Contributing to Citrix Education

Last week I was off to Citrix Systems, Santa Clara for attending the next Citrix NetScaler-based CCA exams IDW (Item Development Workshop). An IDW is a workshop that lasts about a week in which you and others will create exam questions (or items) that will appear on the next (or revised) Citrix exam(s). In this particular IDW we are concentrating on the follow-up exams of the old Citrix NetScaler 1Y0-A11 and Citrix Access Gateway Enterprise 1Y0-A13 which are based on the Citrix NetScaler 9 software version.

Unfortunately we forgot to take a picture of all the participants together, so to name a few: from left to right: Lourdes Soler (Citrix), Henny Louwers, Stuart Souter, Alejandra Garcia (Citrix), Craig Pickford and Robert Zehnder.

CCIA (Citrix Certified Integration Architect) for Virtualization

So I cleared the 1Y0-A16 today completing my path to CCIA for Virtualization. I am a happy camper .

Citrix Certified Enterprise Engineer for Virtualization

It’s official, I am a Citrix Certified Enterprise Engineer for Virtualization. Next stop, Citrix Certified Integration Architect for Virtualization.

Exam 1Y0-A15 Engineering a Citrix Virtualization Solution

Yesterday I cleared exam “1Y0-A15 Engineering a Citrix Virtualization Solution”, I only used the day before to prepare, using the 1Y0-A15 prep guide from the Citrix Training website. I had my mind set on reading the XenDesktop materials such as the Administrator guides on the Citrix eDocs site, I use all the other products extensively almost daily except for XenDesktop. So my focus for this exam was on XenDesktop.

I love the fact that ‘almost’ everything you need to know for a Citrix exam can be found in the Citrix Product Guides, I just don’t like reading from the eDocs site, it’s just not pleasant. You can’t bookmark anything. Can we just get the Citrix Administrator Guide back in PDF format? I know you can create PDF’s from the eDocs site but it creates a horrible PDF format.

So, I ditched the eDocs site and start setting up my own XenDesktop environment on my Citrix XenServer @ Home. That is way more fun learning offcourse! Citrix PVS, coffee, DDC’s, coffee, WI’s, coffee, Windows XP VM’s, coffee, etc. I went all out.

About the exam.

I love the simulation part, except for the fact that you really can’t go wrong on these. It’s kind a like a one way street because items that you do’nt need to succesfully complete the simulation are disabled, for instance certain buttons are dead so you can’t actually go there. That means that you can only choose certain items that you know are correct. Citrix should enable all buttons in a simulation to create a full simulation.

After 7 simulation items there was a second part that consisted of 54 traditional questions (multiple-choice/drag and drop tasks/etc).

So, on more exam (1Y0-A16) to go to become Citrix CCIA for Virtualization. Very curious about exam 1Y0-A16.

1Y1-A21 Basic Administration for Citrix NetScaler 9.2

I love Citrix NetScaler . So, I registered this exam for Friday the 13th of august. If you are interested in taking this exam act fast because slots are limited! Prepare for a lot of questions which is not unusual for Citrix Beta exams.

Official Citrix Community Blog statement about taking this exam which seems to be removed now:

Are you interested in testing your knowledge of NetScaler 9.2? Now you can with the new beta exam 1Y1-A21 Basic Administration for Citrix NetScaler 9.2. While in beta, this exam is available FREE of cost!

Topics covered:
•    Planning the Network Deployment and Architecture
•    Initial Configuration and Installation
•    Managing and Securing NetScaler
•    Auditing and Monitoring
•    Configuring High Availability
•    Basic Troubleshooting

Exam A21 is a requirement for the CCA for Citrix NetScaler 9.
There are a limited number of seats for this exam. Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis, so don’t delay!

Registration info: To register for this exam, please go to Pearson VUE web site (www.vue.com/citrix).

While in beta, an exam preparation guide is NOT available. Refer to the preparatory training: CNS-203-1 Basic Administration for Citrix NetScaler 9.2

Beta Exam Results: You will not receive your score until the beta period is complete, the test results are analyzed, and a passing score is established.

Exam Feedback: While taking the beta exam, you are encouraged to provide feedback to training@citrix.com. Please include the beta exam number in the subject line.
Act now to take advantage of the beta exam while it is available for free!

Good luck!

UPDATE: Seems like the original page has been removed from Citrix Communities. Exam is still available on VUE, so act fast if you are interested in this exam.

1Y1-A18: Basic Administration for Citrix XenApp 6

Just got back from taking exam “1Y1-A18: Basic Administration for Citrix XenApp 6” which was ok. Once again I think Citrix is asking way too many questions in a beta exam. This time almost 200 questions! So be prepared for this mentally and physically because it is a long time in a chair that’s meant to be sat on for 15 minutes I think. At least at the testing center where I was today. It took me about 3 hours to get through this exam, so I don’t feel my back anymore by now . But that’s the life of a IT guy, sitting in the worst chair an IT department can find in a 2 mile radius for the duration of a project.

The questions on the exam were a bit repetitive but overall short and to the point as with most Citrix exams.

Good luck anyone taking the beta or final exam.

CCA for Citrix XenServer 5 Platinum Edition

By passing exam 1Y0-A06 I also gained “Citrix Certified Administrator for Citrix XenServer 5 Platinum Edition” certification. Hooray!

Passed Exam 1Y0-A06 Citrix Provisioning Server 5.0

Ok, today I passed exam 1Y0-A06 Implementing Citrix Provisioning Server 5.0. I love Citrix Provisioning Server although it has it’s little flaws which I will not mention here .

Thing to keep in mind is that the exam is not worked up to the 5.6 version which you probably will be using about now. This means that you will have to know where certain items were in the pre-5.6 version of Citrix PVS Console.

I work as a Consultant performing many different kinds of setups of Citrix Provisioning Services Solutions so I have experienced the product extensively. Having this said I thought the exam was fairly easy and straight to the point.

CCA for Citrix Provisioning Server 5 in the pocket.

Passed 1Y0-A17: Implementing Citrix XenDesktop 4 @ Citrix Synergy San Francisco

In between of all those interesting sessions I took an hour to take exam 1Y0-A17, Implementing Citrix XenDesktop. If you were early you could register for a free exam through the Pearson VUE website to attend at Synergy.

Those who will attend Citrix Synergy in Berlin the same arrangement applies. Check it out: http://www.vue.com/citrix/. Act fast because seats are actually limited, a lot of people were waiting for no-shows.

Citrix ‘Next Generation’ of certification

In navolging van Microsofts specialisatie certificeringen opbouw (MCTS/MCITP/etc.) is er bij Citrix besloten een dergelijk pad in te slaan. Er is binnen  Citrix Learning besloten dat er 3 soorten rollen zijn mbt het uitvoeren van Citrix werkzaamheden:

• Administrator,
• Engineer;
• Architect.

Voor elk van bovenstaande ‘rol’ is een bepaalde specialisatie pad te kiezen:

• Application Virtualization;
• Desktop Virtualization;
• Server Virtualization;
• Application Networking.

Zoals het er nu op lijkt blijft de Administrator certificering bestaan maar worden deze onderverdeeld in 3 gradaties:

• CCA: gecertificeerden beschikken over de kennis van het enkele produkt waarin ze gecertificeerd zijn;
• CCA Platinum: gecertificeerden hebben alle certificeringen behaald welke nodig zijn mbt de specialisatie;
• CCAA: Personen welke deze certificeringen behalen zijn in staat het betreffende produkt beter te troubleshooten/monitoren/e.d.

Er komt een ‘nieuwe’ Engineer certificering bij (CCEE) waarij het noodzakelijk is om 1 CCA Platinum, 1 Advanced examen en 1 Planning and Integrating examen af te leggen. De CCEE certificering is ter vervanging van de huidige CCEA certificering welke dus het veld zal gaan ruimen.

 

De naar mijn idee positiefste verandering is dat er voor het behalen van CCIA aangetoond moet worden dat men beschikt over de benodigde ervaring. Hoe dit gecontroleerd gaat worden is nog onduidelijk. In het eerste half jaar van 2009 zal een en ander duidelijk gemaakt worden door Citrix Training.

 

 

 

Een ander positieve verandering is dat er naar alle waarschijnlijkheid update paden komen van de huidige certificeringen naar de nieuwe waarbij Citrix voorheen altijd vereiste het gehele traject opnieuw af te leggen.