5/1/2002 -- On April 15, Oracle announced that it will be retiring its entry-level Oracle Certified Professional, Database Operator (OCP DBO) certification later this year.

The move is not unexpected: The DBO has being supplanted by the company's newest entry-level title, the Oracle Certified Associate, which was announced late last year.

The DBO exam, #1Z0-411, will be retired on Oct. 15. According to Oracle, those certified as DBOs by that date will retain their credential and benefits after the track has been eliminated. Even so, the company is encouraging all DBOs to pursue its 9i Associate title.

For more information about this change, click here. - B.N.