Meet The Experts: Featuring OCP Sabdar Syed

Every week this blog will feature a question and answer session with a globally renowned Oracle expert. Each expert will share their experiences with OCP blog readers. This week, our featured expert is Sabdar Syed from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Sabdar is an expert Oracle DBA and an Oracle Certified Professional (OCP).

OCP Advisor: Hi Sabdar, on behalf of the OCP blog readers we are delighted to have you today as our featured Oracle Expert. Please tell us something about you, your background and professional experience.

Sabdar Syed: Right after the completion of my graduation in Computer Science, I joined as a team member at Oramasters where I have started my career as a DBA. The team was lead by Rama Velpuri who is a leading expert in Oracle Backup and Recovery. Afterwards, I worked for a couple of multinational companies - iGate Global Solutions and Sierra Atlantic as an Oracle DBA and Oracle Apps DBA respectively. Later, I moved to Saudi Arabia and worked as a senior Oracle DBA at King Saud University. Presently, I am working as an Oracle Consultant for a bank in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

OCP Advisor: New Oracle technologies are being introduced every year. Which technologies excite you most? What is your advice to Oracle professionals for adopting them?

Sabdar Syed: Oracle E-Business Suite and Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) are emerging technologies that are being deployed in many organizations in this part of the world. Having only core Oracle DBA knowledge is not enough in this competitive IT world. So, I would advice interested Oracle professionals to learn these challenging technologies like Oracle E-Business Suite DBA and Oracle RAC Database Administration and explore the frontiers of knowledge further.

OCP Advisor: You are an Oracle Certified Professional on multiple tracks. How do you prepare for the certification exams?

Sabdar Syed: First of all, I would like to talk about my elder brother, Syed Jaffar Hussain , who is one of the experts in Oracle Technologies. Syed Jaffar is certified on 10g/9i/8i and RAC, and also an Oracle ACE Award winner. He motivates me and guides me all the way. He is my role model for my DBA Career and for preparing and achieving Oracle certifications in Oracle 10g/9i/8i
DBA/RAC DBA/Oracle Apps DBA tracks. I am interested in keeping up-to-date with newer Oracle versions. I am continuously upgrading my skills by reading, preparing, practicing and writing the certification exams. I have recently started preparing for Oracle Database 11g upgrade certification exam.

OCP Advisor: You are a very active member on the Oracle Technology Network Certification forums. Do you think certification plays an important role in the Oracle community? What advice/tips/suggestions do you have for the certification candidates?

Sabdar Syed: Yes, I'm an active member on the Oracle Technology Network (OTN) on the Certification, Database, E-Business and RAC Forums. Of course, certification plays a vital role in the Oracle Community. However, it's all up to an individual how to value the same. I have come across many senior and experienced DBAs those who are not certified. In my opinion, having both the experience and certification is the ideal combination and adds value to one's career. I would advice Oracle certification candidates to prepare using Oracle Student Guides and ILT Materials as well as Oracle documentations. The practice tests available from third party providers such as Self Test Software are also effective. This combination has proved very handy in achieving my certifications.

OCP Advisor: Your blog is one of the most popular Oracle blogs. Please tell our blog readers what topics do you discuss on your blog?

Sabdar Syed: Thanks for my blog viewers who have made my blog very popular. In my blog, I discuss topics such as issues that I faced and resolved. Also I discuss topics that I have read and tested or implemented, and those I think would useful to my blog readers.

OCP Advisor: Can you please let us know one habit that has contributed most to your professional success?

Sabdar Syed: Learn the concepts and then practice test and implement them. One big secret I want divulge is this: Never hesitate in sharing your knowledge. You never know what further insights you will gain from the feedback of others.

OCP Advisor: Thanks Sabdar for taking time out from your busy schedule and chatting with our blog readers. Wish you continued success and acclaim in the coming years!

Sabdar Syed: You are welcome. Best of luck to all OCP Blog readers. Thank you all!

Update: Read Sabdar Syed's blog post on books, guides and training materials used for OCA/ OCP / OCE exams