Category Baltimization

So as you may know I will actively write about Certification related things and free exams as I find them.    What some of you might not know is that I do also send email notifications out to a number of folks I know informing them of the updates, posts, new exams, etc.

However, that’s been ad-hoc usually driven by me to inform my friends, associates and others I’ve worked with and met over the years.

On the flip-side of that (as I sometimes am delayed in posting about the exams, or emailing – vice versa)  Anyone who does want to be added to my mailing list about various things in certification.   The consideration is open for you to simply ask to receive the mailing :)

No matter what I’ll continue to send email blasts (not too often, this is as I encounter them) so it’s not spam and it’s opt-in and opt-out entirely on your own!

I already mail it out, so it’s not a problem for me to add your address to my Outlook created list :) (~250 or so people currently receive it)

So, let me know! comment here, shoot me an email, whatever :)

Good luck testing!

I’ve been insanely busy lately!

• Finished up a 10 month project.  
• Our new kitchen is in! (mostly)
• I just reloaded Vista on my laptop – good times
• Food Poisoning… on the weekend?!
• I won a Zune!

I just noticed there is a mannequin in my bedroom… WTF?

Especially – I posted several new beta exams in the Free Test Archive! Be sure to check them out!  SQL, SBS… more SQL?!

So, keep your eyes out for new and interesting things, as soon as my cycles come back I can deliver on the slew of backlog… but there’ll be mysteries of the mind… more certifications… and mannequins.. grin

Let me start off with a warning about this exam.

This test is not available everywhere, and for good reason.   It is a complicated exam which launches a Real Virtual Lab environment which is run off of a server across the Internet.

The key word there being "Internet", which this often implies not having Routing issues, connection problems, speed, latency (Lag) and other client to server remote connection issues.

Lets just say, I ran into some of those issues – And you might as well.   I went in with an expectation to potentially have some problems.  Exam launched, Click connect to visit the lab and BAM – no connection.   3 hours later of them ‘resetting the exam‘ I was then able to connect into the server.   Sadly I did not have the amount of time to fully take advantage of the exam, but I did have the opportunity to read, review and comment.

The labs are interesting, it’s a true server (help files and all) and command line and other decisions and exploitations and choices you’d make on a server host.   But beware.

I encountered all that I mentioned, lag, connection issues, delay, and a slew of other ‘technical’ issues which can happen to anyone.   Great exam for what it is worth (and I commented away based upon the content and delivery) But do approach this Pilot with an expectation that you MAY encounter issues.   Prometric CAN work them out, but the Helpdesk will likely have no idea what is going on and what to do (Hopefully this 3 hour ‘lesson’ will prepare them for the next person who takes it)

Good luck, and Good Testing!

Wow, it’s almost here! This should be cool.

NetApp Accelerate is happening February 23 – 26, 2009, at Moscone West in San Francisco, California. Participating in this educational forum will give you the tricks and techniques you can put to use immediately to address your data management concerns and challenges. Join us and learn how to make the most of your storage and data management infrastructure using the power and innovation of NetApp solutions.

The breakout sessions should be amazing!

Backup and Recovery
Compliance and Security
Data Center Infrastructure
    Ethernet and Fibre Channel SAN
    File Services
    Storage Systems and Data ONTAP
Engineering Applications and High Performance Computing (HPC)
Enterprise Applications
Manageability
Server and Desktop Virtualization

I plan to be there if I can attend (present). :)

(edit) Oh yea – and Bare Naked Ladies will be playing at Accelerate!

Well, if you recall the last time I took a test, I reported it was "Amazing", though I cannot declare the same feelings for this particular exam.

On the surface, there was nothing wrong with this exam, yet in the same gesture there was also nothing right about it.  I’m not judging the content as it was delivered free of most complaints I typically comment about on exams.    No, this was something different, something else.   The kind of something only that of an infrastructure, architectural geek wouldn’t get.

Two weeks in the trenches working with EBS and this particular exam will be a godsend to you.  You’ll be prepared, ready and set to deliver.   The same could be said though of someone who has never touched anything else outside of EBS.

But opening the doorway to SBS, if you’ve ever touched a "real server", and happen to be a command line guy, you’ll find SBS, EBS and this particular exam to be considerably frustrating.  Now don’t get me wrong! I’m not knocking EBS, or SBS.  I’m just letting you know, if you’re not that guy, this is not the test for you.

Know your product, know the in’s, the out’s and you’ll do fine.   But this is not an exam to think outside the box.

 You’ve been warned!