Re-certification for new DB2 Versions

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rhino - 23 Dec 2007 19:12 GMT

Am I correct in assuming that it is NOT normal practice to repeat all the
certification exams for the new DB2 version when a new DB2 version comes
out?

Let's say I took exams 700 and 701 and passed, which give me Associate and
DBA certifications for Version 8 of DB2. I seem to recall seeing a special
certification exam for each version of DB2 that was called, in effect,
"What's New in the This Version of DB2". (I can't recall the exact name and
I'm in a rush right now so I don't have the time to look it up.) Would I be
right in assuming that the normal practice would simply be to take that
"What's New" certification at the new level, Version 9 for example, and NOT
repeat the Associate and DBA certifications at Version 9?

Or is that merely the intent that the creators of the certification exams
had? In the real world where companies are scrutinizing applicants for jobs
very carefully, will Version 8 Associate and DBA certifications, plus a
Version 9 "What's New" certification be treated equivalently to Version 9
Associate and DBA certifications? Or would the Version 8 Associate and DBA
certifications be fine by themselves WITHOUT the Version 9 "What's New"
certification? After all, there doesn't seem to be all that much new in
Version 9.

I'm trying to figure out if it would be better career-wise to have Version 9
Associate and DBA certifications or whether Version 8 Associate and DBA
certifications, with or without "What's New in DB2 V9", would be perfectly
adequate for most employers.

--

Rhino

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Mark A - 23 Dec 2007 23:24 GMT

> Am I correct in assuming that it is NOT normal practice to repeat all the
> certification exams for the new DB2 version when a new DB2 version comes
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> adequate for most employers.
> Rhino

I am going to have to admit that I stop reading your post about half-way
through because I was getting dizzy.

But there is a DB2 V9 upgrade exam so if you are a certified DB2 DBA in
version 8, you can take one exam to be certified as a DBA at V9 without
having to take the DB2 V9 fundamentals class. But that means a large
percentage of the questions are going to be concerning the new features of
V9 (larger percent than the regular Version 9 DBA exam).

The "What's new" is a class or a manual, not an exam. I don't recall the
name of the V9 DBA upgrade exam.

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rhino - 24 Dec 2007 06:40 GMT

>> Am I correct in assuming that it is NOT normal practice to repeat all the
>> certification exams for the new DB2 version when a new DB2 version comes
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
> I am going to have to admit that I stop reading your post about half-way
> through because I was getting dizzy.

Sorry about that; I do get a bit wordy at times....

> But there is a DB2 V9 upgrade exam so if you are a certified DB2 DBA in
> version 8, you can take one exam to be certified as a DBA at V9 without
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> The "What's new" is a class or a manual, not an exam. I don't recall the
> name of the V9 DBA upgrade exam.

The upgrade exam is the one I meant. I was just calling it "What's new"
because I couldn't think of the name and didn't have time to look it up. Bad
choice of terms I suppose because "What's New" used to be the title of the
document that came out with each version of DB2 to talk about the new
features. I didn't mean to confuse the two.

You answered my main question: someone with V8 DBA certification can get V9
DBA certification by simply taking the upgrade exam, whatever it is called,
and doesn't need to take V9 Family Fundamentals and V9 DBA. That's what I
was hoping to hear.

Of course, I'd like it even better if someone said that V8 DBA was just as
good as V9 DBA in the marketplace so that you didn't have to take the formal
certification exam for V9 at all. But maybe that's too much to hope for....

Thanks for your help, Mark!

--
Rhino

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Knut Stolze - 27 Dec 2007 10:06 GMT

> You answered my main question: someone with V8 DBA certification can get
> V9 DBA certification by simply taking the upgrade exam, whatever it is
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> formal certification exam for V9 at all. But maybe that's too much to hope
> for....

A few more pieces: If you take the upgrade exam from V8 to V9, you will be
an "official" DB2 Database Administrator (or whichever specific upgrade you
choose). However, the move to the next DB2 version requires you to take
the full certifications again. E.g. assuming that V10 comes out, you will
have to take V10 Fundamentals, V10 DBA, V10 Advanced DBA, and V10
Application Developer again - and you cannot take the upgrades. (Note: the
rules may change until the V10 certifications become available. But you
get the current idea.)

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Knut Stolze
DB2 z/OS Utilities Development
IBM Germany

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