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Rating: 
Summary: Don't expect anything about RMAN
Review: 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!
Rating: 
Summary: Good exam prep
Review: Finding an error on page 3 re: an import command shook my confidence right off of the bat! It comes with a 'crib sheet' to memorize and do a brain suck on before you take the exam...pleeze don't pursue a Professional Certification this way. Buy something like Oracle Press - Couchman read it, understand it, build you biceps and be prepared for the exam and the job.
Rating:
Summary: Confusing and not up-to-date, but the questions are ok
Review: 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 !
Rating: 
Summary: A Good Resource
Review: I used this book for both Backup & Recovery and Performance Tuning, in conjunction with other reference material and STSWARE practice exams. The book was excellent for an overview that gives MOST of the framework, but you will need other material to fill in the minute details. Don't expect to buy any one book that has it all. And of course, it is more meaningful if you actually are a DBA. Worth the money.
Rating:
Summary: Why reviews are so different
Review: If you read reviews here you can be amazed how different they are. Some people put 5 stars and other just 1. Wonder why? I used this book as the only tutorial for both exams and I passed them with a good score. The book really helps you to prepare. It's pretty slim but it contains all required information. Test examples are very good and very similar to real ones. But there are some bad things. In a few places it has mistakes and some of them maybe confusing. It's not very important for exams preparation but probably it's annoying enough for some people to put 1 star. Another reason is a book structure. It's not supposed to be a general Oracle tutorial. It's just the exam cram. You can easily pass exam using this book but it's also true that you won't have complete Oracle vision in your head. I guess, some people don't like it too. But according to me it's a plus, not minus. And don't forget that these exams will be retired at August, 2000!
Rating:
Summary: Great reference, great prep for the OCP exam
Review: The book is very well organized. It's an excellent reference book and the questions on tuning resemble the actual exam questions. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: An excellent OCP exam resource!
Review: The book is well organized and the practice tests and detailed answers are very helpful. As a result of the valuable study guide, I passed the two covered OCP exams with an average of over 100 points to spare. If you are just looking for the exam answers, you will not find it here. If you are looking for an excellent study guide to help you prepare for the two exams covered by this book, buy this book. Like all OCP type books, it neither takes the place of "hands on" experience nor studying the Oracle concepts and reference manuals; however, it provides an excellent template on what to study for and also how to tackle tricky exam questions. In my humble opinion, the best OCP study book on the market!
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