The Oracle Solaris System Administrator certification can be quite valuable even though it is not as well known as the RHCE (Red Hat Certified Engineer). However, there are some advantages of choosing the Oracle system administration path instead of Red Hat. First of all, the Oracle exam is easier since it is not a lab based exam. Those who feel they would not perform well in that setting would benefit by going with the Oracle exam. Secondly, Solaris has been around since the early 1990s and its known for high stability. That means many employers with large and complex IT environments will probably have a lot of Solaris boxes. That means high demand for sysadmin jobs that pay quite well.
Studying for the Oracle Solaris Administrator Certification
The best way to study for the exam quickly and efficiently is to take a boot-camp courses. Many schools and colleges with IT educational programs will have classes that teach Unix and Solaris. Independent courses in Unix or Linux can be quite helpful at the beginning, but it won't be possible to pass the exam without studying Solaris specific commands that are different in other flavors of Unix. The disadvantage of using a school or IT bootcamp is the cost. It can cost thousands of dollars. Those who are in formal degree programs may be able to defray some of these costs with federal financial aid. Also, keep in mind that many people are successful in getting their employer to subsidize the cost of the class and the exam.
Another way to study for the exam is to do it via independent study. Many experienced Solaris administrators will only need a short amount of review in order to pass the exam. It's also possible to study and practice with Solaris. An old Sparc-based server costs less than $200. The same is true for the x86 hardware for Solaris x86. There is no advantage to using modern hardware with regards to the certification exam.
Value of the Oracle Solaris System Admin Certification in the Job Market
Even though one may become an Oracle certified Solaris System Admin, that does not guarantee a job. Very few employers will make a hiring decision on the basis of an IT certification alone. It would be very helpful to have previous job experience in system administration, even if it is in another flavor of Unix such as Linux. Many employers are reluctant to spend scarce training dollars on new employees, especially for a person who only has "book learning" knowledge and nothing else.
The certification makes a difference is when there is a choice between two or three final job candidates. If the employer does not have the expertise to figure out who is the most technically qualified, the employer will likely choose the person who has earned the Oracle Certified Solaris System Admin certification. The same is true for almost any other IT certification as well. Because of that, it's very important for new IT professionals and IT students to get as much relevant work experience as possible.
