INTRODUCTION

If you’re reading this book, you’re well on your way to Oracle certification—one of the hottest certifications available for Oracle database professionals. You can achieve several certification tracks and three levels of certification: the Oracle Certified Associate (OCA), Oracle Certified Professional (OCP), and Oracle Certified Master (OCM).

To earn the OCA, you’ve taken two exams so far and possibly some instructor-led or online courses. The next step, the OCP, requires one instructor-led or online course plus exam 1Z0-053: Oracle Database 11g Administration II. This book covers all the requirements for 1Z0-053 and can be an invaluable supplement to the instructor-led training. The exam questions that appear at the end of each chapter mirror the actual exam's questions, and a free practice exam is available for download. After you’ve read this book cover to cover, tried out all of the examples and exercises throughout the book, and passed the included exams, you are another step closer to passing exam 1Z0-053 and obtaining your OCP credential. Oracle Certified Professionals are among the best paid in the IT industry, more than Microsoft-, Sun-, and Cisco-certified professionals. Good luck with your certification journey!

In This Book

This book is organized to serve as an in-depth review for the Oracle Database 11g Administration II exam for professionals who are already certified as OCAs. Each chapter covers a major aspect of the exam, with an emphasis on the why as well as the how to. All the objectives on the exam are carefully covered in the book.

Downloads

For more information about the material available for download, please see the appendix “About the Download”.

Exam Readiness Checklist

At the end of this introduction you will find an “Exam Readiness Checklist.” This table allows you to cross-reference the official exam objectives with the objectives as they are presented and covered in this book. The checklist also allows you to gauge your level of expertise on each objective at the outset of your studies, in order to help you check your progress and make sure you spend the time you need on more difficult or unfamiliar sections. References are provided for each objective exactly as the vendor presents them, along with the section of the study guide that covers that objective and a chapter and page reference.

In Every Chapter

A set of chapter components call your attention to important items, reinforce important points, and provide helpful exam-taking hints. Take a look at what you’ll find in every chapter:

Every chapter begins with Certification Objectives—what you need to know to pass the section on the exam dealing with the chapter topic. The objective headings identify the objectives within the chapter, so you’ll always know an objective when you see it!

Exam Watch notes call attention to information about, and potential pitfalls in, the exam. These helpful hints are written by authors who have taken the exams and received their certification—who better to tell you what to worry about? They know what you’re about to go through!

Step-by-Step Exercises are interspersed throughout the chapters. These are typically designed as hands-on exercises that allow you to get a feel for the real-world experience you need in order to pass the exams. They help you master skills that are likely to be an area of focus on the exam. Don’t just read through the exercises; they are hands-on practice that you should be comfortable completing. Learning by doing is an effective way to increase your competency with a product.

On the Job notes describe the issues that come up most often in real-world settings. They provide a valuable perspective on certification- and product-related topics. They point out common mistakes and address questions that have arisen from on-the-job discussions and experience.

The Certification Summary offers a succinct review of the chapter and a restatement of salient points regarding the exam.

The Two-Minute Drill at the end of every chapter shows a checklist of the main points of the chapter. It can be used for last-minute review.

The Self Test offers questions similar to those found on the certification exams. The answers to these questions, as well as explanations of the answers, can be found at the end of each chapter. By taking the Self Test after completing each chapter, you’ll reinforce what you’ve learned from that chapter while becoming familiar with the structure of the exam questions.

Some Pointers

After you’ve finished reading this book, set aside some time for a thorough review. You might want to return to the book several times and make use of all the methods it offers for reviewing the material:

1. Reread all the Two-Minute Drills or have someone quiz you. You also can use the drills for a quick cram before the exam. You might want to make some flash cards out of 3-by-5 index cards with Two-Minute Drill material on them.

2. Reread all the Exam Watch notes. Remember that these notes are written by authors who have already passed the exam. They know what you should expect—and what you should be on the lookout for.

3. Retake the Self Tests. Taking the tests right after you’ve read the chapter is a good idea, because the questions help reinforce what you’ve just learned. However, an even better idea is to go back later and consider all the questions in the book in one sitting. Pretend that you’re taking the live exam. When you go through the questions the first time, you should mark your answers on a separate piece of paper. That way, you can run through the questions as many times as you need to until you feel comfortable with the material.

4. Complete the Exercises. Did you do the exercises when you read through each chapter? If not, do them! These exercises are designed to cover exam topics, and there’s no better way to get to know this material than by practicing. Be sure you understand why you are performing each step in each exercise. If you are not clear on some particular item, reread that section in the chapter.

Exam 1Z0-053