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| IBM Professional Certification for Tivoli |
 IBM Professional Certification for Tivoli offers an internationally recognized qualification for technical professionals seeking to apply their expertise in today's complex business environment. The program is designed for those who implement, buy, sell, service and support Tivoli solutions and wish to deliver higher levels of service and technical expertise. Become an IBM Certified Professional today! |
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Updates April 4, 2008
Upcoming Certifications (We Need Your Help!):
- IBM Tivoli Workload Scheduler for z/OS V8.3 (adminstrator) (available mid April)
- IBM Tivoli Workload Scheduler V8.4 Distributed (available mid April)
- IBM Tivoli Netcool OMNIbus V 7.2 (available in May)
Want to help develop one of the upcoming Tivoli certification exam listed above? Send an e-mail to: tivcert@us.ibm.com and let us know!
Get On Our List - Tivoli Certification e-Newsletter!
Interested in receiving your own copy of the Tivoli Certification e-newsletter? Let us know! Send an e-mail request to: tivcert@us.ibm.com. The e-newsletter is set out the first week of every month and includes the latest certifications, exam development projects (we need your help!), and other certification news and information. A .pdf copy of the latest Certification e-newsletter can be found at http://www-03.ibm.com/certify/certs/tv_index.shtml -> scroll to "news" section in middle of page.
What's New
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Certification Resources Quick Links
- IBM Certified Professional Member's Site - Certified? Now you have your own space!
- Testing at TUG Meetings - FREE Tivoli Certification testing at many user group meetings. Additional information and FAQs about how to provide testing at your next TUG meeting.
- Study Guides - Guides available for Tivoli exams with more to come! (search on tivoli AND certification)
- Education Roadmaps - Role-based skills roadmaps by product.
- News - the newest exams and latest updates, right here!
- Steps to certify - detailed instructions for taking a certification exam, including preparation and registration.
- Testing Centers Worldwide - exams can be taken at any Thomson-Prometric testing center worldwide.
- Exams - a listing of the most current certification exams, including exam objectives and prerequisites.
- Roadmap - specific information about the different certification tracks, and the tests required for each.
- FAQs - questions and answers about the Tivoli Professional Certification Program.
- Contact us - update your profile, give us feedback, or inquire about new certifications.
- IBM Certification Policies (left nav) - Privacy and Identification, Testing Policies, Special Accommodations, and Conduct Guidelines.
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SMEs of the Month:
 Cy Atkinson, Tivoli Workload Scheduler for z/OS, IBM
From: Kimberly Arceneaux, Tivoli Professional Certification Project Manager
Cy Atkinson participated in the IBM Tivoli Workshop Scheduler for z/OS V8.3 Administrator certification workshops. This is one of the few z/OS exams developed in Tivoli's certification history.Cy not only played a leadership role in ALL four development workshops, but he also was a key player in developing the business case to ensure that an exam of this nature was created!
His leadership, extensive experience, and technical expertise was evident throughout the workshops.Let's not forget his role as a true team player.An unexpected critical situation took one of the SMEs away from the workshop.Cy not only completed his own assignments, but at the last minute took on his teammate's assignments to ensure that the development of this exam stayed on course.It was these characteristics and his dedication to the development of the TWSz exam that Cy is our "Certification SME of the Month"!
Cy is the Tech Lead for the US TWSz support team. He has worked with OPC and TWSz since moving from mainframe hardware support to software in 1985, after eight years as a hardware CE in the IBM GREEN BAY Branch Office. So 2008 marks the beginning of his 24th year with OPC/TWSz. Cy resides with his wife of nearly 37 years (as of May 15th), Pat, in Cary, North Carolina. He spends his spare time playing with an assortment of PCs, and puttering with woodworking and electronics in his garage.
We would also like to thank Stephen Viola, Sharon Wheeler, Doug Specht, Mark Spreen, James Bartlow, Steve McDaniel, Sebastian Torresin, & Anna Dawson for their hardwork and dedication to this project.
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Tivoli Testing at TUG Meetings: General Information, Discounts, FAQs
General Information
Tivoli Certifications are an important way for your customers and business partners to distinguish their skills and earn recognition from IBM for the investment they have made in Tivoli skills. The Tivoli Certification Program has agreed to allow TUG members to take Tivoli Certification exam free of charge at TUG meetings - as a benefit for participating in a local TUG.
Test setup is much easier now than it has ever been in the past. The only tools you will need are PCs or laptops that have a browser and an Internet connection. The testing itself is 100% web based but to insure the integrity of the program, all testing is done in the presence of an authorized certification proctor.
IBM employees who manage TUGs are invited to become certification proctors and deliver Tivoli exams at their TUG meetings. The process is quite simple and can be arranged quickly. To request details, please send an email to Kimberly Arceneaux/Austin/IBM@IBMUS (karcenea@us.ibm.com).
Tivoli Testing at TUG Meetings
As a benefit of being a GTUG member, you are entitled to a 15% discount on any Tivoli Professional Certification exam taken at any Thomson Prometric testing center worldwide. So if you are not able to take advantage of free Tivoli Testing at TUG Meetings, be sure to use this 15% discount code when registering for a Tivoli exam!
Code: 15TUGS08
%off: 15
Valid: For all Tivoli exams
Expires: January 31, 2009
Frequently Asked Questions about Testing at TUG Meetings
How are the exams administered?
The exams are administered on computers using a web-based system known as "Prime". A candidate will log onto the Prime website and create their own Prime testing account, being careful to use their existing testing ID number if they have one, selecting "Tivoli Certification" as their program of interest and inputting current name and address information - be especially careful to include your correct email address since this is where your certification will be sent when you pass your exam. An authorized Tivoli Certification proctor will launch the desired exam using a secret keycode and password. The tests are self timing and will end when you have finished or run out of time. Your testing records will be sent automatically to IBM for processing. If you passed your exam you will receive your certificate as an email attached pdf file within a few business days.
What hardware and software is needed to deliver exams?
Hardware requirements are not extensive, all that is needed is a PC or laptop with a web browser and a broadband Internet connection. If the PC can run Windows 95 or later, it is probably adequate. A printer is optional since score reports can be viewed online at any time.
I want to deliver exams to the TUG that I manage, what do I need to do?
Send an email to Kimberly Arceneaux (karcenea@us.ibm.com) telling her that you are a TUG manager and wish to deliver Tivoli Certification exams to your TUG members. As an authorized Tivoli proctor you will have 3 main responsibilities:
- Delivering exams efficiently and in a manner that makes testing as comfortable as possible for the candidates - remember, many people find taking an exam of this type to be quite stressful so do what you can to make them at ease.
- Protecting the integrity of the Certification Program. As an authorized proctor you become a representative of the Tivoli Professional Certification Program. We will do whatever we can to support you but it is your efforts that determine the ultimate success or failure of the program. While cheating is rare in a proctored environment, it does occur and it is the proctor's job to stop it. Cheating takes two basic forms, getting help on the exam (from a neighbor, book, cell phone or web resource) or by copying down questions to bring out of the testing center.
- Providing candidates with information about the Tivoli Professional Certification Program - while we do not expect you to become an expert on Tivoli certifications but you should be able to provide candidates with some basic information about the program. Most of the program information that you will be asked about can be found on the "www.ibm.com/certify" website. Additional questions can be directed to the program's email alias "tivcert@us.ibm.com" or directly to Kimberly Arceneaux.
Are special facilities needed for testing?
Sort of... you need to provide your TUG members with a quiet, distraction-free setting to assure they can focus on the exams they are taking. The facility needs to support the computers you are using to test with and have broadband Internet access. The Internet connection does not need to be exotic but it cannot be a dial-up connection either. Plan to scale the bandwidth appropriately for the number of computers you have connected. Make sure that the computers are spread apart enough to allow for comfortable testing, say 1 meter between computers if possible.
Can I test people remotely?
No. Like all IBM and IT industry "high-stakes" certification exams, Tivoli certification exams may only be administered in a proctored environment. Proctoring is the only method available to assure the consistency of any testing program. As a proctor you must be physically present during testing to observe the candidates who are testing to make sure that things run smoothly and no cheating occurs.
Does everybody need to take the same exam?
No. Any Tivoli exam can be taken at any time and in any combination. Though we expect people to be prepared for the exam they take, there are no prerequisite requirements.
How long are the exams?
The exams vary in length depending upon how many question were needed to sufficiently cover the required scope. The range is from 75 minutes to 120 minutes with the majority allowing 90 minutes. There are usually between 50 and 100 questions on an exam. There is an automatic timer that counts down the time you have remaining on your exam. If time runs out before you are finished, you will always be allowed to answer the question that you were on when time ran out and then the test will be automatically scored. Your test will not be lost if you are still working on it when time runs out.
How many exams can I take?
You can take as many different exams at a TUG meeting as time and your TUG leader allow. The only program requirement is the IBM policy on retaking a failed exam. This policy states that you can take any specific exam only 2 times in a 30 day period. This means if you fail an exam, you can retake it immediately, but would then have to wait for 30 days after the first attempt before making a third attempt, and so on.
What is the best technique for taking an exam?
You earn points by answering questions correctly. Unlike some "standardized" tests you may be used to, you do not loose any points on IBM certification exams for incorrect answers. Because of this, the best approach to take is to go through the test once fairly quickly answering every question. Mark the questions that you are unsure of (there is a checkbox labeled "mark item for review" in the upper right hand corner of the screen for each question). When you reach the end of the exam you will be presented with a summary screen that lists all the questions on the exam and shows you which ones you have marked. You can jump directly back to each of the marked question to use your remaining time going over them in more detail.
I have taken IBM tests before, do I need to know my old testing ID number?
Yes, if you have ever taken any IBM certification exam before you will have been given a testing ID number by the vendor you tested with. It is very important that you use the same ID number for all your testing or your records will be spread across multiple profiles in the IBM Certification database. Since all of the Advanced Deployment Professional certifications require passing multiple exams, these will never be matched together if they are in different profiles. The most common are the Prometric and VUE IDs. A valid ID is always 9 digits long and often starts with "PR0", "SP" or "VUE". In the USA and Canada it used to be the practice to use your Social Security or Social Insurance number. While these numbers are still valid, they are not commonly used any longer due to privacy concerns. If you have forgotten your testing ID number you can retrieve it from an old score report, by contacting Thomson Prometric or Pearson VUE customer support, or by sending an email inquiry to "certify@us.ibm.com". If you have never taken an IBM exam before, leave the ID field blank when creating your Prime account and a new ID will be generated for you. Do not create your own ID.
I failed my first exam. When can I retake it?
You can take any specific exam 2 times in a 30 day period. You do not have to wait between the first and second attempt but if you do not pass the second time, 30 days must go by from the time of the first attempt before you are allowed to make a third attempt (and 30 days between attempt 2 to attempt 4 and so on).
I passed my exam, now what?
You will receive an email from the Prime testing system immediately just confirming that you have taken an exam. In 2 or 3 business days your results will have been transferred to IBM and processed. You will then receive an email from the Professional Certification Program from IBM. If this is the first IBM exam that you have ever taken, you will be asked to log onto a website and agree to a Certification License Agreement. Once you have done that, your certification will be sent as a pdf attachment in a subsequent email. If you have taken an IBM exam in the past you will receive your certification via an email attachment directly without being asked again about the license agreement. If you have not received your certificate within a week of passing your exam, please send a note of inquiry to the IBM Certification Support Team at "certify@us.ibm.com".
How do I print my score report?
Unlike other testing systems, no score report prints "automatically" when your are finished with your exam. If there is a printer defined in your testing environment, select File --> Print when the score report is displayed on your screen. Remember that you can access your Prime account from anywhere at anytime and review all your previous exams that were delivered via Prime using this same account. This will allow you to view your score report online or print it out at anytime in the future from your home or office.
How do I print my score report?
Unlike other testing systems, no score report prints "automatically" when your are finished with your exam. If there is a printer defined in your testing environment, select File --> Print when the score report is displayed on your screen. Remember that you can access your Prime account from anywhere at anytime and review all your previous exams that were delivered via Prime using this same account. This will allow you to view your score report online or print it out at anytime in the future from your home or office.
How do I print my score report?
Unlike other testing systems, no score report prints "automatically" when your are finished with your exam. If there is a printer defined in your testing environment, select File --> Print when the score report is displayed on your screen. Remember that you can access your Prime account from anywhere at anytime and review all your previous exams that were delivered via Prime using this same account. This will allow you to view your score report online or print it out at anytime in the future from your home or office.
To access your Prime account: https://ibmtesting.prime.prometric.com
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Assessment Tests Available
The Tivoli Professional Certification Program now offers assessment tests for certain exams - with more to come! Assessment tests are available for many of the Tivoli exams and we will eventually have an assessment test for every exam.
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Comments by TUG members
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