Anyone else get the invite for the Server+ 2009 beta?

I just got the email to sign up for the CompTIA Server+ 2009 beta. I don't know yet if I've been accepted.

You can try to sign up for it here: CompTIA Server+ Certification, Server+ Certification

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Comments

jibbajabba

Nice one.

Slowhand

That looks really good, JD. I think that is going to be a HUGE help towards me actually passing a beta exam for once.

earthad1

I just got out of the exam. I thought it was quite challenging but there were some dead giveways in the exam.

I think Comptia got the qualifications on this exam dead on. I wrote Server+ in 2003 and it was a joke back then, easiest one I ever wrote hands down. This exam blends A+ and Network+ concepts as well as various newer Server technologies.

All in all it was a good cert and a nice challenge. I'm pretty sure I aced it.

t3ch_guru

I got an email from this lady sharron i believe. She ask which exam I wanted to take. I told her vue. So I am waiting on another email. Does this mean I am accepted to take the beta?

Slowhand

t3ch_guru wrote: »

I got an email from this lady sharron i believe. She ask which exam I wanted to take. I told her vue. So I am waiting on another email. Does this mean I am accepted to take the beta?

There's a very good chance you're in. You'll get the beta code for Vue in a day or two, most likely.

t3ch_guru

This sucks. I am signing up for the test since I got my voucher code now. I have a Vue testing center like 10 mi away from me. But it doesnt look like they are going to be letting people take the exam there. The only one it seem for my area (orlando) would be Daytona college which is like a hr away. Do you think it is worth the trouble. Mind you i have never taken any cert exam before.

darkerosxx

t3ch_guru wrote: »

Do you think it is worth the trouble.

The voucher lets you take the exam for free, but paying for gas to travel 1hr to take the exam takes the fun out of it. If you're familiar with the topics and feel like you might pass, I'd say go for it if it's just the travel time and gas money holding you back. Server+ would be a good first cert. If you're not familiar with all of the topics and don't have enough time to study, I'd pass.

t3ch_guru

Well I am studying. I was wondering if I sign up for a time and use my voucher code and the decided to cancel. Would I have issues using my voucher code for another time?

dynamik

Why don't you just reschedule and not cancel?

t3ch_guru

That is true. Thanks, I didn't remember seeing that option on the Vue site.

JDMurray

t3ch_guru wrote: »

Do you think it is worth the trouble. Mind you i have never taken any cert exam before.

For never having taken a cert exam, it would be a good experience for you at a great cost (free). Find some other things to do around the college and make a day of it.

darkerosxx

t3ch_guru wrote: »

Well I am studying. I was wondering if I sign up for a time and use my voucher code and the decided to cancel. Would I have issues using my voucher code for another time?

Just for future reference, I have had no problems cancelling an appointment and reusing the same voucher code to create a new appointment. It's easier to reschedule, but if you have to take a different exam, it works.

steve_f

JDMurray wrote: »

OK, I've posted a blog article on where to find information on each topic in the 2009 Server+ exam objectives. This link farm article is still missing a few links, so if you know of any good Web pages for the unlinked topics, please PM them to me.

CompTIA Server+ 2009 Objectives Where-to-find-it TechExams.net Blogs

That is brilliant thanks so much!

TravR1

JDMurray wrote: »

For never having taken a cert exam, it would be a good experience for you at a great cost (free). Find some other things to do around the college and make a day of it.

Chase girls. Teach them about hard drives.

Slowhand

My exam's scheduled to start in about half and hour. Sadly, I'm afraid I won't be there to take it. It's been a loooooooong morning, I'm a lot sicker than I've let on to my friends, and the testing center is about an hour away. I guess I'll just have to take the hit on the freebie voucher and go straight to the post-exam drinking tonight.

wastedtime

Well I just wanted to say that I got done with the Server+ Beta today and thought it was very well put together. I loved those questions on RAID and for some reason at times it felt like I was taking a “light” version of the 70-290 exam. Anyone else get that feeling?

There was one question off hand that I didn’t like though. It was a question about a networked printer that was shared off of a server. Maybe they meant it was directly connect to the server and the server was on the network. If not though and it was working and then stopped working. The first thing I would check is the network settings of the printer and nothing on the server. I would especially do that when other printers are working fine that run off the server. Just a small area that I felt was bad.

But in general I thought it was a great entry level test. It even had me trying to figure out acronyms at points during the test.

I hope you get to feeling better Slowhand.

matradley

Awesome! I signed up and CompTIA is permitting my request to take the BETA. It has been well over a year since I attempted to certify again. This just might lead me back on track.

ULWiz

Taking mine on monday the 1st. Should be a easy exam from what i hear and another certification to add to the list. Best of luck to anyone else taking this exam. Does anyone know when results will be released. I know i read it somewhere but not 100% sure where.

JDMurray

wastedtime wrote: »

Just a small area that I felt was bad.

I hope you left a comment on what you didn't like about the item. The purpose of us all taking this beta is to critique the exam items we receive and helping to create a better item pool for the next release of the Server+ exam. I'm taking the beta exam tomorrow, and I'm hoping to spend more time writing comments than selecting answers. Of course, I already have the Server+ cert, so I'm under no pressure to try and pass to get a free cert.

steve_f

I didn't do a lot of study for this compared to other exams (blaming my 4 week old baby!) but I did spend about 3 hours leafing through the examCram book for the previous Server+ exam.

I also used the Techexams blog on Server+ and some googling.

I thought the exam was quite easy, the questions went into very little detail in general. Often knowing the vague idea of a technology would be enough to know the answer to a question.

You have to be familiar with a large amount of IT acronyms to get through this.

There were quite a few Windows server questions and having MCSA helped a lot with that. I don't think any Server+ material would have been enough to know the answers to the windows questions. There were no Linux/UNIX questions but some Linux based acronyms cropped up as (wrong) answers.

I spent a good while staring at the wiki table of SCSI types, bus speeds, cable lengths etc. It just wasn't sinking in though. I just about learnt the bandwidth for each SCSI type and left the rest.

I don't know if I passed it or not. I find hardware specs very tedious to read/learn, and my modus operandi in work is just to buy the fastest and best that the budget will allow.

I counted the questions that I thought I definitely got right, and this gave me 68%. Presuming I got some of the 50/50 questions right, and a few correct guesses too, I might have passed.

What is the pass mark BTW???

Don't want to give anything away but definitely learn the Comptia method of diagnosing and resolving a fault. There are more steps involved than you would expect.

I left plenty of comments, pointing out clumsy phrases in the questions, spelling and grammar mistakes.

Good luck to the rest of you.

TravR1

Thanks for the review, Steve.

I am sitting this exam Monday morning. Not worried about it. I'm never going to memorize all the SCSI and bus speeds, so I'm not even going to try. Other than that, I should nail most everything else.

Then I am taking the 70-270 on the 15th and starting at my local tech school on the 8th. Wow, I'm going to be kinda busy.

JDMurray

I just got back from the beta exam. It took me a little under 90 minutes to get through the 130 questions, and I left comments on about 10-12 items (mostly to do with incorrect and outdated terminology and grammar). I also plugged TE in the survey comments.

The Server+ beta a typical, entry-level CompTIA exam. It's very Windows-centric and certainly targeted to people with 18-24 months only of server room experience. It has the flavor of the old Server+ exam, but with configuration and troubleshooting scenario questions, some on virtualization and SAN technologies (hardware, config, and practical uses), and even security questions. Know your RAID, SCSI, FC, PCI bus, and tape backup strategies. There are some A+ and Network+ flavored questions, and knowing 70-270 and 70-290 exam material will help too.

I think it's a good update and it makes Server+ still a worthwhile cert to get.

motogpman

Just came back from the testing center. I can't add much more than JD has, other than my opinion. There are still some question that are "vague," but over all, I left them feedback that this seems to be their best test yet in regards to spelling and grammar.

matradley

I received an e-mail on Friday last week to confirm my interest for a voucher. I replied on Friday. I hope they will reply quickly before all of the examination slots are taken up at the local PearsonVUE center.

EDIT: I received my voucher this evening.

TravR1

I did the beta today also. Everyone elses reviews nailed it completely. Really easy test, I'm sure I passed. I commented on the 3 questions I didn't like, but other than that I didn't have any problems with the other questions.

Piers

I just got the email requesting confirmation.. but I'm wondering if I should take it.. I passed Server+ (sk0-002) just over a month ago, and now I've got my nose down in Server 2008.. Should I book and take this test just cuz I can? Would there be any point? It should still be pretty fresh in my mind, I would think.

If I flop it, will they take my old cert away?

steve_f

Piers wrote: »

I just got the email requesting confirmation.. but I'm wondering if I should take it.. I passed Server+ (sk0-002) just over a month ago, and now I've got my nose down in Server 2008.. Should I book and take this test just cuz I can? Would there be any point? It should still be pretty fresh in my mind, I would think.

If I flop it, will they take my old cert away?

Take it, it's a free shot to update your qualification. Don't bother studying if you are busy with other stuff.

I have no doubt you will pass.

Piers

steve_f wrote: »

Don't bother studying if you are busy with other stuff.

I like the cut of your jib

hmm.. my dept gives us one day per quarter as a Personal Learning Day.. I wonder if I can book for Friday, write the test and go sit on a patio for a few hours after

dynamik

Well, your Server+ never expires, so there's no reason to "update" it. If you only have one day off per quarter, wouldn't you rather use that for something new? Although, as dorky as this sounds, it can be fun to just get a "sneak peek" even if it doesn't matter.

Piers

dynamik wrote: »

If you only have one day off per quarter, wouldn't you rather use that for something new? .

Work has been slow-ish lately, I get lots of study time..

and my test environment (VirtualPC) is at work as well.

I would probably study less if I stayed at home on my PL day, with wife/kids/chores all around me.

Just waiting for the voucher.. I wouldn't even need to take the day, just slip out for a couple of hours and come back after..