12/5/2001 -- Earlier this week Oracle officially announced its 9i DBA certification program, which features a new, three-tier structure, as well as online testing and a hands-on lab component.

As we reported last week, the 9i DBA program consist of three levels: Oracle Certified Associate (OCA), Oracle Certified Professional (OCP) and Oracle Certified Master (OCM).

Oracle says that the OCA DBA program is for those with "apprentice-level" skills. To achieve this, candidates must pass two exams -- Introduction to Oracle 9i and Oracle 9i Database. The Introduction exam can be taken online through Oracle, instead of at testing center. This is the first time such an exam has been offered by this vendor.

The new 9i DBA OCP requires four exams-- the two mentioned above, plus Oracle 9i Database: Fundamentals II and Oracle 9i Database: Performance Tuning.

To become Master certified, candidates must first achieve the OCP DBA, then attend two "advanced" Oracle technology training courses. After that, candidates must pass a hands-on lab exam held in an Oracle testing environment. Full details on these lab exams have yet to be released.

For more information on Oracle's 9i certification program, click here. -B.N.