ProctorU Server+ exam experience

PsychoData91

I tried to test for the ProctorU for Server+ today. Win 8 Ent client that was basically a fresh install. We couldn't get the Pearson "SB Browser" to work with their LogMeIn session. (Whenever I opened the SB Browser, it locked out their logmein session and we lost connection)

They handed me off to a tech who asked what antivirus I was running (none, this was installed two days ago. The only thing I'm even going to use is Win Defender so the action center won't complain) and they decided to use the backup. Well, back to the Proctor to try the back door. Only, now, when I open the website to go to my test it says "The Service is Unavailable." and on Pearson's CompTIA site it said "Alert: This website is scheduled to undergo routine maintenance on Saturday, 21 February from 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. CST. During this time, you may not be able to schedule, reschedule or cancel test appointments. We apologize for this inconvenience and thank you for your patience." Very helpful of Pearson to alert us AFTER the maintenance starts that it will happen. So ProctorU rescheduled me for tomorrow (and double checked that Pearson won't be doing any maintenance then)

So, I haven't taken the exam yet, and there was a bit of delay with what remote viewing solution they would use so far, but the only thing that kept me from taking the test was Pearson's fault, not ProctorU's. AND Proctor U refunded me $3 for the "Take it Soon" that I'd paid. No matter what, $99 still kicks $277 heiney!

So, the takeaways from all this:
1- PearsonVue is often times a jerk.
2- ProctorU is awesome, but they may need to use their backup instead of LogMeIn to proctor you. You may want to plan an extra ~30-40 minutes to get through the space verification (No **** materials) and the possible need to go to a tech and get handed back with the verdict to use the backup method. The people were SUPER friendly and nice. I had Christina Z, she was great!
3- This is still a banging deal

H3||scr3am

Yeah my first ProctorU exam took about 45 minutes of tech troubleshooting to get everything working just right, but the second time I did it (project+) it was a painless, 5 minute ordeal.

Best of luck on your ProctorU Server+ exam

PsychoData91

Thanks for the well-wishes. It's here in about four hours. The lady said that they had notes in my file now that I would probably need to do the fallback method so it shouldn't take but a couple of minutes to get me in.

PsychoData91

All done! Took almost as long for them to get everything set up as it did to finish and submit the test (~40 minutes each, today). If you're having problems with your test browser from pearsonvue.com and their "SB Browser" you might can and skip some of the delay and just use ProctorU's secure browser instead. http://www.proctoru.com/downloads/windows/securebrowser

If I had just already downloaded this and ran it instead of going through the pearson SB Browser first, it would have taken ~15 minutes of just reviewing my space and verifying my ID.

Anyway! I scored 851/900 with 750 required! W00t! passed!

H3||scr3am

you broke the scoring mechanism Congratulations on passing the server+!

c0mptia

congrad on your exam..were there any scsi questions.?
Thanks

PsychoData91

There were SCSI, SAS, Ultra SCSI, and iSCSI questions. They didn't get too deep, though it did ask about the differences in width between Ultra SCSi and a type of scsi I didn't immediately recognize - I guessed on that one. Still made 851/900 though!

EDIT: I felt confident on this stuff. http://www.techexams.net/forums/server/107325-passed-server-information-what-study.html SCSI was probably the part I felt least confident on. "SCSI, iSCSI know about terminating the chain and read over the revisions of SCSI (Wide, Ultra etc)" But I knew the how to use SCSI vs iSCSI vs SAS vs NAS pretty well. Just not specifics (like differences between Wide, ultra Etc)

One of the interesting questions they asked was determining what kind of processor based on the number of L1 and L2 caches it had (IE 4 L2 caches and 16 L1 caches would be four quad-core processors <-- I think that's right. They don't exactly give you question specific feedback, y'know?)

c0mptia

c0mptia wrote: »

congrad on your exam..were there any scsi questions.?
Thanks

Thanks for the information.

JohnnyUtah41

PsychoData91 wrote: »

One of the interesting questions they asked was determining what kind of processor based on the number of L1 and L2 caches it had (IE 4 L2 caches and 16 L1 caches would be four quad-core processors <-- I think that's right. They don't exactly give you question specific feedback, y'know?)

I took the Server+ today and had the same question. I chose 4 quad core too. A lot of their questions left me scratching my head. I kinda thought i didn't do so well, but was pleasantly surprised to see i got an 855/900.

I just finished my MCSA in server 2012 last friday...wanted to take a little break from studying for MCSE in server infrastructure and was looking at the server+, then i saw the proctorU deal expired feb 28th, so i jumped on it. Spent like 3 or 4 solid days studying for it and thought the exam was actually kinda hard. Oh well, glad i passed it and now on to the 70-413 exam.

cs8400

I too just finished my MCSA on server 2012 this Friday. I just scheduled the Project+ and Server+ through ProctorU for late March. They came out to $50 a piece. $100 for 2 tests!

N2IT

Nice pass

I thought server + was right on par with a+

I never understood the strategy of doing A+ then network +. I always thought it made more sense to go with A+ then Server +.

JohnnyUtah41

Good work on the MCSA. Yeah, server+ wasn't particularly hard, just stupid questions and ironically i had no questions regarding SCSI. I was bummed because I had the whole scsci chart history memorized. Then proctorU told me no scratch paper, so i couldn't write anything down before the exam(like that chart), or use scratch paper for some other questions..kinda weird.

PsychoData91

JohnnyUtah41 wrote: »

Then proctorU told me no scratch paper, so i couldn't write anything down before the exam(like that chart), or use scratch paper for some other questions..kinda weird.

Hehe, I didn't ask about scratch paper, I did happen to have a couple of blank sheets lying on the table I was using along with a pen. I used it to work out a couple of the questions with raids and usable storage. The proctor may not have seen it, but if they did they didn't mention it.

D113

cs8400 wrote: »

I too just finished my MCSA on server 2012 this Friday. I just scheduled the Project+ and Server+ through ProctorU for late March. They came out to $50 a piece. $100 for 2 tests!

I also saw that the exams can be booked through the end of March, and that the exams are $50 each now. Wasn't this a pilot program that was supposed to end in February?

ProctorU didn't have much information about availability of the exams beyond March 31 and referred me to CompTIA for information. The CompTIA rep was familiar with the ProctorU program, but didn't have any additional information on it.

nster

I was told is was their "new permanent price". Regardless, I'm going to try and do Project+ soon and maybe Cloud+ as well within March

stryder144

I tried to set up a test for last Friday, thinking that the opportunity would be gone forever. I guess, since I couldn't seem to figure out the whole blocked port issue (since resolved), that the delay was a blessing in disguise. $50 per test is an outstanding price. Now I need to finish studying for Cloud+ (personal reasons) and Server+ (professional reasons) and take the tests.