I know this is an old posting but i find myself in a position where i’m in an interesting position and would like to find out how you found the whole process of going through the OCA study and exams and then onto the OCP study and exams.

I’ve been a DBA on sql server for last couple of years and in the last 6 months have had the opportunity to get involved with oracle database administration 10G R2.

ive been on the oracle admin workshops and i’m starting to study for the OCA with the intention of going for the OCP. where i have more experience with sql server, i’m hoping i can work hard in both real workplace experience and books/transcender simulators to help achieve my OCA status asap.

i was wondering how dififcult you found passing the OCA and the time it took you to study and pass the OCA and then the time it took you to study and pass the OCP. and do you think i’m kidding myself if i think 1 years experience of Oracle DBA experience with certification is enough to get me my next DBA job hopefully in oracle technologies.

ive currently setup several VM at home, with solaris 11 & oracle 11g, windows server 2008 and oracle 10g R2 to help me study and practice best practice related exercsies that im learning in the workplace and at home.

i think i’m suffering from not being in a production DBA team at the minute, and i feel to move into my next job which will be the most crucial career move for me, i need to get some certifications behind me. obviously getting certified in sql server is probably an easier move, but easy isnt necessarily what i’m after. learning oracle is.

my background was originally as a php developer on mysql, followed by a bit of asp.net. has taken me quite a while to get to be a DBA (i studied oracle 9i portal at university 8years ago) but without real experience i couldnt get a job in oracle after university. i feel this is now my chance to do what i enjoy. all beit a lot of hard work to get there.

your thoughts would be extremely appreciated.