Fun with VCAP6-DCV Deploy

dave330i

Went to take the exam this afternoon. Got into the lab environment and started launching Putty, PowerCLI, etc. Noticed that the backspace key wasn't working. Got the attention of the exam proctor and she switched me to another machine. Same problem on the other machine. Told the exam proctor that there's a technical problem with the lab environment and to create an incident report.

She gets on the phone with Pearson technical support and the technical support conclusion is that the lab environment has backspace disabled on purpose! Told them that that can't be right and to generate an incident report because there's no way I'm doing a deploy exam without a working backspace key.

She said she'll generate a report and I'll get a copy. Guess I'll figure out the next steps after getting the report.

TheFORCE

Really? wow does the backspace key make the exam that much easier that they had to disable it? LOL

Essendon

Maybe the delete key works? I read somewhere this was done on purpose, apparently helps with stability of the lab. Other than the backspace key, don't ever make the mistake of opening up a console to a VM and clicking in the black space - once you do, you aren't ever coming out of it. Josh Andrews did a blog post, worth checking it for other nuances.

dave330i

Delete worked, but backspace didn't. If you're writing cli command, backspace is a lot more useful than delete. It did have a blurb about not opening console or VMRC to VM. Don't remember reading about backspace.

Who would have thought:

http://www.virtualizestuff.com/2016/08/02/vcap6-exam-interface-tips-tricks/

Not taking the exam again until this fix these stupidity.

scott28tt

This document is on the "How to prepare" section of the vmware.com page for the exam: https://mylearn.vmware.com/lcms/web/portals/certification/VMware%20Certification%20Platform%20Interface.pdf

dave330i

Scott,

Just because they documented the stupidity, doesn't make it any less stupid.

scott28tt

dave330i wrote: »

Scott,

Just because they documented the stupidity, doesn't make it any less stupid.

I don't disagree, just sharing for reference and for others.

OctalDump

The secure environment the exam is presented in restricts the use of some keys notably Control, Alt,Backspace, all Function keys and the right mouse-click button. Candidates are advised to practice tasks without the use of these key strokes.

It makes me imagine all these VMware engineers never using right clicks or backspace, after being conditioned by practicing for the exam not to use them.

Maybe that's how you can tell if someone is certified or not.

I agree, it's an unsatisfactory situation.

DPG

I bailed on a scheduled beta exam for this reason. Disappointed to hear that they still haven't fixed it.

tbgree00

Yeah, Backspace disabled sucks. Copy/paste disabled sucked more for me. Someone pointed out you can use the virtual keyboard feature in windows to do the commands.

I managed to pass the Beta in spite of this. We take a lot of tests that require memorizing arbitrary trivia and doing things we wouldn't do in production so I just worked through their restrictions. It sucks but I wanted that VCIX

dave330i

I'll wait until they fix this or if I need it for for my VCDX pre-req. Already have a VCIX. The exam itself seemed simple enough (minus the exam environment itself).

GSXRules

Pearson was working on it last I heard (Oct '16) and they weren't sure why some of the keys were disabled anyway. 'Course they were also working on expanding the default resolution also. We were actually given a date for the resolution to be fixed but that's long passed by now.

Also, the html documentation quit working in January and I haven't seen anyone post that it's been fixed yet.

Look for people chatting about being on a VCAP7 SME panel and ask them if there was talk about fixes for these issues.

GSXRules

OctalDump wrote: »

It makes me imagine all these VMware engineers never using right clicks or backspace, after being conditioned by practicing for the exam not to use them.

Not a (directly) VMware issue - which should be obvious if you've used HoL.

Goldenrose

I agree with you, they should correct the issue. In my opinion, with this limitations in place they are trying to make the deploy exam environment, more like a real world with some stress. In other words, they are increasing the stress levels, by changing what we all used to do

dave330i

Goldenrose wrote: »

I agree with you, they should correct the issue. In my opinion, with this limitations in place they are trying to make the deploy exam environment, more like a real world with some stress. In other words, they are increasing the stress levels, by changing what we all used to do

The backspace issue was resolved when I retook the exam few months ago.

Goldenrose

dave330i wrote: »

The backspace issue was resolved when I retook the exam few months ago.

Good news!