FCI

44. Plus 1 required course Number of Tests Required --- Standard DBA Certs. 4 Number of Tests 2 MS Oracle IBM SQL Server 9i OCP V8 2000

45. Oracle9i Oracle DBA OCA (Associate) OCP (DBA) OCM (Master) 1 test @$90 1 test @$125 2 tests @$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/certification/index.html • Secrets to passing – • Buy practice tests from www.selftestsoftware.com • Buy Jason S. Couchman’s book with practice tests

46. 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.shtml • 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 IBM’s free courseware

47. SQL Server 2000 Microsoft DBA MCDBA 4 tests @$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/trainingandservices/ • Secrets to passing – • Buy practice tests from www.transcender.com • Buy Microsoft’s SQL Server Training Kit

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

49. ? ? ? ? ? questions... ? ? ? ?