SQL VS ORACLE

[the_beast]

what is the difference. if you know SQL, can your technical abilities be applied to oracle. i keep looking up jobs and oracle seems to be more in demand than sql.

does the MCDBA progamming as detailed as C++/JAVA etc?

[greenbrucelee]

Originally Posted by the_beast

what is the difference. if you know SQL, can your technical abilities be applied to oracle. i keep looking up jobs and oracle seems to be more in demand than sql.

does the MCDBA progamming as detailed as C++/JAVA etc?

When I last looked a long time ago Oracle and SQL were used in conjuction with each other.

Oracle is the database programme and SQL is used to create queries etc within the database.

I doubt that you need to know C++ for a MCDBA as its a programming language, SQL and Oracle are databases/languages

[ajs1976]

I'm not a DBA, but from my understanding SQL is a database language. Vendors make server that run databases that use the language. ex MS SQL, MySQL, Pervasive SQL. I believe oracle also uses SQL.

[BosonMichael]

The language is slightly different with each SQL implementation, but the basics are the same.

[Gaz 45]

What Boson said

Oracle = the software (like MS SQL Server)
SQL = the language. Oracle uses PL\SQL, MS uses T-SQL.

They're just variations on the ANSI SQL standard, if you know one to a decent level you'd be able to pick up the other very quickly (like in a matter of days).

[hbroomhall]

I assumed that by SQL the OP meant SQLserver.

As others have said, nearly all relational databases use SQL as their query language. Many tend to modify and extend the language, so you would need to know the variations.

AFAIK PL/SQL is the language used for stored procedures in Oracle, which isn't quite the same thing as the query language.

I believe that T-SQL is the Microsoft equivalent.

Harry.

[harpistic]

I trained in Oracle, never got work using it, and have used SQL Server since. The Beast seems to be asking specifically about SQL Server / Oracle....

As Harry said, PL/SQL is the standard for Oracle (there's some fiddly SQL+ as well). As with all the variants of SQL (Access, MySQL, SQL Server etc), there are differences in structure and syntax which you could get your head around in a bit of time.

Problem is, a) the Oracle jobs all require prior experience and b) you have to go through recruitment agents. Partly why Oracle is so desirable is that the only real way to get there is through training and commercial experience. Then, try convincing a recruitment agent that x years' SQL Server experience does constitute x years' Oracle experience... !

So, I'd disagree, based on experience. Maybe for the entry-level Oracle jobs, but they really are very different animals as far as jobhunting goes - sigh.

[dmarsh]

As has already been pointed out you are mixing your metaphors a little !

what is the difference. if you know SQL, can your technical abilities be applied to oracle. i keep looking up jobs and oracle seems to be more in demand than sql.

does the MCDBA progamming as detailed as C++/JAVA etc?

SQL = Structured Query Language, does what it says on the tin...

MCDBA - Microsoft certified Database Administrator, a microsoft cert based on their SQL Server product.

Others

RDBMS :- Reltional Database Management System, name for a whole database suite
DDL - Data Definition Lanaguage, language/subset of SQL used to create, modify databases and schemas.
T-SQL - Transact SQL, Microsofts version of SQL and their extensions for stored procedures.

Most vendors implement a variation of the SQL 92 standard with some additions.

I've used Oracle and SQL Server and a few others on and off over the years, I've also been trained in both at college and commercial training. I've even tuned an Oracle database, however I don't mess with databases every day so I'd still put my chances of landing a DBA job as slim.

I'd say that in general the day to day tasks are probably simpler than C++/Java, many programmers also do all their own database work. The difference with a DBA is that their sole responsibility is the database and its support and maintenance, this includes looking at logs, setting up backups, checking indexes, truncating logs, checking table and disk space etc. Sometimes you might have to do tuning, set up a cluster or create complex queries or set up OLAP cubes, these jobs might be more demanding.

If you get certified on one SQL product it will still carry some weight on other products due to the SQL standard. Oracle has the most recognition, you'll probably more likely to land a SQL Server job though as a newcomer, or you could jump on the OS bandwagon and do a MySQL cert. Sybase is also quite popular some places, I think it uses T-SQL so you could still cert on SQL Server probably.

What is the relevance of whether it is more or less detailed than C++/Java ? Surely an interest in databases and OLTP/OLAP is more important ?

[harpistic]

To follow up - are you specifically looking at Oracle DBA or development? If you want programming, you won't want the DBA work. (Note that even the MCITP courses are distinguishing between SQL Server DBA and development).

[hbroomhall]

Note that this is an oldish thread, and the OP hasn't been on since November...

Harry.

[harpistic]

Oops! Just joined last night, and I didn't notice the date on this thread when I read it

Still, maybe it'll be useful for someone else some day... !

[Crito]

O'Reilly's "SQL in a Nutshell" does an excellent job of describing vendor specific differences in the SQL language (T-SQL vs. PL/SQL, for example). It also covers the ANSI SQL standard which is implemented (more or less) the same across all products.