FAQ

1. All our curriculum is developed & constructed aligned to real life IT job roles.

Answer: All our curriculum is developed & constructed aligned to real life IT job roles.

2. Delivery by an extensive network of industry leading expert instructors.

Answer: Delivery by an extensive network of industry leading expert instructors.

3. Brontech Solutions integrated program to enable extensive career progression.

Answer: Brontech Solutions integrated program to enable extensive career progression.

4. What are the desired IT skills in the market today?

Prior to designing our training programs, we did significant market research to answer the following questions:

1. What skills are the most sought after by employers?
2. What skills should an entry-level UNIX, Linux or and Oracle administrator possess?
3. What is the optimum time period in which these programs should be completed?

We realized that no matter how low the economy goes, the industry could never run without some key professionals. Two of the key roles include system administrators that take care of the proper running of systems and database administrators who ensure the proper running of databases. The Industry’s Operating Systems of choices are UNIX and Linux. Oracle is the Industry’s most powerful database.

Based on these results we came up with our UNIX System Administration, Linux System Administration and Oracle Database Administration career track programs.

5. How important are the roles of a UNIX or Linux System Administrator and an Oracle DBA for the success of a company?

The UNIX and Linux system administrators hold a position of great responsibility. If you screw up, you bring the entire company to its knees or at the very least cause significant work outage.

The world’s most powerful database today is Oracle. Databases cannot administer themselves. They require periodic maintenance to give proper performance to the end user. An Oracle DBA holds a vital position in a company. Unavailability of the database causes all transactions to stop immediately.

For these reasons companies are not always keen on hiring someone who just completed a crash course in UNIX System Admin, Linux System Admin or Oracle DBA. In situations like these you have to convince the employer that you are the right person for the job even though you have no experience. But just saying that you are good is not enough. You will have to back up your claim with facts.

6. What type of training do I need to launch myself in these careers?

Here are a few things that you can do to improve your chances of landing that first job.

• UNIX and Linux System Admin are multidisciplinary fields. If you know only basic UNIX or Linux commands and nothing else, you are in trouble. A sys admin is required to have a reasonably good understanding of the hardware and the applications that run on that platform and particularly network related issues. It is for this reason that our UNIX and Linux career track programs also includes hardware and network training. Solaris has the largest market share and it is the most popular flavor of UNIX in the market. Red Hat is the most popular version of Linux in the market. Famsoft provides UNIX training on Solaris platforms and also exposes the students to the AIX platform we have in house. Linux training is provided on our IBM system p5 and Dell Core-2 systems. Our UNIX and Linux training programs will significantly enhance your marketability.

• Oracle Database administrators need to know a lot more than what is taught in some of the crash courses today. You cannot expect to retain the information that you gained in 14 days, and apply it to the workplace. Oracle database administrators need to be very comfortable with UNIX or Linux commands because a great majority of Oracle databases today run on UNIX and Linux platforms. The daily activities of an administrator require a lot of in depth knowledge and practice. Our course is very intensive and is designed to include an Introduction to UNIX. We provide Oracle training primarily on UNIX and Linux platforms with some exposure to Windows NT platforms.

• In the absence of experience, certification is the next best indicator of one’s competency. As an entry-level applicant you have nothing to vouch for your competency except for the certifications. SUN Certification, Red Hat Certification and Oracle Certification are valuable, industry-recognized credentials that signify a proven level of knowledge and skill. When applying for a job, being a certified admin creates a great impression on the employer. You will not find many certified UNIX administrators, Linux administrators or Oracle database administrators that are unemployed.

7. Why should I take these courses at Brontech Solutions when they are also being offered at other training centers?

• Some community colleges may occasionally offer an Introduction toUNIX or Linux courses and Introduction to Oracle DBA courses but these are not intensive and detailed compared to our program.

• Many institutes offering these courses are not approved or regulated by the State. Famsoft is approved by the BPPE as an institution to provide educational services in the areas of Oracle DBA, UNIX System Administration, Linux System Administration, Oracle Developer, Network Systems Management and Information Security Management. Approval to operate by BPPE means compliance with California state standards as set forth in the Ed. Code.

• Some vocational institutes are also offering these courses but they are not as intensive as our program. They usually offer crash courses that are completed in a very short amount of time. These courses are not as detailed as our career tracks and it is impossible to assimilate all the important facts in the short time given.

• The only other place that you can get quality training in all the modules that we teach is from the vendors themselves. These vendors charge an average of about $500 per day of training. That is $500 for 8 hours of training, two of which is spent on lunch and breaks. So essentially you are paying $500 for 6 hours of training. In addition, vendor training is accelerated and most vendors do not allow free repeats of the course.

8. What are some of the benefits of getting trained at Brontech solutions?

• Famsoft’s Oracle DBA track program is a career builder for Oracle database administrators. Likewise, the UNIX and Linux career-training programs are a career-training program is a career builder for UNIX and Linux System Administrators. These training programs are some of the most comprehensive, structured and in-depth training programs available in the market. They cover a wide spectrum of administration skills. The programs are not taught as a crash course. Each track has 120 hrs of Instructor led training and over 500 hours of lab time taught over 3 months. This gives the student sufficient time to learn and absorb the material.

• Our instructors have real world experience having worked at various clients as senior UNIX and Linux system administrators and senior Oracle database administrators. Famsoft has over 6 years of experience in project management and software consulting. We have worked on various projects across several vertical markets for our clients. Our projects have included UNIX system administration, Linux system administration, Oracle database administration, upgrades, new installations, legacy conversions and the like.

• Students are provided instructor led lab time from 10 am to 10 PM on weekdays and on Saturdays. They are encouraged to come in and practice anytime within the window of these hours. Our labs are comfortable, user friendly and immediately put the students at ease. Should the students need any assistance during the lab practice time, we have technical staff onsite, ready to help.

• Our course material is clear, concise and to the point. We have made it very easy to understand for the benefit of the students. The handouts include a number of exercises after each lesson that the students are encouraged to work on.

• In addition to the class notes, we have an in house library of relevant books for the students. These can be referenced in the quiet study room in our training center or borrowed for detailed study at home.

• Students are given individual attention, as the size of the classes is kept small. We carefully monitor the progress of each student by testing at various stages of the program. The test results enable us to view the areas where a particular student needs extra attention. Instructors are available to help students on a one on one basis, should that be required. At the end of the program we ensure that graduating students have all the knowledge and skills needed to work successfully in the careers of their choice.

• Our UNIX, Linux and Oracle training programs prepare the students for Certification exams, Sun Certified Solaris Systems Administrator, Red Hat Certified Engineer and Oracle Certified Professional respectively. Certification Programs helps the IT industry by establishing a standard of competence in specific job roles. SUN Certification, Red Hat Certification and Oracle Certification are valuable, industry-recognized credentials that signify a proven level of knowledge and skill. An OCP Certification demonstrates that you have a solid understanding of a job role and the Oracle products used in that role. Being a Certified Professional can help raise your visibility and increase your access to the industry’s most challenging opportunities. You will not find many certified UNIX administrators, Linux administrators and Oracle database administrators that are unemployed.

• Towards the end of the course, Famsoft prepares students for interviews. The demand for professionals in IT is high and the competition for jobs is intense. We help students in resume formatting and prepare them for interviews for various jobs, as they need it.

• Famsoft offers free repeat sessions for courses taken within a one-year period provided the classes are not full.

• While other organizations charge around $9,000 just for UNIX certification courses, Linux certification courses and Oracle certification courses, our program is more cost effective and intensive. We charge half of what most organizations are charging without compromising on the quality.

• We offer convenient morning/ evening schedules that the student can choose from.

9. What are the Student Services offered by Brontech Solutions?

Famsoft is committed to promoting access to education.  Our programs provide information, counseling, and administrative assistance for students seeking to finance a postsecondary education.

• Career counseling: Famsoft has career counselors that meet with students, understand their background and goals for the future and recommend career tracks. Our counselors are engineers and are working consultants.

• Installment payment option:  For students who cannot afford to make the complete payment at one time, Famsoft extends the installment payment option.

• Individual attention: Instructors are available to help students on a one on one basis, should that be required. At the end of the program we ensure that graduating students have all the knowledge and skills needed to work successfully in the careers of their choice.

• Instructor-led lab time: Students are provided instructor led lab time from 10 am to 10 PM on weekdays and on Saturdays. They are encouraged to come in and practice anytime within the window of these hours. Our labs are comfortable, user friendly and immediately put the students at ease. Should the students need any assistance during the lab practice time, we have technical staff onsite, ready to help.

• Interview preparation assistance: Towards the end of the course, Famsoft provides interview preparation assistance to students to obtain employment in the job title to which the course is represented to lead.

• Job Placement Assistance: Famsoft has over 6 years of experience in project management and software consulting. We have worked on various projects across several vertical markets for our clients. Our projects have included UNIX system administration, Linux system administration and Oracle database administration, upgrades, new installations, legacy conversions and the like. We regularly check with our clients regarding open job requirements and submit resumes of our students wherever applicable.

• Preparation for Certification Exams: Our instructors prepare interested  students for Certification exams, Sun Certified Solaris Systems Administrator, Red Hat Linux System Admin and Oracle Certified Professional.Certification Programs helps the IT industry by establishing a standard of competence in specific job roles.

• Free repeat sessions: Famsoft offers free repeat sessions for courses taken within a one-year period provided the classes are not full.

10. Why your Company Needs to Start Using Remote DBA Services ?

In this day and age, information is money, especially in a business setting. A database is one of the most valuable assets that any company could have. The most challenging part, however, is that whenever databases are a concern, most companies find it difficult to trust an outside provider or vendor. However, what most of these companies don’t know is that they need remote DBA services to ensure that their database stays valuable to the company.

11. Wondering why you can’t afford not to use remote DBA services?

Firstly, you will have access to experienced and professional remote DBA expertsfor less, owing to the fact that DBA services are not always equal, you might be in need of someone who can do a routine maintenance. However, it is important that you bring in a professional DBA expert because at the end of the day your company will need a professional’s point of view.

If you hire someone with experience, you end up getting good value for your money. Fortunately, remote DBA services will give you access to different experts with different range of skills. In fact, you will get a team of professionals who can handle any database and computer system problems you might have using a remote support software solution.

Secondly, you will not pay for what you do not need –do you feel that you have been spending more money on your database administrator? Are you paying for 50 hour a week when what your company needs is a 30 hour a week services? Worry not! All you need is a flexible solution that can match up to your administrative requirements.

Basically, you need to hire remote DBA services for your precise level of needs. Do not waste money on in-house employees when you can actually spend less by outsourcing DBA services.

Thirdly, you will get 24/7 access. Ever had your database malfunction at midnight? If yes, then obviously you know how frustrating that can be. Well, to ensure that your database is in check 24/7, you must add a remote DBA to your system. Good news is that remote DBA services are available 24 hours a day; every single day of the year. This means that your database is always supported no matter what. Without ignoring the fact that internal DBA is quite expensive, most companies opt to go for the outsourced DBA services.

12. What are the responsibilities and requirements of a database administrator ?

First things first, what is a database administrator? A database administrator (DBA) is principally responsible for the integrity of a company’s database. DBAs entail implementing the database to ensure that it functions properly, and frequently modifying the database for simplicity of use and full productivity of the company. Additionally, the database administrator is also in charge of training eligible staffs on how to access and apply the database. By so doing, the employees will be in a better position to perform their duties as expected.

A great majority of database administrators are trained to repair any problems within the database and ensure that the data stored remains consistent and well defined. Moreover, it is also the duty of these database administrators to provide security for the system software and also ensure that the backup data can be retrieved in case of emergency. However, the roles of a database administrator are strictly depended on how big the esteemed company is.

What’s more, the typical responsibilities of a professional database administrator also include the following:

• Closely monitoring the database performance
• Deciding the various needs of the database users
• Keeping tabs on user access
• Cultivating the database to meet both user need and physical storage requirements
• Developing and monitoring backup systems
• Installing new system applications
• Evaluating a company’s needs and setting up the ideal database
• Enabling the sharing of data recorded in the database
• Recommending the best technologies to update the database

Depending on your organization, company or business, some of the above mentioned roles may be related to those of Database designers, Database developers and managers. Therefore, database administrators are expected to interact with other staffs including Network technicians and administrators. This is because the network administrators and technicians are best placed to assist the database administrators with not only setting up but also running the database.

In addition, a graduate in computer science can also help a database administrator attain what is needed. Therefore, as some companies seek to hire only certified administrators; other companies require a combination of skills from computer science experts, database experts and networking experts. Therefore, if you are interested in taking a similar career path, ensure that you familiarize yourself with the current software and position yourself with professionals within your area of interest.