Brian Madden is now a Citrix Certified Administrator (CCA)

Written on Aug 11 2008 Filed under: Citrix, Certification 3,990 views, 41 comments

by Brian Madden

I'm often asked whether I'm Citrix-certified. For the past five years, my answer has been "no."

I used to be Citrix-certified. Back in September 1998 I passed the 1Y0-302 exam, "Citrix MetaFrame 1.0 Certification," with a score of 76%. When Citrix released the CCEA series of exams for MetaFrame 1.8, I took all four exams in a month to become one of the first CCEAs. (We got a jacket for being in the first fifty, if I remember correctly.)

But since 2000, I haven't taken a single exam. I've been lucky not to work at companies that required certifications. (And of course writing a book about Citrix in 2001/2002 pretty much guaranteed that I'd never have to take another Citrix exam for the rest of my life.)

Nevertheless, people still ask whether I'm certified. And when they find out I'm not, the next question I'm invariably asked is, "Do you think you could pass the exam if you just showed up and took it?"

I thought that was kind of a cool idea. If I can pass the exam without any exam prep--just my 10+ years of actual hands-on experience, then that is a really great endorsement of the quality of the exam. And if I fail, well, I guess that means the exam doesn't relate to the real world.

So the stage was set. Last week I went to Citrix.com, clicked around the education pages until I found the links, and signed myself up for exam 1Y0-259, "Citrix XenApp (Presentation Server 4.5): Administration." My plan was to just "show up" for the exam, with absolutely no preparation whatsoever. (And when I say "no preparation," I mean "no preparation." I did not read the syllabus. I did not take any practice exams. I did not read any brain dumps. In fact, I didn't even fire up a Citrix server just to run through the admin consoles. I literally did nothing different leading up to this exam.

The Exam

I honestly can't remember the last time I took a certification exam--certainly it was before I left HP to become independent back in May 2003. I chose the New Horizons testing center on 42nd Street in Manhattan for today's exam.

I ran from the subway to the building through a downpour, umbrella-less, to find that even though the New Horizons reception area was on the first floor, the exams were administered in the basement. (Some things never change!) I went downstairs and signed in with the exam receptionist where I was told that my exam was still downloading. (Again, never changes!) I showed my two forms of ID, surrendered my Blackberry, and followed her into the exam room with my three blank sheets of paper and my new Bic pen.

In that instant I was mentally teleported back to 1998 in Cleveland, Ohio. All white walls, crappy old computers, and a mouse whose buttons were stained with the caffeine that's leeched through the fingers of the years of exam-takers ahead of me.

Click-click-click. "Good luck!" Before I knew it the receptionist was gone and I was staring at an electronic NDA with "Agree and continue" and "Do not agree" buttons. In all the years I've been taking IT exams, I never actually took the time to read one of these NDAs. Since the main purpose of me spending 150 bucks on this exam was to write about the experience, I figured I should at least glance at a paragraph or two of this NDA.

Blah blah blah... you cannot disclose the questions... blah blah... you cannot disclose general topics were... wait, what?!? I cannot disclose which topics were on the exam? But doesn't Citrix publish a syllabus online?

Whatever. I can still write about whether I think the exam was a good exam or not as long as I talk broadly. So I think I'm fine. A quick click of the "Agree and continue" button and I'm off!

My timer starts counting down and I'm staring at Question 1. It was at this point that I realized I'd made a huge mistake. I know that I agreed that I would not disclose blah blah about the exam, but I'm going to purposefully break that NDA for this one question. The first question of my 1Y0-259, "Citrix XenApp (Presentation Server 4.5): Administration exam was the following: (I am not making this up.)

Which of the following cipher suites are supported by Secure Gateway? (choose two)

• NET
• COM
• ORG
• GOV

Are you f***ing kidding me? THIS is the first question? What have I gotten myself into? Whose stupid idea was it to just "show up" and take the test?!?

I mean imagine this: Here I am... I'm Brian. I wrote the book, okay? I just waltzed into this CCA exam expecting to cruise on through. 95 minutes total time? Pfft! It'll take me 15 minutes. I'll be home before lunch.

Questions 2 through 66: Not as bad

Needless to say, the rest of the questions were easier. (Read "more appropriate.")

Honestly I was pleasantly surprised by the exam. Citrix has done a great job of asking a bunch of really decent questions about all aspects of running a Presentation Server farm. In fact, I might go so far as to say that these were the same types of questions that I'd ask a potential candidate if I were trying to assess his or her grasp of Citrix.

Don't get me wrong... There were still plenty of B.S. questions--questions that I swear had more than one answer or that were so obscure no one would need to know them. But overall, I'd say about 80% of the questions were good solid questions that I felt a decent Citrix admin should know. And that's a far cry from ten years ago, when the exam was about 90% B.S. and 10% good stuff.

The result?

Passing this exam (and therefore receiving your Citrix Certified Administrator designation) requires a score of 68%. In the end, I passed with a 77%. (1% higher than my first Citrix exam from 1998 when I actually studied.) So I am now Citrix-certified once again! [UPDATE: No I'm not. There is an online e-learning course you're supposed to take too. I'm talking to Citrix today to find out more about what they're thinking here, because right now, this seems like total marketing BS. I'll post more as I learn it.]

Citrix deserves a lot of credit here. I know the CCA is just one exam. And sure it has its flaws. But all-in-all it's a decent test and probably about as good as any vendor could do. So should you go out and get Citrix-certified? It depends. If getting certified will get a raise at work, then yes! If you'll get a bonus, then yes! If you're afraid of getting laid off and you'll be in the job market? Sure, it can't hurt.

Then again, I've spent the majority of my career as an uncertified doer, and real world experience will beat out certifications any day.

Comments

Guest wrote Very fun post

on 08-12-2008 1:08 AM

Thanks Brian..I really enjoy reading your blogposts..very entertaining...

Siegfried Huijgen wrote Affecting independece

on 08-12-2008 2:13 AM

LOL

This most definitely affects your independent status.....you now MUST get certified on all other areas you blog about and not only pass these exams, but also not prepare in any way :-), jus to remain truly independent.

If you would have failed the test, would that have cost you your CTP status?? Just wondering :-)

--Cheers--

Siegfried

Guest wrote congrats

on 08-12-2008 2:13 AM

Congratulations and welcome to the club :)

Brian what's youre opinion about the obligated CTX-1755 CW Elearning exam then? Don't you think that's completely BS exam only for one purpose: stealing money out of our pockets?

grtz, Jan  

Guest wrote You're still no CCA for CPS 4

on 08-12-2008 2:33 AM

Uhmm, don't you need elearning CTX-1455CW to become a CCA?

Guest wrote CCa

on 08-12-2008 3:10 AM

Yeah...don't you need to do a money grabbing e-learning exam to get full CCA? What a crap test this was.

Brian Madden wrote Re: congrats

on 08-12-2008 7:11 AM

This is interesting. I've never heard of this exam (it's actually CTX-1455CW) before?!? It's listed as a requirement for the CCA, but then again, it's just an elearning course? I can't really figure out whether it's required or not.

But here's my opinion: If this is just another exam, that's fine. Then that means the CCA is two exams instead of one. But if they force you to take the course, and you can't take the exam without first taking the course, then that's crap.

Now if you pay for the "course," but then the exam is "free" at the end.. well I guess that's a gray area. As long as they let you skip the course part then I guess that's ok.

But now I'm confused. Maybe I'm not a CCA after all?

Brian Madden wrote Re: congrats

on 08-12-2008 7:14 AM

Oh geez.. look at the description of that 1455 course:

This course introduces Citrix administrators and IT professionals to common features of the management platform for Citrix Presentation Server products. Administrators are introduced to Presentation Server 4.5 from a business benefit perspective and then learn what common technical features enable those benefits.

Learners continue with an introduction to the Access Management Console, including guided practice on selected capabilities, and then proceed to learn how administrators can install, administer and support the Citrix License Server, as well as address license issues common across the functional components of Presentation Server

So this is obviously geared towards people who are new to Citrix. I can't possibly imagine they force you to take this course if you already know what you're doing?!?

Guest wrote http://www.citrixcertmanager.com

on 08-12-2008 7:46 AM

Brian, 

you should check on http://www.citrixcertmanager.com if you're REALLY certified! ;-)

Btw I agree with the people above: the e-learning exam is just BS!  

-- 

rob 

Guest wrote Re: congrats

on 08-12-2008 7:55 AM

Pretty sure the E-Training course is required before you actually get your certification.

Check citrixcertmanager.com and it will show you the requirements and where you currently stand.

 You will see that the elearning course is a required step.  Really the CCA ends ups costing 250 bucks....

jens-peter rosin wrote come on Brian...

on 08-12-2008 8:38 AM

....you're smarter than 77%  :-)

Now next steps are CCEA, CCIA, CCI - and don't forget to "upgrade" your certification fast as you can  with the now available BETA test for XenApp 5.0 ...

 

Michael Keen wrote Welcome to the club

on 08-12-2008 8:42 AM

As someone stated in a separate reply, that this would compromise your independent status, this in no way compromises your independent status.  This is something that is, unfortunately or fortunately, a requirement in today's business environment.  I was right there with you as not thinking this was relevant for the work I was doing back in my days at HP and am doing today.  But guess what?  It is.  Clients and potential clients want to know that you have been certiifed (even if you did write the book)....just the nature of the beast.

Anyway, congrats on the CCA dude....

Michael

Guest wrote Brian Madden is not a CCA!

on 08-12-2008 8:45 AM

Brian:

You have to take the Web Learning course CTX-1455CW course (mostly marketing and Citrix indoctrination) and pass the assessment quiz at the end of the web course before you become a CCA.

Citrix has screwed up their certification process by requiring these money gouging web courses to certification. It is all BS and greed. You have to take 5 of these web learning plus 5 vue/prometric tests (courseware is really required to pass because 80% of questions come from courses) to becaome a CCEA.

Hardly anyone other than the partners are going for certification beyond the CCA because of the confusion, difficulty, and test errors. Citrix loves to gouge their partners and the clients in any way they can.

If you ever take the 456 test with multiple conceptional errors or take the tests and courses to become a CCEA - you will know how screwed up Citrix education is.

Citrix education quality control is a mess......and they go out of their way not to listen to their partners.

The only course that is selling well is the CTX-1259.

The only certification that has substantial users other than the partners is the CCA.

Many Citrix Authorized Learning Centers have dropped Citrix because they are so anal!

Brian Madden wrote Re: come on Brian...

on 08-12-2008 8:48 AM

You know.. the 77% is funny. Because the only questions I didn't know were (by definition) ones that I thought were BS. :)

So really the test was 77% good, 23% BS!

Guest wrote Congrats

on 08-12-2008 9:00 AM

I have no plans to do exams unless I get fired :). As all ready said Exams VS Experience = Experience wins hands down. Well done to Brian getting a 100% since 23% were BS :)

Guest wrote You're not a CCA yet...

on 08-12-2008 9:01 AM

http://www.citrixtraining.com/uploadfiles/1/content/files/Q208_Certification_Brochure_041608.pdf

Guest wrote Why is everyone missing the important part.

on 08-12-2008 9:02 AM

Seeing you passed... where's the pie?

Guest wrote Elearning..

on 08-12-2008 9:42 AM

Brian, congrats on the Pass... I took the e-learning class a few months ago. This is a total waste of time and more importantly money. Some of the questions focus on how much of a market share citrix has. What has this do to with administrating a citrix Farm? Citrix need to either update their e-learning class to be a relevant course or eliminate the requirement for certification. If somebody wants to be in sales & marketing, he/she should not be perusing the CCA.

 

Ben wrote Streaming Questions

on 08-12-2008 9:50 AM

Brian,

Hopefully asking this question won't get me or you in any hot water, but I've got the same exam in 3 weeks and I wanted to know if you had any questions on Streaming Applications in yours? I can't find any mention of it in the Enablement Guide for 259, but I can't see how they won't ask questions on it.

Thanks

Shanetech wrote Great Post

on 08-12-2008 9:55 AM

Good to hear that the testing centers have not changed.. Test Downloading..LMAO..we used to download the tests over a 56k, the test pc's were all-in-one win 9x machines...sounds like its the same..

Brian Madden wrote Re: Streaming Questions

on 08-12-2008 10:18 AM

You're right. I don't think I can specifically say whether streaming was or was not on the exam.

However, I just googled for and read the 259 Enablement Guide. And I can say that yes, the content of the exam was consistent with the guide. So if you know what's in that guide, you should be good.

Guest wrote Re: Streaming Questions

on 08-12-2008 12:04 PM

Citrix decided to add the streaming chapter to the course after they created the test. You will not see any questions on app streaming unless they re-write the test.

Jody Wong wrote Apparently I'm not a CCA either....

on 08-12-2008 3:32 PM

After reading Brian's blog, I started investigating.  Indeed you have to watch the 2 hour e-learning course and answer the questions at the end and also pass either the 256 or 259 exam (ps4 or ps4.5).

 I've passed the exam but I never took the e-learning course.  Pretty lame how citrix has to find ways to nickel and dime you.