Since the beta is nearing it's end (last day tomorrow!), I feel relatively safe in posting my thoughts that I jotted down the night after I took the test.
A short note that the SCCM beta is out next month. Keep on eye here on MyITForum for details.
So I took the TS: Configuring Microsoft® System Center Operations Manager beta test on Friday. I found it a little disappointing, and I’ll tell you as much as I can without divulging questions or answers.
Firstly, it was strictly question – answer, your standard Microsoft exam. Some multiple choice, some select three of five, some select the right answer. No “Drag three of these five over there in the correct order”, no “Where would you click to do this”, no interactive at all. This could be simply because it was a beta test, I don’t know. But I found it a bit disappointing. I expected that since the exam is new that there would be a higher level of interactivity. Perhaps those questions are to come in the final exam.
It also lacked the dreaded "scenario" questions. Gone are the three paragraphs of garble that you have to sift through to find the two words that lead you to the "most right" answer. I didn't miss those at all.
There were many questions about restoring a dead RMS server. Be prepared to know how to do so, whether or not you have the encryption key backed up. And know the command line utilities associated with doing so.
Know how to import MOM 2005 management packs.
Know reporting and report subscriptions and publishing. This is likely the area I was least prepared for.
There were many questions around client monitoring. Know what the different client monitoring MP’s do, and what the “Business Critical” group is for.
Obviously, know what a Gateway Server is, and where it goes in a configuration where it’s needed. And know when you need it.
Know the difference between a console task and an agent task, and when each should be utilized.
The test was very straightforward, with very little I hadn’t encountered before. I relied upon real-world experience, reading all of the Microsoft documentation I could lay hands on, and watching the great MyITForumTV videos around SCOM.
It’s likely too late to sign up for the test, but if you’ve signed up and not taken it yet I wish you well.
I'm all signed up for the SCOM beta exam. Thank God for blogs and RSS (Google Reader, in particular!) or I would have missed it.
You can read more specefic info here over at Rod Trent's blog.
The last Beta I took was for Network+, a long, long time ago. I recall not studying with any great ferocity, but just reading the expectations and 'going over' what I felt were a couple of weak points.
I expect this exam to be different. It will be interesting to see if it is a "typical" Microsoft exam (mostly reading comprehension if you know the material), and how interactive it is.
I'm sure there will be a nice little NDA to sign before the exam, so I won't be able to reveal much, if anything. I'll try to post some generalities after taking it.
My study plans include mostly the Microsoft Documentation and Whitepapers, this book (which I haven't even started), and experience from our own OpsMgr deployment.