Certification Watch: Sun Unveils New Solaris, Java Exams

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Sun Microsystems has released three new exams under the popular Solaris and Java certification programs.

For Solaris, the two new exams are: Sun Certified System Administrator for Solaris 9 Operating Environment, Part I (310-014) ($150)
Sun Certified System Administrator for Solaris 9 Operating Environment, Part II (310-015) ($150). These exams lead to certification as a System Administrator for Solaris 9 OE. The corresponding Network Administrator exam is scheduled for an end of September release. Certification exams for previous versions of Solaris (7 and 8) will continue to be available.

The new exam for Certified Programmer for the Java 2 Platform 1.4 (exam# 310-035) hit testing centers Aug. 19. This version will have more questions on hash code and equals, collections, and wrapper classes, plus questions on assertions. All I/O objectives and GUI programming questions have been removed. Complete exam objectives are available on the Sun Web site. The previous programmer exam (covering Platform 1.2) will remain available.

If you already passed previous versions of any of these Sun exams, you will remain certified. However, upgrading is encouraged and upgrade exams are scheduled to become available late in September.

Since Sept. 1, Sun’s upgrade/recertification requirements has changed dramatically. Instead of encouraging certified individuals to upgrade to certification on the latest product versions, Sun will require them to do so. All certifications earned after Sept. 1 will be valid for two years from the date they were attained. Special, reduced cost upgrade exams will be offered. Certifications earned before that date will not expire, although updating is always encouraged.

Sun ONE Certifications Ready To Go

In other Sun news, the new certification program covering Sun ONE Middleware is up and running. It consists of two certifications: Sun Certified Developer for Sun ONE Application Server and Sun Certified Engineer for Sun ONE Directory Server. Each is a single exam certification costing $150.

The Developer designation is for architects and developers who use the J2EE platform to develop, deploy, and run applications on Sun ONE Application Server, while the Engineer title is for individuals who implement and administer it at an enterprise level. Objectives for both certifications can be found on Sun’s Web site.

Macromedia Developer Certifications to be Replaced

Macromedia has announced plans to retire its current line of Developer certifications and replace them with new titles focused on the MX product line. Affected certifications include Certified ColdFusion Developer, Certified Dreamweaver Developer, and Certified Flash Developer.

Macromedia Certified ColdFusion Developer certification will retire as of Dec. 31 and be replaced by ColdFusion MX certification. All Certified ColdFusion 5 Developers will remain certified as ColdFusion 5 Developers and listed on the Macromedia Developer listing until Dec. 31, 2003.

The Certified Dreamweaver Developer title will undergo a similar change. The current certification title is slated for a Jan. 22, 2003 retirement. The replacement Dreamweaver MX certification exam will be available through VUE testing centers starting Oct. 22, 2002. All Certified Dreamweaver 4 Developers will remain certified as Dreamweaver 4 Developers and listed on the Macromedia Developer listing until Dec. 31, 2003.

The Macromedia Certified Flash Developer title is slated for a Nov. 1, 2003 retirement. The replacement exam, Macromedia Flash MX Developer Certification, is already available. All Certified Macromedia Flash 5 Developers will remain certified as Macromedia Flash 5 Developers and listed on the Macromedia Developer listing until Dec. 31, 2003.

Fibre Channel SAN Specialist Exam Ready for October Release

Infinity I/O, Inc, developers of the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) FC-SAN certification program, has announced that the exam required to achieve Fibre Channel SAN Certified Specialist certification will be available through Prometric testing centers by mid-October. The Specialist designation is the third of four levels of the FC-SAN certification program.

New Microsoft MCAD/MCSD .NET Exam Released

Microsoft has just released Exam 70-230: Developing XML Web Services and Server Components with Microsoft Visual C# .NET and the Microsoft .NET Framework. This exam counts as core credit toward either Microsoft Certified Application Developer for Microsoft .NET or Microsoft Certified Solution Developer for Microsoft .NET. If this is your first Microsoft exam, you can use it to achieve Microsoft Certified Professional status. Detailed objectives are available on the Microsoft Web site.

Security+ Beta Now Available

Through September, individuals seeking to demonstrate their knowledge of information technology security can take the beta version of CompTIA’s Security+ certification exam for $90. Once the beta is over the final version of the exam will cost $200.

The test, which consists of 125 questions and has a two hour time limit, is available at Prometric and VUE testing centers WorldWide. The registration code for the beta exams is SY1-101.

The Security+ certification is targeted at professionals with at least two years of networking experience and a through knowledge of TCP/IP. Full objectives are available on the CompTIA Web site.

SAS Warehouse Development Specialist Exam Beta Open

The first of three exams that will lead to SAS Certified Warehouse Development Specialist certification is currently available in beta format. The beta version of the Concept exam costs $75 (half the usual price) and is available at Prometric testing centers. The other two exams on this new track are scheduled for release in early 2003. Objectives for the concepts exam can be found on the SAS Web site.

Nortel Networks Free Beta Opportunity

For a limited time you can become a Nortel Networks Certified Design Specialist (NNCDS) without spending a dime. This beta exam for this certification – SCCS/Express/TAPI/Web Client/Agent (#921-316) – began Aug. 22 and a limited number of free positions are still available. To request a voucher email certprog@nortelnetworks.com with your name, phone number, country, and the exam name and number. The first 50 candidates will receive a follow-up call enabling them to register for the exam. Complete objectives for this exam are available on the Nortel Networks Web site.

New Teradata Certification Level Added

IT pros who have proven expertise with NCR’s Teradata technology can now demonstrate their advanced skills with a new certification title released by Teradata.
The Advanced Teradata Certified Professional designation is awarded to candidates who pass the three baseline exams to achieve the first three certification levels: Certified Professional, Certified SQL Specialist, and Certified Implementation Specialist.

The Teradata Certified Professional program certifies the skills of individuals who design, administer, support or write applications for a Teradata database. There are a total of six certification exams available in the Teradata certification program, each leading to its own certification title. Free practice exams are available on the Teradata Web site.

That’s all for this edition of Certification Watch. Please keep your
certification news and tips coming to news@gocertify.com.

Anne Martinez is the author of Cheap Web Tricks: Build and Promote a Successful Web Site Without Spending A Dime and Get Certified and Get Ahead. She also is the founder of GoCertify.com.