10/28/2003 -- Earlier this month Oracle released a new Oracle 9i upgrade exam for Oracle Certified Professionals, Database Administrators (OCP DBAs) certified on versions 7.3 and 8.0.

Prior to this release, the only one-exam upgrade option to 9i was for 8i DBAs.

With the new exam, "#1Z0-035: Oracle9i DBA New Features for Oracle 7.3 and Oracle 8 OCPs," 7.3 and 8.0 DBAs can now bypass the full 8i and 9i exam tracks and upgrade their certification to 9i for the price of a single Oracle exam: $125 (U.S.).

The exam is two hours long -- 30 minutes longer than the typical Oracle exam-- and features 84 questions. Candidates must answer 58 questions correctly to pass. Detailed objectives for the exam can be found here.

Oracle's other upgrade exams -- 7.3 to 8.0, 8.0 to 8i and 8i to 9i -- remain available. The company does not require candidates to upgrade their certifications when new versions come out, but provides these upgrade exams so that candidates can do so if they choose.

More information Oracle's upgrade program can be found here. -Becky Nagel