OCM: Oracle Database 10g Administrator Certified Master Exam Guide 1st Edition

Author: NILESH KAKKADTitle: OCM: Oracle Database 10g Administrator Certified Master Exam GuidePublisher: Prudent Solutions LLC; 1ST edition (2011)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 0615481930ISBN-13: 978-0615481937Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.8 inchesShipping Weight: 2.9 poundsPaperback: 463 pagesFor over 10 years I have been working with products from Oracle company. Over many years of my career, I learned a lot about new features and best practices, as a result of training and preparation for certification in different areas - on Linux, database administration, cluster and database security. The highest level of award for the DBA is a master's degree. Before Mr. Nilesh Kakkad writes the book, there was no one source of information on practical exercises, which would contribute to the training and Oracle Certified Master exam preparation. Now it is also possible from a technical perspective to build virtual server infrastructure on small laptops for testing purposes and exemine new product features. The author of the book shows how to create a training environment and pass through all exercises so that you may encounter during the exam. The value of this book is that it guides the reader wishing to gain practical skills in various areas, ranging from simple database server configurations to complex systems, built using maximum availability architectures, based on Real Application Clusters and Data Guard. Examples from the book is consistent, I checked them on my test environment, they are available and considered, it confirms the fact that the author himself has been certified as master, and confidently writes solutions on topics, that he had implemented in practice. The book is well structured and performs its basic function - to guide the reader to the practical exercises of the exam topics. General comments on the contents of the book: Each chapter contains many practical exercises and a lot of screenshots. Sometimes the size and number of them superior rational usage - they take up much space on the pages that could be filled with priceless comments from the author, allowing to understand examples. In the study of the book, before execution of tasks, you should be familiar with the theoretical part of material from the Oracle documentation set, it is noted in the book. Fast orientation in diverse documents will save time searching for relevant information during the exam. A master's degree implies the existence of at least 3 - 4 years of professional expirience with enterprise level systems based on Oracle products. The author does not take into account this factor and in the chapters paid much attention to topics that are elementary and not difficult. However, novice administrators will find this book very usefulI expected to read more info about how to real exam is proceeds, success factors, what should I pay attention to in each exam session. However, realizing that there is a non-disclosure agreement, details of the exam formal part can be read at Oracle website.Overview of the contents by chapters:The first chapter is fundamental, it describes the creation of test servers, on which will be based all practical exercises in subsequent chapters. Here is considered VMWare server installation on the workstation and Linux server set up: ocm - server for single database, oem, oms - environment for the Oracle Enterprise Manager, crs1, crs2 - for the Real Application Cluster, crsdg1, crsdg2 - for Data Guard.In the chapter Server Configuration" there is no information on the exam topics "Stripe data files across multiple physical devices and locations ", as well as "Configure the database environment to support optimal data access performance". There are small misstypes in the text, as on page 75 in bold we meet 'netngr' instead of netmgr.The chapter Enterprise Manager Grid Control" contains comprehensive information on the proposed topics. I would add a demonstration of the transition from grid control to db console, which is important part, if we faced problems with Grid Control installation, which was noted in the introduction of book in part "How to prepare to the OCM exam and use this exam Guide".Chapter "Managing Database Availability" contains all the information needed and does not require additional refinement.Chapters "Data Management " , "Data Warehouse Management" , "Performance Management" is incomplete, as I could not find very important practical exercises on parallel execution of SQL queries, usage of data import/export using utility data pump, creating session contexts.Readers can feel that the author had extensive experience in implementing complex, large systems using the Real Application Clusters and the Data Guard. This proves the completeness of the chapters on the topics about RAC and Data Guard.The first book edition was a big step in the preparation of high qualified oracle database specialists. However, there is great potential for improvement. I recommend reducing the number and size of screenshots and add valuable comments from the author expirience to clearify each practice background. There could be more examples and practical exercises to build skills in linux troubleshooting, memory segment management and oracle process hung situations.Despite its flaws, the book helps to master the skills needed to pass exercises and properly prepare for the exam. The recommendations in this book greatly helped me to save time and concentrate on those sections that were important for achiving my goals.I hope my comments helps to improve the content of subsequent book editions. I would like to take this opportunity to say thanks to the author for his contribution in this work and send him best wishes!Best Regards,Andrejs KaulinsSenior Oracle DBAABLV BankLatvia, Riga

When I first saw this book, I could not believe something like that could even exist. Then I downloaded the demo PDF and started to read it. My surprise was that I never saw anything with so rich content being sell by books over the internet. Before this book I had no intention to study to pass on a OCM Exam. Now, I'm studying for OCM Exam and I'm confident to schedule my exam in six months. For sure when the next Edition be available (for 11g r2), I'll buy it either.

This is an exceptional book to use to prepare for the 10g OCM 2 day hands on test.Unfortunately the test expires March 1st, 2015.However, I would highly recommend this book.I have been studying on and off for years for this exam.

Most exam points are in this book, but not all of them.This book is expensive, not very worth to own.

I believe this book really helpful for OCM certification. And Author did the great hard work to publish this book.

Hi - For all Oracle DBA's and wannbe DBA's - this is a one stop Oracle (Oracle RAC + Data Guard) manual. Does not matter if you're preparing for OCM or not.Believe it or not, I'd purchased a laptop with exactly the same configuration as required by this book - in 2010 - for the exact same reason. Do have another 200+GB just incase you want to have more backups of the systems. I'm writing this review because am glad I found this book and it matches exactly the live production system at my work place (higher Oracle version though) but not on VM. Am using the system/s built from this to Upgrade to 11gR2 (RAC+Data Guard) instead of theorizing and attending seminars (webinars) on upgrade. Live upgrade is different, performance wise (little surprises), but the steps learnt will be invaluable.OCM: Oracle Database 10g Administrator Certified Master Exam Guide has now become my `bedside' manual. It's with me all the time (well most of the time!). Thanks to Mr. Nilesh Kakkad for posting that precious little item on LinkedIn Oracle group not to mention this excellent work produced by him.BTW - I got it for the earlier price not the now discounted price :DFirst few chapters of the book are basically the server configuration and installation - which you've to be patient in setting up. Make no mistakes here. I spent more time here. You've to do a lot of typing as well. (a downloadable txt/PDF would have been time saving for these setup part - Ms.Pinki Gadhia confirmed that there was no downloadable PDF). But I suppose it's mainly because - I do, I know - thing. It makes you refresh your memory if you've set them up before. All the steps are clearly laid out - not there's not much room for many mistakes.Once you've set up all the 7 machines up and running, you're all set. BTW all the packages required for the installation/guide is listed on the website, so that you can have them ready by the time the book arrives.For me OEM is OK, as we all are setting up OEM (Oracle 10gr2DB) fairly regularly, thanks to VM servers/Workstations!Who would not love to work with RMAN and the different recovery cases? Try using this setup to do a recovery from RAC Failover.Flashing back tables is fairly simple (also the records). Flashback database is a good exercise.VPD, Data Pump and Transportable tablespace is good to refresh your skills and to test some unique cases from live system. Am sure managing undo tablespace and partition is a frequently required duty.Would have liked to see more of DW info in the manual - has been restricted to couple of knowledge areas only (- related to the OCM Exam objectives?)If someone wants to know more about the installation and working of the statspack, Performance Management is an excellent chapter. AWR, ADDR & ASH again generates required reports to perform analysis regarding performance and near-real-time performance monitoring.The main reason I've acquired this book is for the last two chapters - RAC and Data Guard. One can fully appreciate the importance of this book if one is really working with this kind of environment (RAC, Data Guard, ASM, Voting disk, OCR, srvctl, dgmgrl...) or would like to learn more about them. As mentioned earlier, am working on RAC+DG environment and am making maximum use of this setup to test different changes/scenarios and their affects on the system.Looking forward to the Oracle 11g Guide.Cheers

This is an excellent exam guide for Oracle Certified Master Exam!The OCM: Oracle Database 10g Administrator Certified Master Exam Guide (Oracle Database 10g DBA Practical Handbook) exam covers several topics that are not covered in none book that I have saw yet. It is for that reason that I purchased this book to use as a study guide for the Oracle Certified Master exam.The book have screenshots of lab configuration step-by-step and was written in a clear language to be understood.The book have several examples and exercises to be practiced by candidate to be prepared for the exam and I sure that I will be well prepared to exam using this guide as reference and complementing my experience as Oracle DBA.