| Author |
Failed this beast of an exam
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| dmor13 2002-03-05, 3:24 pm |
| This test is so horribly written, terribly designed that it's no wonder you have tech's with 4 year experience running servers failing this test.
Example - (Not off the real exam, no violation of the NDA)
What is the most important item for you to be concerned about as a server administrator? Choose the best answer.
A. Server Security
b. Server Enviorment
C. Server Back up policy
D. Server Maintence and set up
Here's another:
You install blah blah and it fails what do you first as the server administrator? Choose the best answer.
A. Check the server error logs
B. Reinstall the blah blah
C. Get the latest drivers from blah blah
D. Reboot
I swear in the real example that you are given no more information to help you troubleshoot the issue than I gave you in the example question. You can make a case for alot of these choices.
Instead of testing our knowledge of the material we have to try to figure out what the "Comptia" answer is.
The other issue is 80 questions in 90 mintues. These are not little questions. Some of them are very wordy questions that can take a mintue or longer just to read and then you have the wordy answers do choose from. This will kill you on your time. I didn't have time to correct all my answers.
This is strictly a Server hardware exam. I bet I didn't have 3 or 4 networking/client-server/LAN questions. Most were the badly worded what do you do now questions after reading some scenerio. Or the dreaded choose all that apply questions.
As you can see I've passed 2 of the Comptia exams so I'm not just ranting about Comptia's badly worded questions. Comptia's questions on the I-NET+ and the Network+ exam were much more straighfoward than any Microsoft test that I've ever taken. I acknowledge that badly worded and ambigeous questions are a fact of certification life. But this exam was way beyond the usual.
I'm assuming that Comptia wants us to have to guess as to what the Comptia answer is to a question.
80 questions in 90 mintues when a good reader can spend 1.5 mintues just reading some of the questions and answers is unacceptable. Until Comptia gives us a reasonable amount of time to complete the Server+ exam I'm reccomending that people forget this exam. Until Comptia comes to their senses and tests us on our knowledge of the their published objectives. Just move on down the certification road.
I will post a seperate critique on the various "Study Guides" and books for this test in another thread.
Thanks for letting me rant. | |
| cross36 2002-03-05, 3:37 pm |
| Exams do change. Sorry to hear though you failed.
We all learn and improve this way | |
| dmor13 2002-03-06, 9:33 am |
| I learned alot that's for sure. But you know I feel cheated. I was not tested on my mastery of their stated and published objectives. ASnd the I.T. world is not about how fast you can do something. Why does the speed of answering questions have to be there? | |
| ace123 2002-03-06, 9:44 am |
| Sorry it here it. | |
| cogeco 2002-03-06, 11:55 pm |
| I hear ya
He\appened to me two times - I have one more voucher and after this Server+ will be either in my pocket or history.
No sense spending money, time and nerves on it. There are other more valuable Certs out there and more straight forward. | |
| stacy928 2002-03-07, 6:02 pm |
| Sorry to hear about your fail you will pass next time around! | |
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| this is a disturbing thread. If those questions are truly representative of the actual test, then I don't see any point in taking it since it would have no value in my eyes... | |
| dagger 2002-03-07, 9:09 pm |
| Nah......come on
I passed it, and I don't have tons of Server experience or tons of certs under my belt.
I just studied my Butt off!
The bottom line is:
You know your stuff or you don't
Memorizing cert21 questions and answers is not the way to go for this exam.
There is no free ride with this one,
this exam is serious.
Get the Objectives for this exam from the CompTIA web site. ....Learn them properly,
that is the way to go. | |
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| you have to admit that those questions are ridiculous at best. Once again, if they are indeed representative of this test, then it is a waste of time...
If they are *not* representative, then all is well | |
| dmor13 2002-03-07, 10:30 pm |
| You will see Freak. There was no exaggeration there. Because of the NDA I couldn't post real ones so I had to make something up. | |
| dagger 2002-03-08, 7:08 am |
| Well I have seen the test as well,
and I think you are exaggerating a bit there.
Lots of people have passed this exam.
It's just how well you prepared before
you went into the exam.
I have seen a lot of posts where people have bashed
the cert21 and Transenders practice questions saying:
"I took the exam and failed, not one questions that was on the exam
was in the Transenders, cert21 or in the book I used for to study this exam"
Like please, if people are looking for a free ride
I'm not surprised they failed.
Memorizing the Cert21, Transenders or the questions and answers in whatever study
guide you used is not how you prepare for this exam.
You have to know the material
and if you think you know the material
and take the exam and failed.......
Well.....it's time to study a little more harder. | |
| Supertech 2002-03-08, 8:03 am |
| "I passed it... but still can't believe it
Sorry, for English, I'm from Russia-Moscow.
Yesterday I passed Server+ with 85 from the first attempt, but Friends, this is the hardiest exam from A+/Net+/I-Net+ series, it's incredible hard, you just have about 1 min per question, it's a real sprint.
I used "Server+ Certification Bible" and solved tests on enclosed CD, plus crammsession pdf.
Before exam I didn't trust "the exam is hard", but now I can tell - it's true." | |
| Devildog1 2002-03-08, 10:07 am |
| I agree with you Dagger I studied my but off for that exam and it all come dont to. Either you know your stuff or you don't trying to memorize questions is not going to help. You have to go over the exams objectives again, and again, and again until you know it like the back of you hands point blank. | |
| dagger 2002-03-08, 11:17 am |
| Thanks Devildog1 
hey folks, here is the link:
http://www.comptia.org/certificatio...rplus/index.htm
Scroll down until you see the Link
Server+ Test Objectives
Save that file to disk (its a PDF file).
It will help you tremendously in knowing
what exactly you will see on the real exam. | |
| dmor13 2002-03-08, 2:31 pm |
| I do appreciate your opinions Devildog and dagger. Everyone's opinion is valued by me. And that was a very good link!
But I didn't try to braindump this test. I think that most of the people that come here are truly interested in learning. If they are interested in just braindumping an exam this board is not the place to go. You can be here for one day and figure out that this is a no braindumping board.
I work for a Huge Global company. I have worked with mutiple domains, OS's and networks on a daily basis for over two years now. This is a career. Braindumping is not good for a career. If only for that reason people should consider braindumping a career detrement not a tool for advancement.
There is a chance that a reader reading this thread that could possibly draw a conclusion that all you have to do to pass this test is know the material and not memorize questions.
Again I state it's not that simple. | |
| The VMS Kid 2002-03-08, 2:57 pm |
| I didn't try braindumping either, but I have to admit that I did not quite study as much as I should have. I think I underestimated it based on the difficulty level of CompTIA's other exams. That and because I didn't have to actually pay for it. BIG mistake. | |
| dmor13 2002-03-08, 3:06 pm |
| Guilty as charged also. I didn't study a thing for the Network+ exam. Studied a little programming stuff for I-NET+ and aced those exams. I'm sure that in my mind this was going to be a walk in the park like the others. Maybe that's what caught me by surprise. Oh well, leason learned! | |
| The VMS Kid 2002-03-08, 3:11 pm |
| Agreed. I also have very little direct experience with servers (hardware side). I thought the Net+ and i-Net+ were jokes, though I worked for my A+ and I thought this was another freebie. I was wrong! | |
| sharknu 2002-03-08, 6:13 pm |
| dmor...from reading the majority of replies you give people for passing the Server + it seems you like being sarcastic in your comments. Sorry if you flunked the bugger. Study a little harder and maybe you will finally make it to the elite Server + club. LOL | |
| dmor13 2002-03-08, 6:39 pm |
| It's unfortunate that sarcasm can't be conveyed properly in the written word! lol!
As for me I'm not interested in Server+ anymore. It's onto the bigger game. CCNA and CIW Security Analyst Professional. | |
| Romeorock 2002-03-08, 11:59 pm |
| My self i like things that are diffult to attain,it's a challedge. It's always great to be a part of the selected few. As others have failed,the one`s who do succeed with benefit from the increased value of this certification. | |
| Xteach 2002-03-11, 3:48 pm |
| In the end there are 3 issues here, time, money and crap questions. isn't that what microsoft gave us for years.
Comptia charge a lot more for their exams than the others and they are only meant to be starters exams, why so many questions? does it mean you know more or give them a better chance at getting more money for a second exam.
the old a+ exam from comptia had a question similiar to
what is the normal household power?
a)110ac
b)110dc
c)240ac
d)240dc
great, easy you say, but coming from England with a power supply of 240ac answering a question written by an American with 110ac but sitting the exam in England, what is the answer?
as for time, are we meant to be intelligent AND quick thinkers, if we rush will we get the server fixed faster or just mess it up more?
for one I have decided to miss this exam altogether, it's not going to increase my job prospects, is expensive, too many questions in too short a time and is just a money making exercise for comptia.
A+, NET+, they are worth it and can be a valuable exam but forget the rest
As for braindumping or studying, dont accuse, people have their own way of learning and unless you know how to do the job you won't get very far so leave them to their own devices
Xteach | |
| Buzz Lightyear 2002-03-19, 10:12 pm |
| I am glad the truth is starting to emerge about the poor quality of questions on the COMPTIA Server+ exam. I have posted my thoughts on this forum, on Amazon.com (Server+ Bible is OK, but very overrated a good resource for this exam). I even called COMPTIA to discuss how they could produce a poor exam.
The value of this exam is the preparation. It brings new insights that my college degrees, busines experience, web hosting experience, MCSE, and pending CNA did not give me. Stupid questions like....you walk into a Server room and leave....Why? do nothing but give a poorly received organization like COMPTIA another $185 of our money.
Skip this exam unless your employer requires it. Getting certified for giving urine test would be more valuable for your career, and easier on your pocketbook. | |
| Supertech 2002-03-19, 10:35 pm |
| Thanks for the insight , Buzz. |
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