The computer industry has always been plagued by a lack of standard milestones by which to measure competence. Unlike the bar exam for prospective lawyers or the accounting exam for CPAs, computer professionals until recently had no way to certify their mastery of the technology that is indispensable to performing their work.
The idea of computer certification began with the Institute for the Certification of Computer Professionals (ICCP). The ICCP offered a certificate in data processing in the late 1970s, which became very popular as a measure of the knowledge of an IS professional. The Oracle certification exam evolved from the original Oracle 7 Certified DBA exam that was introduced by Oracle in 1997.

The OCP Program has created separate certification tracks covering the specific responsibilities of a range of Oracle jobs. For the DBA, the track is composed of a series of five tests developed from the content covered by courses included in the Oracle Education curriculum for DBAs.
These tests provide a thorough and comprehensive overview of all areas of Oracle technology; the DBA certification exam has a reputation for being both valid and comprehensive. Oracle certification tests are scenario based, providing an effective means to assess your hands-on competence and time-critical problem-solving skills.
To become an Oracle Certified Professional for a specific job-related track, you must successfully complete all of the specified tests.
The next lesson describes the various Oracle certifications and the knowledge required for each.