Just in time to make my quarterly performance review look a little more favourable, I cleared this last exam in the DBA track in my second attempt. I was much more confident with my answers to all those questions about database recovery than in the first time round, and most of them were correct, too. Still, I prefer not to have to exercise those new skills, recovering databases is a very stressful business.

Two years ago, I would have been able to call myself an Oracle Certified Professional now. Unfortunately, Oracle has in the meantime introduced a new requirement to attend one instructor-led hands-on course. I have to find out how to do that in Japan (in English), which is probably not such big a problem as the class can also be attended online somehow, and if there is a budget for me to take part in this rather expensive event.