Meet The Experts: Arnoud Roth

This week's featured expert is Arnoud Roth from Zwolle, Netherlands. Arnoud has multiple Oracle certifications including Oracle 10gR2 Database Administrator OCP, Oracle 10gR2 RAC OCE and Oracle Applications 11i Database Administrator OCP.

Please read on as Arnoud shares his certification experiences and effective habits that contributed to his spectacular success.

OCP Advisor (OCPA): Please share with us your background and professional experience.

Arnoud Roth (AR) : I started my Oracle career back in 1998 as a BaaN ERP Application Administrator. That was in the good old days of Oracle 7.3. After that I joined PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to work as an Infrastructure Consultant for Oracle E-Business Suite. This was when Release 11i had just been launched. PwC Consulting was acquired by IBM and I started working at Oracle/IBM Joint Solution Center in Montpelier, France. I have hosted several workshops there on E-Business Suite with Real Applications Cluster technology. I was involved in addressing many problem management assignments throughout the world. In the mean time, I was also involved in one of the largest E-Business Suite implementations in the world, a pan-European roll out for a very large international photo camera manufacturer. After some time I moved away from IBM, because of too much travelling. I joined AMIS Services to establish an Oracle EBS Business SBU. Recently, I took up the role of E-Business Suite Infrastructure Architect at Inter Access in the Netherlands.

OCPA: You have achieved several Oracle Certification credentials. What motivated you to achieve this spectacular success?

AR: Certification gives you a certain degree of acknowledgement. Notwithstanding the fact that experience gives more insight in what one is capable of, it can also be too much focused on certain areas. Certification gives you at least the credentials that on the areas Oracle deems necessary, you have sufficient proficiency. I took the certification exams to find out where I was in that perspective, purely based on experience.

OCPA: Based on your certification experience, what is your advice, tips, suggestions for candidates preparing for the exams?

AR: First of all, experience is essential. Furthermore, take the Oracle University Classes to get the necessary information. As far as I know, there is no self-study material for Oracle E-Business Suite certification. Internet and especially the forums on oracle.com are a goldmine for information.

OCPA: Oracle is constantly releasing new versions and technologies. How do you keep updated with the changes and upgrade your skills?

AR: When new certifications become available, I immediately try them out when I get the chance. There is however a risk to this: Experience will only grow into the areas that you encounter on the job as I mentioned in my reply to your second question. I also try to get proper training or self-study guides.

OCPA: Which Oracle technologies excite you most? What's your advice to Application DBAs for adopting these?

AR: Real Applications Cluster, Dataguard and SOA Suite technology (Application Server). How to adopt? Well, that depends on what you want to do with it, but most of these can be explored using Virtual Machine (VM) technology. This way it is easy to get acquainted with the technology. There is tons of information available on the Internet on how to setup these kind of virtualized environments. Get yourself some tutorials from OTN and start off!

OCPA: How different is the R12 Application DBA exam from the 11i exam?

AR: It has been years ago since I took the 11i exams. The main difference in the exams comes from the difference in technology stack in R12 as compared to 11i. Sounds like an open door? Well, it is, but it is true. If you know the differences between 11i and R12 you will most likely succeed.

OCPA: You are also a very popular presenter at Oracle conferences. Please tell us about your next conference presentation.

AR: I will be presenting at COLLABORATE09 conference in Orlando, FL in May, 2009. I will be doing a case study on a project that I contributed to as DBA/Technical Architect. The project comprised of the implementation of Oracle E-Business Suite 11i and SOA integration using Oracle BPEL). The presentation is entitled: Mixing E-Business Suite and Pleasure. The white paper explains the project from a DBA’s perspective. I’ll be presenting the case study, the solution, architecture, and issues and challenges we came across during the implementation, and of course the lessons learned. (Editor's Note: It would be a great opportunity to meet many featured experts and OCP Advisor at COLLABORATE09 as many are attending and presenting at the conference)

OCPA: Can you please let us know the habits that have contributed most to your professional success?

AR: This is the credo I live by: C-O-U-R-A-G-E
Creative – Without this habit, somewhere along the line you will get stuck. You absolutely need this habit in order to be successful.
Openness – Be open in what you know and what you do not know; that is what makes a true professional.
Usefulness – Make sure that what you do is appreciated.
Realistic – Be realistic in managing expectations, in everything you do. Do not set too high goals for yourself, because someone will have to pay sometime.
Adoptive – Make sure that you know what is going on in your area of expertise. Try new things and see where you can use them.
Generous – Do not be afraid to share your knowledge.
Eagerness – Be determined to reach your goals.
COURAGE turns out to be very useful indeed everyday. Courage to face the customer, courage to aspire, courage to admit mistakes, to reflect, to say no, to say yes, the list goes on and on. Courage may be the most important habit of all.