IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

As of now, I have about 6 years of work experience in IT (PT+FT). Here is the breakdown: 2 years-Computer Support Specialist, 3 years-Systems Analyst, 1 year- System Specialist (similar to Network Systems and Data Communication Analyst) and 6 months-Management Analyst.

Lately, I have been thinking about gaining a solid and recognizable skill in one specific area of IT and I was talking to few guys that I know about this idea. Majority of them suggested Linux (becoming Red Hat Certified Engineer). A few of them suggested Oracle DBA. And a couple of them suggested Business Analysis.

Which one has better value in long run? When I say value, I am talking about ease of finding job, job security, and salary?

Which skill has better future in Canada? Linux or Oracle or Business Analysis?

Thanks.

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

I guess a lot depends on where you intend to live.

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

Preferably Vancouver area, but no problem living anywhere, even Quebec.

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

I thought IT sector is big in Canada and a lot of people work in this sector and many people might have migrated to Canada based on IT skills. I guess I was wrong.

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

I don't think there's much of an IT industry in Canada. There are some computers but it's hardly California or even Slough.

Oracle DBA has been a well paid job for a long time, I suggest that it's a bit late for that now, better to look for the next fashionable database. That said, the force of history is unlikely to move away from relational database for the time being so Oracle skills will likely be portable and, anyway, the underlying structures of databases haven't really changed in the past thirty odd years.

Linux has the disadvantage of being free. Companies expect people who work on cheap implementations to work cheaply. It has the advantage that it's widely deployed, small towns will have Unix/Linux boxes.

Business analysis implies a knowledge of an industry, banking or insurance being the main computer intensive ones in Canada, if you don't know about these industries I'd suggest DBAing.

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

I don't see Oracle going out of fashion anytime soon - yes it's expensive, but it's also incredibly good at what it does....

Oracle DBA has to be the best option of the three.....

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

I don't think software being good is an important factor in its being popular but I'll bite. What is Oracle particularly good at?

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

the first commercially-available SQL-based database
the first database to support symmetric multiprocessing (SMP)
the first distributed database
the first database product tested to comply with the ANSI SQL standard
the first 64-bit database
the first web database
the first database to incorporate a native JRE
the first proprietary RDBMS to become available on Linux
the first database to support XML

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

Being the first to do something isn't the same as being good at it (I'm not going to split hairs over which of the above are true-ish). What I was wondering was what feature, if any, was being touted as the strength of Oracle today.

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

I don't think you are wrong there is a big demand for IT skills in CA not sure what skills where ? have a look at it skills under pressure in the WIKI pages

look at Dave and Jules threads/posts he is in NB but always willing to help people, also why don't you have a look at the expo show coming to Olympia in june there are lots of IT jobs there and they will advice you ? MY oh is IT we are hoping to make the move once we sell the house, good luck with it all,

there are other threads with IT on that have covered jobs esp in Kamloops and BC side ? hope that helps

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

Something slightly disturbing about this board is the way it makes NB and BC seem as if they're centres for computing. Outside of the board I don't get that impression at all.

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

There seems to be plenty of work there though also Torronto and Ottawa ?

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

Toronto, Ottawa and Quebec City are steady markets. I think the problem with locations having less employers is that while one may be able to get a job it's likely the only job in town. If it doesn't work out you then have to move to another city, that's something North Americans are used to, they'll move two states to go from burger flipper to manager of burger bar, but I don't think emigrating Brits are typically prepared to be nomadic.

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

I tend to push Oracle for very large business applications, for example our global SAP and BW environments both use Oracle databases and I would very much like to get our JDE environment onto Oracle as well but we'll need to get off the AS400 platform first :frown:

We also have a significant BI environment on SQL 2000 and quite honestly that is pretty poor. However I am now pushing through a move to SQL 2005 and 64 bit architecture which should give significant improvements. With SQL 2008 now coming through it does look like the gap between Oracle and MS SQL is closing very quickly.

MS SQL also has a much better licensing model with multi-core processors, for example I am going to use quad core on our new BI boxes and I only have to pay $20k per processor (not per core) and never have to worry about CALs. That is a big tick in the MS box.

If I had to pick any single piece of functionality to separate them, it would probably be Oracle RAC, they are doing some really nifty stuff with cheap linux boxes to provide high availability and scalability. Microsoft don't really provide anything quite as clever yet, but I have read some good stuff about HA in SQL 2008.

To be honest I think the questions in years to come will not be Oracle vs MS SQL, I think it may be these 2 (plus DB2 possibly) vs Open source, for example Enterprise DB has a very attractive cost model and supposedly is an easy migration from Oracle.

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

That's interesting. I see Oracle as a suitable database for medium sized applications, I think the largest Oracle database we support is about 8 terabytes, whereas the clients who have very large databases either use Teradata or mainframe databases; IMS or DB2. Are there Oracle database on the Winter group's big database list?

<he asked, too lazy to look for himself>

People who attempt database implementations on SQL Server/Windows make me cry. If it's a small enough application for that save yourself the hassle, buy a pencil and a Rolodex.

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

I'm too lazy too :p But we don't even hit 4Tb on any of our Oracle istallations so perhaps I was wrong to say 'very large business apps'. Our SAP system is doing ERP for 15 European countries, our BW will be doing BI for 60 countries but split across 3 databases so even that is unlikely to hit more than 4Tb for any one DB server.

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

Hi Want2Move
My OH is in IT ( Oracle DBA) and we've found that outside of Toronto and Vancouver there really isn't very much happening for IT workers. We want to move to Canada, but we don't want to move to a big city - problem! :unsure:

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

Ottawa. Not big. In Canada. Has Oracle jobs.

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

Hi dbd33
Do you have any links he could look at? He's already tried one place, who after ringing in the middle of the night to find out if he could speak English, we never heard from them again!
Thanks Elaine

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

Understand that Ottawa is a small market and being a government town it runs on bribery, corruption and the equivalent of the old school tie. One is unlikely to secure, or retain, a job there solely based on merit. Still, I know a man there and will ask. Does your husband speak French?

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

Thanks dbd33. Yes he speaks some French - we lived in Geneva for 3 years and his lab technician there didn't speak English, so they could only communicate in French!

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

Hi Coffeepot

Just wondering; where did you see those IT jobs? We plan to go to the Leeds Canada-Expo but so far I haven't seen any IT jobs being advertised on the website.

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

Will PM you just need to get the list from OH

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

Thanks everybody for replying to my post. I appreciate your and time and suggestions.

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

Great thread, being in IT myself, i'am also, looking forward to the London EXPO tomorrow,

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

• Ottawa is great for IT! Small list of techy companies here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...tawa%2C_Canada
• Government means lots of IT work always on offer.
• Even with no work permit, I got interviews and a job within four weeks when suddenly out of work back in February.
• Networking is very important. If you have no network here, at least get talking to people on the phone, perhaps at some of the smaller agencies. Get your resume out there.
• Check out monster.ca to get some indication of the huge amount of jobs going on.
• Worst case, the body shops like Robert Half always need people if you are capable.

Good luck! Happy to answer any questions from inside "Silicon Valley North"! :-)

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

Quick question :) How did you resolve this issue then? Did you have to leave Canada and apply for a Work Permit? (Which is what I understood the process to be)

I am considering just upping and moving to Alberta to stay with my Aunt and find a job then instead of trying to do it from here. I have no house to sell, no kids, no commitments - absolutely zilch to hold me back.:thumbsup:

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

If you can secure a job offer in certain categories of work there is a speedier process which does not require the longer approval process. Briefly, you need the job offer, a certain amount of experience and the necessary education to fill the requirements of the scheme. I got in as a software developer - see http://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGLIsh/work/special-tech.asp

I am no expert, the company I joined is a huge multinational and have a department who handle this kind of thing. Once they sorted the documentation and gave me instructions I just did a trip across the border and back ("round the flagpole") and got my new permit there and then. I would recommend some professional advice if you are not 100% sure what you are doing. I also have an immigration lawyer for my PR application and checked the whole thing with her - getting stranded at the border with wife and kids would have sucked!

R

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

Thanks for replying. I understand what you are saying.

I don't suppose they have and vacancies at your place do they? :p I'm a Business Analyst. I used to do Lotus Noted development back in the day, but not anymore.

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

I wouldn't be so dismissive. As far as I know, the largest database in the world runs on Oracle:
http://www.businessintelligencelowdo..._largest_.html

I wouldn't even be so dismissive of SQL Server either (although I can't vouch for it technically) it's rapidly increasing its market share - I know of Hedge Funds and other finance companies using it exclusively.

Granted, DB2 is a well respected transaction processor, widely used in the financial sector. No doubting this.

Re: IT experts, need some suggestions please
 

I don't doubt it sells but that, of course, is no measure of quality - the commerical software business is primarily about fashion. I don't think it's a suitable DBMS for anything but the smallest applications. However, if someone wants to pay us to convert them to it and again to convert them to something else, well, that's what we do; we're very much in the business of performing pointless tasks well.