7/17/2002 -- Several firsts are underway in the world of database administrator certifications.

In June, the International Association of Database Administrators announced the first vendor-neutral database certification program, Team Database.

Designed to certify cross-application skills, the tiered Team Database program will eventually offer several titles in a variety of specialty areas. The program's first exam, Industry Certification Exam, is available now for $180 (non-members) at Prometric testing centers within the U.S. Candidates who pass the exam and provide the association with proof of six months of experience in the database industry will earn the organization's Certified Database Administrator title.

In the open source area, Sweden-based MySQL AB is expected to launch the first ever certificaiton program for an open source database within the next few months.

The company will be offering two titles for its MySQL Open Source database: MySQL Core and MySQL Professional. Each will consist of one exam, priced at between $150 and $250, depending on discounts. Beta testing is currently underway.

More information on MySQL's certification program can be found here. More information on the Team Database certification can be found here. - B.N.