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Question of the week
Follow up to last week's CertAdvisor
Select questions & answers
Share your cert-experience
How CertAdvisor answers questions


Question of the week

Q1) I want to prepare for Oracle Application Developer certification program. What are the exams included in this track? What exams are being retired? What exams can I attempt now? Is there any web site for clearing my doubts on the Oracle certification program? (From Netwaresoft) 

ANS) Microsoft Oracle currently offers three Oracle Application Developer tracks:

*Application Developer, Oracle Developer Release 1 (retires July 31, 2001) 
o Introduction to Oracle: SQL and PL/SQL (exam 1Z0-001) 
o Develop PL/SQL Program Units (exam 1Z0-101) 
o Developer/2000 Forms 4.5 I (exam 1Z0-111) - retires July 31, 2001 
o Developer/2000 Forms 4.5 II (exam 1Z0-112) - retires July 31, 2001 
o Developer/2000 Reports 2.5 (exam 1Z0-113) - retires July 31, 2001

* Application Developer, Oracle Developer Release 2 
o Introduction to Oracle: SQL and PL/SQL (exam 1Z0-001) 
o Develop PL/SQL Program Units (exam 1Z0-101) 
o Developer/2000 Build Forms I (exam 1Z0-121) 
o Developer/2000 Build Forms II (exam 1Z0-122) 
o Developer/2000 Build Reports (exam 1Z0-123) 

* Internet Application Developer, Oracle Forms Developer Release 6/6i 
o Introduction to Oracle: SQL and PL/SQL (exam 1Z0-001) 
o Develop PL/SQL Program Units (exam 1Z0-101) 
o Build Internet Applications I (exam 1Z0-131) 
o Build Internet Applications II (exam 1Z0-132)
Exams 1Z0-001 and 1Z0-101, common to all the Application Developer tracks, are not being retired.

Candidates certified on Developer/2000 Rel. 1 before July 31, 2001 can take exam #1Z0-120 Developer/2000 Rel. 2 New Features to upgrade to Rel.2. 

Candidates certified on Rel. 1 can also choose to upgrade directly to Rel. 6/6i by taking exam #1Z0-130 Oracle Forms Rel. 1 to Rel. 6/6i New Features, skipping Rel. 2 certification.

To find additional details about the Application Developer certification track and others, please visit
http://www.oracle.com/education/certification/index.html?ocptracks.html 

You may also download the Candidate Guides for each of the tracks at
http://www.oracle.com/education/certification/index.html?ocpguides.html
 
Follow up to last week’s Cert Advisor

Q2) Could you provide details on IBM’s certification program on AIX? Where can I enroll for AIX for Solaris Administrators Project (ASAP)? (From Joe McNally)

ANS) The IBM offers following certificates on AIX: 

*IBM Certified AIX User Version 4
To attain this certificate candidates must pass 1 test, which will assess their understanding of AIX Fundamentals, and ability to apply AIX concepts to effectively use and operate an AIX system. 

*IBM Certified Specialist - AIX System Administration 
To attain this certificate candidates must pass 1 test, which will assess their ability to install, configure, and perform broad range of AIX system administrative activities. This certificate is for AIX System Administrators who are responsible for supporting end-users and the day-to-day operation of an AIX RS/6000 environment. 

*IBM Certified Specialist - AIX System Support
To attain this certificate candidates must pass 1 test, which will assess their AIX problem determination and resolution skills, and ability to perform general AIX software system maintenance. This certificate is for support professionals who service system administrators, customers, and clients in an AIX environment. 

*IBM Certified Specialist - AIX HACMP
To attain this certificate candidates must pass 2 tests, which will assess their implementation skills required to plan, install, and configure AIX High Availability Cluster Multi-Processing (HACMP) systems, and ability to perform diagnostic activities needed to support Highly Available Clusters. 

Please note that either AIX System Administration or AIX System Support can be taken as the prerequisite first test. The second test is the HACMP for AIX V4.2 test. 

*IBM Certified Advanced Technical Expert - RS/6000 AIX
To attain this certificate candidates must pass 4 tests, which will assess an advance level of AIX knowledge and ability to perform in-depth analysis, apply complex AIX concepts and provide resolution to critical problems, in a variety of areas within RS/6000 AIX. 

Please note that either AIX System Administration or AIX System Support can be taken as the prerequisite first test. The other three tests cover a variety of AIX and RS/6000 topics. 

To enroll or find out more about ASAP call 800-IBM-TEACH (800-426-8322) or visit http://www-3.ibm.com/servlet/com.ibm.ls.lsow.servlets.CourseDescriptionServlet?COURSE_CODE=AM50a. If you live outside North America visit http://www-3.ibm.com/services/learning 

Please note that ASAP is officially labeled ‘IBM pSeries and RS/6000 HACMP Product Overview (code AM 50a)’. This two-day course is designed as “the first class in the roadmap toward becoming an IBM Certified Specialist - AIX HACMP.” 

Select questions & answers

Q3) I am getting ready to take MCSE 2000 70-210 and 70-215 exams. I would like to know how much time is allotted for these exams and how many questions are presented for candidates. Also, any detail about the format of the questions would be appreciated. (From Bill Benitez)

ANS) Exam #: 70-210
Status: Active
Time Limit: 120 min.
Avg. Time: 70 min.
Passing Score: 620
# of Questions: 60
Format: Form-based

Exam #: 70-215
Status: Active
Time Limit: 120 min.
Avg. Time: 70 min.
Passing Score: 660
# of Questions: 60
Format: Form Based

There are variety of questions including but not limited to:
- multiple choice (choose the best answer)
- multiple choice (choose more than one correct answer)
- multiple choice (choose all correct answers)
- click and drag responses to the correct area on a diagram
- hot shots -- a screen shot from the operating system; you choose
the area needed for configuration.

Q4) I am preparing for Network+ and Windows 2000 professional/server exams. After I finish these I am planning to take Microsoft Architecture exam. Am I on the right path? (From Rashid Farah) 

ANS) If you are referring to Microsoft Architecture exam of the MCSD program, it could be a good compliment to basic networking skills. Programmers are in big demand, always. However, keep an eye on for the latest Microsoft initiative .NET as it may affect your plans. Please refer to CertAdvisor archives below for relevant discussions on .NET. 

Share your cert-experience

How tough is it to be an MCSE without experience? Peter Shope responds to last week’s cert-experience from ‘Jay’. 

"After getting my MCSE I also struggled to get a ‘good’ job; I had a degree in life sciences, but little previous experience of working with computers. Computers were mostly a serious hobby before I chose IT as a career option and decided to go for a certificate. With no job in sight I even had to depend on my wife for support.

I got my first break when I was offered a nighttime helpdesk job, which paid $15 per hour. Though I saw it as a climb down at that time, I accepted it. I spent three months on that job and then relocated to Houston, Tx, where I found a similar job, but one that paid $25 an hour. 

After working for seven months I have been able to add significantly to my responsibilities and increase my pay a bit. I am now planning to prepare for CCNA as it would further boost my career. I have an opportunity to work with routers in my present job and who knows one day I may become a CCIE or something even better. 

From my experience I can tell: 

*Don’t be choosy about your first job. Even volunteer to work for free if you really find it difficult to get a paid job. All it takes is an experience of 6 to 12 months for your resume to start looking good. 

*Don’t wait for companies to advertise for a job. Go around and check if you can find contacts that can give you any leads. Be prepared to relocate if necessary. 

*Certifications are good. They give you a good knowledgebase about the technologies you would be working with. Anyone running down on an MCSE without experience does not know how difficult it is to get that certificate. 

If it is hard with certificates then imagine how harder it would be without them." 

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