Re: FREE! Certifications offered online to Informix Database
I have take the exam yesterday (to probe myself and curiosity).
It has 2 parts: 1st. with 24 questions about RDBMS.
The other with 40 questions about engine parameters, actual cases
analysis (i.e: onstat output pictures), performance management, etc.
You have 120 seconds to answer, with a local (javascript) timeout
implemented. No browser back button allowed.
I was informix DBA trainer and I think it's no bad.
Anyway, I have made some sugetions to Tekmetrics.
But, in general, it serves to eval a person about his/her skills as DBA.
(And it's free by now).
Only my not^H^H^H humble opinion :-)
Byte byte!
--
Mario R. Canto
mcanto@intec.unl.edu.ar
mcanto@intec.arcride.edu.ar
http://www.intec.unl.edu.ar/~mcanto
Neil Truby escribis:
>
> This is a kind offer.
>
> Did many others visit this site when they were asking for feedback? I did.
> I and a couple of other people commented upon how different the role of a
> Database Administrator as viewed by Tekmetrics differs from our own. In
> general the questions appeared to demand comprehensive knowledge of what I
> would regard as database design/relational theory and effective programming,
> at the inevitable expense of "technical" database admin.
>
> Is this a general view or a minority one? And how does the content of the
> corresponding Informix Inc. exams (which, and please correct me if I'm
> wrong, I know little about because they are pretty much an American concern)
> differ or correspond to the Tekmetrics ones?
>
> Neil
>
> ludlow1435@my-dejanews.com wrote in message
> <7f3212$oj$1@nnrp1.dejanews.com>...
> >Dear Informix Database Administrator,
> >
> >Through April, TekMetrics has extended its free service of Informix
> >certifications conducted through it's internet-based CAT engine. Simply go
> >to http://www.tekmetrics.com/cert/certtop.html to order your free
> >certification. You can either elect to take the test right away, or come
> >back later, using the PIN you are provided when you order.
> >
> >To qualify as a Certified Informix Database Administrator, you must pass
> the
> >examination with
> >a score of 2.75 or higher. To be certified as a Master Informix Database
> >Administrator, you
> >must obtain a score of 4.00 or higher. At the end of the test, your score
> >will be provided (with a scoring range of 1-5). Once certified, you can
> add
> >the logo associated with the test (standard or master logo, depending on
> how
> >well you do) to your resume or website. Furthermore, those that pass prior
> >to 4/19 will be mailed a certificate, once again, at no cost (after which
> >time their may be a nominal fee for the shipping of the certificates).
> >There's no catch. We're simply trying to prove a concept during a beta
> >trial period. Thus far, the feedback has been extremely positive!
> >
> >Why bother getting certified by TekMetrics?
> >
> >1) More and more corporations recognize TekMetrics Certifications as an
> >indication not only of the technical workers knowledge level, but also as
> an
> >indicator that they were willing to demonstrate their skills to them.
> >
> >2) It's free and it's fun. They won't be free forever, but they are now.
> >So take advantage of them. Furthermore, those who have completed the tests
> >generally indicate that they enjoyed the experience and considered both the
> >delivery of the test and the items themselves to be of high quality.
> >
> >3) Over 4000 technical workers from around the world are ordering our
> >certifications each week, and that number is steadily rising.
> >
> >4) Strut your stuff. See if you are good enough to make the top 10 list.
> >
> >5) Find out both your strengths and weaknesses in Informix. At the end of
> >the test, you can request specifics on how you did, by subtopic. And yes,
> >that too is free.
> >
> >All we ask for in return is your feedback at the end of the exam. We will
> >be continually focusing on the improvement of the delivery of the test and
> >quality of the questions. Any feedback you can provide, positive or
> >negative, will help us greatly.
> >
> >Another FAQ is, "How do you know the person who supposedly took the test
> was
> >actually the same person? What if it was his hotshot Informix Database
> >Administrator
> >brother, sister or friend? In other words, what is to prevent him from
> >cheating?" Our solution: we allow employers to spotcheck the technical
> >workers with a short test at no cost at their corporate locations, if they
> >so choose. Corporations have unanimously applauded this solution.
> >
> >Lastly, data you provide in the certification process is not used without
> >your permission other than to store your certification record and verify to
> >valid employers at their request. We do, however, publish names on our
> site
> >in a Top Ten Scores list for each category, but no addresses, phone
> numbers,
> >email, etc.. are shown. For more information, see our privacy statement at
> >http://www.tekmetrics.com/cert/privacy.html
> >
> >Well, that's pretty much it! We're trying to establish a new
> cost-effective
> >and convenient alternative to today's certification environment. During
> >this beta trial period, you will be the benefactor of this fun and
> >challenging experience.
> >
> >If you have any questions/concerns regarding the Informix certification,
> >please contact Deborah Manley at <mailto:deborah.manley@tekmetrics.com>.
> >
> >Good luck and thank you!
> >
> >Ann Marie
> >
> >Ann Marie Ludlow
> >TekMetrics, Inc.
> >www.tekmetrics.com <http://www.tekmetrics.com>;
> >
> >
> >
> >-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
> >http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
FWIW, I just barely missed the "Master DBA" rating, and that was largely
because I absolutely BOMBED the "basics" section. There were a lot of
"normal form" questions that I missed, because most of my emphasis has been
on server-side operation.
In some environments I'd been in in the past, data modelers did the data
modeling and the DBAs worked from the already-prepared model. In others,
the application has already been a set entity (a la Lawson) and the task at
hand was to improve performance without being able to renormalize or
denormalize the model.
I agree with Neil, in that the term "DBA" is far too widely applied (not by
this certification per se, but in general). My experience is better
classified as "Database System Administrator," as with the Informix
certification.
I also took the 'C' certification, and there were two questions on that test
that referred to non-existent example code. That is, the question would
read "What is the output of the above code segment" except that there is no
code segment above.
Anyone else have any thoughts on this? It certainly looks like it could be
a useful service...
Mario R. Canto <mcanto@intec.unl.edu.ar> wrote in message
news:7f4sb3$50d$1@news.xmission.com...
>
> I have take the exam yesterday (to probe myself and curiosity).
> It has 2 parts: 1st. with 24 questions about RDBMS.
> The other with 40 questions about engine parameters, actual cases
> analysis (i.e: onstat output pictures), performance management, etc.
> You have 120 seconds to answer, with a local (javascript) timeout
> implemented. No browser back button allowed.
> I was informix DBA trainer and I think it's no bad.
> Anyway, I have made some sugetions to Tekmetrics.
> But, in general, it serves to eval a person about his/her skills as DBA.
> (And it's free by now).
> Only my not^H^H^H humble opinion :-)
> Byte byte!
>
> --
> Mario R. Canto
>
> mcanto@intec.unl.edu.ar
> mcanto@intec.arcride.edu.ar
> http://www.intec.unl.edu.ar/~mcanto
> Neil Truby escribis:
> >
> > This is a kind offer.
> >
> > Did many others visit this site when they were asking for feedback? I
did.
> > I and a couple of other people commented upon how different the role of
a
> > Database Administrator as viewed by Tekmetrics differs from our own. In
> > general the questions appeared to demand comprehensive knowledge of what
I
> > would regard as database design/relational theory and effective
programming,
> > at the inevitable expense of "technical" database admin.
> >
> > Is this a general view or a minority one? And how does the content of
the
> > corresponding Informix Inc. exams (which, and please correct me if I'm
> > wrong, I know little about because they are pretty much an American
concern)
> > differ or correspond to the Tekmetrics ones?
> >
> > Neil
> >
>
> > ludlow1435@my-dejanews.com wrote in message
> > <7f3212$oj$1@nnrp1.dejanews.com>...
> > >Dear Informix Database Administrator,
> > >
> > >Through April, TekMetrics has extended its free service of Informix
> > >certifications conducted through it's internet-based CAT engine.
Simply go
> > >to http://www.tekmetrics.com/cert/certtop.html to order your free
> > >certification. You can either elect to take the test right away, or
come
> > >back later, using the PIN you are provided when you order.
> > >
> > >To qualify as a Certified Informix Database Administrator, you must
pass
> > the
> > >examination with
> > >a score of 2.75 or higher. To be certified as a Master Informix
Database
> > >Administrator, you
> > >must obtain a score of 4.00 or higher. At the end of the test, your
score
> > >will be provided (with a scoring range of 1-5). Once certified, you
can
> > add
> > >the logo associated with the test (standard or master logo, depending
on
> > how
> > >well you do) to your resume or website. Furthermore, those that pass
prior
> > >to 4/19 will be mailed a certificate, once again, at no cost (after
which
> > >time their may be a nominal fee for the shipping of the certificates).
> > >There's no catch. We're simply trying to prove a concept during a beta
> > >trial period. Thus far, the feedback has been extremely positive!
> > >
> > >Why bother getting certified by TekMetrics?
> > >
> > >1) More and more corporations recognize TekMetrics Certifications as
an
> > >indication not only of the technical workers knowledge level, but also
as
> > an
> > >indicator that they were willing to demonstrate their skills to them.
> > >
> > >2) It's free and it's fun. They won't be free forever, but they are
now.
> > >So take advantage of them. Furthermore, those who have completed the
tests
> > >generally indicate that they enjoyed the experience and considered both
the
> > >delivery of the test and the items themselves to be of high quality.
> > >
> > >3) Over 4000 technical workers from around the world are ordering our
> > >certifications each week, and that number is steadily rising.
> > >
> > >4) Strut your stuff. See if you are good enough to make the top 10
list.
> > >
> > >5) Find out both your strengths and weaknesses in Informix. At the
end of
> > >the test, you can request specifics on how you did, by subtopic. And
yes,
> > >that too is free.
> > >
> > >All we ask for in return is your feedback at the end of the exam. We
will
> > >be continually focusing on the improvement of the delivery of the test
and
> > >quality of the questions. Any feedback you can provide, positive or
> > >negative, will help us greatly.
> > >
> > >Another FAQ is, "How do you know the person who supposedly took the
test
> > was
> > >actually the same person? What if it was his hotshot Informix Database
> > >Administrator
> > >brother, sister or friend? In other words, what is to prevent him from
> > >cheating?" Our solution: we allow employers to spotcheck the
technical
> > >workers with a short test at no cost at their corporate locations, if
they
> > >so choose. Corporations have unanimously applauded this solution.
> > >
> > >Lastly, data you provide in the certification process is not used
without
> > >your permission other than to store your certification record and
verify to
> > >valid employers at their request. We do, however, publish names on our
> > site
> > >in a Top Ten Scores list for each category, but no addresses, phone
> > numbers,
> > >email, etc.. are shown. For more information, see our privacy
statement at
> > >http://www.tekmetrics.com/cert/privacy.html
> > >
> > >Well, that's pretty much it! We're trying to establish a new
> > cost-effective
> > >and convenient alternative to today's certification environment.
During
> > >this beta trial period, you will be the benefactor of this fun and
> > >challenging experience.
> > >
> > >If you have any questions/concerns regarding the Informix
certification,
> > >please contact Deborah Manley at
<mailto:deborah.manley@tekmetrics.com>.
> > >
> > >Good luck and thank you!
> >