I looked at other possible certifications. I see oracle offers both very expensive professional training (about $500 per day for a four day course to learn basic mysql), and more modestly priced certifications. For example, MySQL 5.6 Database Administrator is $245 and covers what looks like very basic options. I don’t know about deployment on windows, but the topics seem pretty rudimentary to someone who actually uses and manages mysql.

  • MySQL Architecture

    • Use MySQL client programs to interface with the MySQL Server interactively and in batch
    • Describe how MySQL uses disk and memory resources
    • List and describe key characteristics of standard MySQL storage engines including InnoDB, NDB, MyISAM, MEMORY, FEDERATED

  • MySQL Server Installation, Configuration and Maintenance

    • Select, deploy, start and stop MySQL using appropriate binary packages for Windows and Linux platforms
    • Configure MySQL Server deployments using options files, command-line options and server variables.
    • Identify, configure, locate and describe appropriate use cases for MySQL the error, binary, general query and slow query log.

  • MySQL Security

    • Describe appropriate steps to secure a MySQL deployment at the operating system, filesystem and network levels.
    • Create and maintain user accounts with appropriate privileges and configuration.
    • Deploy and configure MySQL Enterprise Audit

  • Diagnostic Data and Metadata Sources in MySQL

    • Configure and leverage PERFORMANCE_SCHEMA tables to identify and diagnose performance problems.
    • Obtain MySQL metadata from INFORMATION_SCHEMA tables

  • Optimizing MySQL Performance

    • Demonstrate ability to diagnose and optimize poorly-performing queries.
    • Tune MySQL Server configuration for best performance.
    • Apply best practices in optimizing schema objects
    • Demonstrate understanding of locking concepts as applied to MySQL Server and storage engines.
    • Create and utilize table PARTITIONING

  • Backups and Recovery in MySQL

    • Create and restore logical backups using mysqldump
    • Create and restore binary backups
    • Use backups for data recovery

  • High Availability Techniques for MySQL

    • Describe, configure, deploy and troubleshoot MySQL replication
    • Describe and contrast characteristics of common MySQL high availability solutions (MySQL Cluster, DRBD, Windows Failover Clustering, Solaris Cluster, OVM Template for MySQL Enterprise)

I’m not 100% convinced of the value of these certificates, I don’t know that I see either very many MySQL administrator positions, or that these certificates are listed in either the requirements or the preferred qualifications lists. I’m sure that I won’t pursue this. It’s interesting to see the list of requirements. It’s unfortunate several of these are focused on Oracle’s Enterprise MySQL product.