How to take Microsoft exams for free [on the example of a recent competition]
Hi, Habr! I think many know about our certification exams. But surely few have heard that we sometimes conduct different activities, with which you can take tests for free. For example, we arrange certification sessions at various Microsoft events, organize online contests and much more. Under the cut, you will find the story of one of the participants of the online contest CloudPro 2020 about how to get a free voucher, as well as prepare for and pass the Microsoft Certified Professional exam.
I give the word to the author.
')
Good afternoon, colleagues! My name is Natalia Efimtseva , not so long ago I passed the 70-532 exam “Developing Microsoft Azure Solutions” . Actually, this will be discussed further.
Time spent : ~ 40-60 hours within 30-45 days.
Cost: 0 RUB (received a Cloud Pro 2020 voucher).
Duration of the certificate: not limited.
Microsoft began to be engaged in technologies and products for a long time, now it’s scary to write this figure, more than 10 years ago. Most of the time with Microsoft technologies was connected during my work directly to Microsoft (8+). Then there was a period of work in Google (3+). But the last year has focused on independent consultations and participation in projects as an external expert. The last 3-4 years at Microsoft were related to Microsoft Azure (then everything started as Windows Azure), Google also had cloud projects, but with a focus on the Google Cloud Platform.
At the moment, most of the issues that I face are related to clouds, IoT and ML. Somehow it turns out that approximately 70% of the tasks relate to Azure. This ratio is made up of both objective factors and their “non-objective” ones. The objective is the distribution and availability of Azure in Russia - here Microsoft has done a great job (these are issues related to the acquisition and purchase, localization, support, training of IT specialists, local Azure projects, programs for Gold \ Silver partners in Azure, etc.). P.). By "non-objective" - ​​it turns out that it is to me that they often come to me with the theme of Azure, since Azure never went out of my focus, even while working with other cloud platforms.
From some projects in which I took part and information about which is available online, it is written in the article “ Microsoft Azure cloud in real projects ”. I remember the project with Raxel Telematics (smart hull insurance), because it was the first project connected with IoT and the cloud. When it all began, Azure (and other vendors) did not offer special IoT services. Now in Azure for such solutions, where the client has a smart device (for CASCO, in particular, a smart device in the machine) , special services are provided - Azure IoT Hub and IoT Edge.
It is very interesting how the project was transformed. IoT Edge, in my opinion, is a big step forward, because allows us to understand that the cloud can only be part of a modern solution, many functions can be performed on the device itself (modern smart devices are much smarter than those devices that we once had as main computers), which, in turn, saves time to process and transfer data, etc. Modern IT tasks are changing rapidly and becoming more and more ambitious, so it’s very comfortable to work with technology that is also evolving and offering not only basic cloud services. This allows you to update the project and move on, rather than reinvent the wheel.
At some point, I realized that it makes sense to pass the exam on Azure, because I'm working on projects that use Azure.
Firstly, the certificate will not be “superfluous” to confirm competence in a particular area. Not to say that a certificate ensures that someone understands something deeply and perfectly, but in combination with other factors, this may mean that the person is “in the subject line” and that he is able to set goals for himself and achieve this goal (m. e. has the skills to plan and implement the plan).
Secondly, Azure has changed significantly: there is strong support for third-party technologies and structures and solutions for large businesses, as well as its own new services. Those. for me, the exam was like a test of “old” knowledge (here I am referring to the fundamentals and foundation, including from a technical point of view, how Azure functions, and not just the documented capabilities of a particular service and service, many of which have undergone quite strong changes), and the opportunity to get new and organize already received.
Third, when I read the Azure course in the spring, I was approached by listeners, including with questions about Azure certification, and were interested in how the process was organized. I decided to prepare for these issues and try to help them. Any information and theory should always be checked at least a little in practice independently - it always turns out a lot of nuances.
Here is this page. Exam 70-532 allows you to get the status of Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP). It can be said that this is the initial stage for obtaining “more complex” certifications. It is sometimes asked whether the MCP has a duration or an expiration date. Perhaps you can say that the status of the MCP does not expire as such. The exam itself (but not your MCP status) may cease to be available for passing (or replaced by another, updated exam) or technologies or products may become irrelevant over time, but the acquired status of MCP for a particular technology or product will remain in your "Piggy bank".
I note that, unlike the MCP, exams of the following stages, for example, Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) or Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MSCD), for which the MCP is a necessary component, have the status of active only for a year. In order to maintain active MCSE and MCSD statuses, it is necessary to take another new exam once a year. More details on this topic are provided in the Do Microsoft Certifications Expire articles ? and Microsoft Certification Changes and Goodbye to MCSD Azure Solutions Architect . An example of the status of my "old" exams below.
Please note that the cost of passing the exam for Russia is 80 USD. If you have a different cost displayed (for example, for the USA it is 165 USD), make sure that the country you are in is correctly selected and you are planning to take the exam.
I note that in the end I received a voucher for passing the exam for free, taking part in the project CloudPro 2020 . If there was no voucher, then the exam would still pass. A voucher is not a necessary or necessary condition for making a decision to pass an exam, it is just a nice bonus.
Competition CloudPro 2020 allows you to get a free certification voucher. It is necessary to pass a small test (about 10 questions). The test is simple. One of the questions has a slight error in the answer. In order not to be considered as a spoiler, I will not indicate a specific question and answer, but I will say that Azure takes security seriously and all interaction with the management portal goes through HTTPS. But I am sure that everyone knows and understands this, so the meaning remains absolutely true.
Completed the test and received a letter with information on the voucher. The nice thing is that the voucher also included the opportunity to retake. Who knows what?) I didn’t need a second attempt, but its presence added confidence, which helped the first attempt, the psychological effect.
The competition was held until June 30, 2018, but there is a high probability that it will be replaced by a new competition. Therefore, I will definitely follow the project, and I suggest you keep this opportunity in mind.
Detailed rules for conducting Microsoft exams and FAQ are available in Russian at this link. Here you can find a lot of useful information, for example, about the rules and terms of retake (I learned that one and the same exam can be tried not more than 5 times in 12 months); about the format and possible number of exam questions (see Basic information about exams ); about the availability of a Change Form for exam questions (although I didn’t quite understand how to do this practically, because it is forbidden to document / save the question in any way, but it is not so easy to remember exactly the details after the fact, but there would be a desire - a process still present).
It is forbidden (and not only not recommended) to use in preparing for the brain dump dumps. I quote in English (because the terms should not be translated in this paragraph): “A“ brain dump, ”is a source, such as a website, that is There was a fraud. It’s a great deal of relief. During these exam constitutes cheating. "Brain dump" providers are in violation of Microsoft intellectual property rights and nondisclosure agreements.
For incorrect answers, points are not withdrawn: “There is no penalty for guesswork. If you choose the wrong answer, you simply do not get points for this question. No points are awarded for incorrect answers ”(see link ).
To prepare - was preparing, but not all day and night, because I was already counting on my theoretical and practical knowledge. Refreshed knowledge of the electronic version of the book " Exam Ref 70-532 Developing Microsoft Azure Solutions ", but according to the first edition. Azure and the exam itself 70-532 have undergone certain changes, so the book has been updated. In particular, in the first edition of the book, an entire chapter is reserved for Cloud Services, but now it is no longer relevant (because there are App Services, etc.), also, for example, in the first edition there are no sections on Azure Search, Cosmos DB and information about the new resource deployment model - ARM (Azure Resource Manager).
I will note that understanding how the Cloud Service and / or Azure WebSites worked would not be superfluous, precisely at the level of understanding the work (and not the settings, etc.) and quite help to adapt to App Services. And with Cosmos DB, for example, I dealt with projects, so I decided that this would be enough. Of course, it is better prepared by the second edition, if it is at hand, if not, then you can choose the first edition and read the missing material in addition. By the way, after each chapter in the book there is a test with 5 questions on the topic studied - these tests help to tune in to the exam format and test yourself (both knowledge and ability to answer test questions).
Partially watched the course " Technical Session on preparing for the exam 70-532: Development on Microsoft Azure " from the portal CloudPro 2020. Partly - because I prefer printed materials. But in this question - to whom that is more convenient.
In addition to these resources, I can highlight eBooks from Microsoft (free), which are not very large structured brochures on a particular topic. Sometimes it is a review material, sometimes examples of implementation based on illustrative scenarios. Books are free, format is electronic, formatting and illustrations are good — suitable for familiarizing yourself with the topic. It is not necessary to read everything thoroughly, sometimes it is enough to look over and run through the book, dwell on the technical details that are of interest. Find a list of such books here . I didn’t reread it especially for the exam, but sometimes I study it in the process.
I created another profile (in the old spelling error, but it's not so easy to fix it, you need to write somewhere, etc.) on the Microsoft certification portal (or rather, you created a profile for your second Microsoft Account) so I decided to create a new profile on the mcp.microsoft.com page. I note that they advise you to write the full name clearly, as in a passport, for example, or rights, since Verify will precisely with them. I agree that the transliteration rules are changing, but you don’t need to deviate much from the rules, so before final confirmation of the surname and property entered, it’s better to check everything carefully (as I wrote above, it’s possible to change them, probably, theoretically, but it’s not very clear how to do it in practice) .
I chose the appropriate center and time of certification. Passed in person at the Academy Lanit on Bauman. Then she entered the code of the voucher received. And that's all. Day X has been set.
Interestingly, the online format of the exam (called "Microsoft Online Proctored Exam") is possible. In this case, the room in which the testing will take place must meet certain requirements (the presence of cameras, a dedicated “closed” space, ie, openspace will not work, etc.). I did not try it myself, but note to others, so I selected links on this topic below:
Apart from the time on the road, a clear advantage of the “home or office” exam is that there will be allocated space (and a “native” mouse or tapach) in which only you pass the exam, at certification centers these are still rooms for several people . As I understood, before the exam was always watched by a real person, but now sometimes automatic systems are also used (therefore, any changes in the flow from the camera can cause both non-false and false alarms, for example, a change in the room illumination or disappearance, giving out from the frame, but All this is solved, you just need to realize how the process is organizationally and technically implemented).
The exam takes about 3 hours (the exam is not interrupted, so all go out and log in at "your account"). The certification center was asked to present two identity documents (it seems that it was a Russian passport and a right or a foreign passport). I got acquainted with the rules of testing (in English) and signed for confirming that I understood everything and agree.
Has handed over all things, both electronic and non-electronic, i.e. not only the phone, the watch, but the whole backpack with everything that was in it (including pens and notepads). In exchange, a marker and a notepad are issued (in case something needs to be written down, for example). I personally did not use any of this. I entered the examination room (except for me, there were 2 or 3 more examinees) and proceeded to the examination. Since the clock was surrendered, then the time count is somewhat gone (there is always a countdown on the exam page, but it is relative), probably almost the same feeling in the casino (although it was not there) when you do not know what time it is outside the walls (on Exam, of course, can be calculated, but I'm only talking about feelings). I spent about one and a half hours on the exam itself. Results are reported immediately upon completion of the exam.
The exam is available in various languages, including Russian, but I chose English. I note that knowledge of English will be required for reading both the scenarios (requirements) for which a number of questions will be asked, as well as for organizational issues (type of questions, possibility of returning to questions, etc.), so choose what is closer.
Before the exam (exam time is not spent on it), you will receive an electronic questionnaire in which you answer questions about what prompted you to take the exam, what experience with Azure you have left, etc. According to the disclaimer and the information here, the answers to these questions do not affect the questions that may appear in the test. I suppose that this is the way it is, but when answering any questions, be vigilant, it never puts vigilance.
Microsoft passed the first technology exams a long time ago, so it was a little unprepared for the changed (or so it seems to me) format. I was sure that it would be possible to return to any question later, but this is not so. The entire exam is divided into several blocks. Blocks are questions combined in a single scenario or some technical topic. So, you can return and check only while you are within the block (you cannot switch between blocks, i.e. one block is completed and the other begins). I do not think that somehow it prevented me. Marked answers for verification and return several times, but in fact did not change this answer. Then she stopped ticking and began to answer immediately (because either you know, or you don’t, or you exclude exactly those that are not suitable and choose the one that you think is the most correct, but in this case, intuition will “torture” once again).
I had 40 questions, according to information from the FAQ questions can be approximately 40-60. It is interesting (again from the FAQ that I read when preparing the article) that there are issues that are not taken into account when formatting the final score (see the link), but apparently this is not my case, because and so there were only 40 questions. I think it makes no sense to delve into the final score. Clearly the process is not described, so everything is heuristic and guesswork, almost like to delve into the algorithm of ranking issuance when searching, and it will be even easier to determine the algorithm (the algorithm is, of course, more difficult, but it will probably be easier to determine). So just get ready and answer correctly.
As I wrote above, points are not removed for incorrect answers. Frankly speaking, if I test, I prefer tests, where points are removed for wrong answers (everything is relative, but I consider such as “more revealing”), but I played by the rules and gave answers to all the questions. I note that Microsoft does not claim that certification is some absolute and only measure. Certification and its successful passage allows you to confirm that the candidates have certain skills and knowledge of technology.
There were 3 or 4 scenarios. I liked the questions about the scenarios the most, because seemed a little more interesting. In these questions in the description of the script and the code (the code of the part of the models is also given) there is always a “hint” for the correct answer, i.e. carefully read the manual and the requirements voiced in it (sometimes the requirements raised questions, but here you need to understand that this is testing, and not a real project, although requirements causing questions are the maximum approximation to a real project). Ie, for example, if one asks about the port number or the number of copies for scaling, then one does not need to immediately panic and say “what do I know” and “it depends”, somewhere directly or indirectly (can be calculated) in the requirements or code, this information is present.
All this is also described by the same magic link (subsection "Exam Features").
There were different questions ... There was a question about Azure Storage, virtual machines, Azure Search (this one was especially remembered because I could not remember the correct syntax for declaring the required tokenizer - I chose the closest one), about Cosmos DB, about SQL Azure and Elastic Pool, about PowerShell and CLI (seems to be creating App Services). There was everything that was promised.
The passing score is 700 (see link ). I can not boast of exorbitant points, but they allowed me to pass the test (763 points). Azure is confident in her knowledge of the topic, the exam was passed with preparation, but without cramming. The goal is achieved.
By the way, from the same FAQ that I used to write while writing articles, I learned that the final score is not an absolute indicator for the exam (only “pass” \ “failed” are absolute indicators). “In addition, the assessments of candidates who passed the exam do not allow comparing their competence; a higher passing score does not mean higher levels of competence. The same is true for grades below the passing score; lower grades do not mean lower levels of competence. "
And to raise the spirit I will quote A. Einstein: "Never memorize what you can find in a book." To successfully pass the exam is enough understanding and some practice in Azure. Those. all fair (fair) some questions, indeed, knowledge of the exact syntax or step-by-step actions (but not all), but it does not require 100% correct answers to all questions for the passage. Here, passing the exams for law, really memorized questions about the provision of first aid and transportation of oversized cargo. It's nice that this is not the case and this is not required.
Do not be afraid that you do not know something or do not remember. If there is a meaningful understanding of the essence, then this understanding of the principles and possibilities is the main thing). There were moments when reading the script, I realized that I would offer a different solution altogether, including taking into account the new features of Azure. I note that exams are updated, both questions and scenarios.
Total certificate and a pleasant mood.
I tied my certificate to the company profile (Silver Microsoft Partner) with which I cooperate.
Exam 70-532 is a baseline for further certifications and levels (“number of feathers”). For me, this is the basis for exam 70-535 "Architecting Microsoft Azure Solutions". But it can also be a starting point for other exams, for example, on Blockchain .
All successful preparation and passing exam Microsoft, as well as a great and warm summer!
I give the word to the author.
')
Good afternoon, colleagues! My name is Natalia Efimtseva , not so long ago I passed the 70-532 exam “Developing Microsoft Azure Solutions” . Actually, this will be discussed further.
Time spent : ~ 40-60 hours within 30-45 days.
Cost: 0 RUB (received a Cloud Pro 2020 voucher).
Duration of the certificate: not limited.
Technological base
Microsoft began to be engaged in technologies and products for a long time, now it’s scary to write this figure, more than 10 years ago. Most of the time with Microsoft technologies was connected during my work directly to Microsoft (8+). Then there was a period of work in Google (3+). But the last year has focused on independent consultations and participation in projects as an external expert. The last 3-4 years at Microsoft were related to Microsoft Azure (then everything started as Windows Azure), Google also had cloud projects, but with a focus on the Google Cloud Platform.
At the moment, most of the issues that I face are related to clouds, IoT and ML. Somehow it turns out that approximately 70% of the tasks relate to Azure. This ratio is made up of both objective factors and their “non-objective” ones. The objective is the distribution and availability of Azure in Russia - here Microsoft has done a great job (these are issues related to the acquisition and purchase, localization, support, training of IT specialists, local Azure projects, programs for Gold \ Silver partners in Azure, etc.). P.). By "non-objective" - ​​it turns out that it is to me that they often come to me with the theme of Azure, since Azure never went out of my focus, even while working with other cloud platforms.
From some projects in which I took part and information about which is available online, it is written in the article “ Microsoft Azure cloud in real projects ”. I remember the project with Raxel Telematics (smart hull insurance), because it was the first project connected with IoT and the cloud. When it all began, Azure (and other vendors) did not offer special IoT services. Now in Azure for such solutions, where the client has a smart device (for CASCO, in particular, a smart device in the machine) , special services are provided - Azure IoT Hub and IoT Edge.
It is very interesting how the project was transformed. IoT Edge, in my opinion, is a big step forward, because allows us to understand that the cloud can only be part of a modern solution, many functions can be performed on the device itself (modern smart devices are much smarter than those devices that we once had as main computers), which, in turn, saves time to process and transfer data, etc. Modern IT tasks are changing rapidly and becoming more and more ambitious, so it’s very comfortable to work with technology that is also evolving and offering not only basic cloud services. This allows you to update the project and move on, rather than reinvent the wheel.
Motivation
At some point, I realized that it makes sense to pass the exam on Azure, because I'm working on projects that use Azure.
Firstly, the certificate will not be “superfluous” to confirm competence in a particular area. Not to say that a certificate ensures that someone understands something deeply and perfectly, but in combination with other factors, this may mean that the person is “in the subject line” and that he is able to set goals for himself and achieve this goal (m. e. has the skills to plan and implement the plan).
Secondly, Azure has changed significantly: there is strong support for third-party technologies and structures and solutions for large businesses, as well as its own new services. Those. for me, the exam was like a test of “old” knowledge (here I am referring to the fundamentals and foundation, including from a technical point of view, how Azure functions, and not just the documented capabilities of a particular service and service, many of which have undergone quite strong changes), and the opportunity to get new and organize already received.
Third, when I read the Azure course in the spring, I was approached by listeners, including with questions about Azure certification, and were interested in how the process was organized. I decided to prepare for these issues and try to help them. Any information and theory should always be checked at least a little in practice independently - it always turns out a lot of nuances.
Official exam page
Here is this page. Exam 70-532 allows you to get the status of Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP). It can be said that this is the initial stage for obtaining “more complex” certifications. It is sometimes asked whether the MCP has a duration or an expiration date. Perhaps you can say that the status of the MCP does not expire as such. The exam itself (but not your MCP status) may cease to be available for passing (or replaced by another, updated exam) or technologies or products may become irrelevant over time, but the acquired status of MCP for a particular technology or product will remain in your "Piggy bank".
I note that, unlike the MCP, exams of the following stages, for example, Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) or Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MSCD), for which the MCP is a necessary component, have the status of active only for a year. In order to maintain active MCSE and MCSD statuses, it is necessary to take another new exam once a year. More details on this topic are provided in the Do Microsoft Certifications Expire articles ? and Microsoft Certification Changes and Goodbye to MCSD Azure Solutions Architect . An example of the status of my "old" exams below.
Exam cost
Please note that the cost of passing the exam for Russia is 80 USD. If you have a different cost displayed (for example, for the USA it is 165 USD), make sure that the country you are in is correctly selected and you are planning to take the exam.
I note that in the end I received a voucher for passing the exam for free, taking part in the project CloudPro 2020 . If there was no voucher, then the exam would still pass. A voucher is not a necessary or necessary condition for making a decision to pass an exam, it is just a nice bonus.
CloudPro 2020
Competition CloudPro 2020 allows you to get a free certification voucher. It is necessary to pass a small test (about 10 questions). The test is simple. One of the questions has a slight error in the answer. In order not to be considered as a spoiler, I will not indicate a specific question and answer, but I will say that Azure takes security seriously and all interaction with the management portal goes through HTTPS. But I am sure that everyone knows and understands this, so the meaning remains absolutely true.
Completed the test and received a letter with information on the voucher. The nice thing is that the voucher also included the opportunity to retake. Who knows what?) I didn’t need a second attempt, but its presence added confidence, which helped the first attempt, the psychological effect.
The competition was held until June 30, 2018, but there is a high probability that it will be replaced by a new competition. Therefore, I will definitely follow the project, and I suggest you keep this opportunity in mind.
Exam Rules
Detailed rules for conducting Microsoft exams and FAQ are available in Russian at this link. Here you can find a lot of useful information, for example, about the rules and terms of retake (I learned that one and the same exam can be tried not more than 5 times in 12 months); about the format and possible number of exam questions (see Basic information about exams ); about the availability of a Change Form for exam questions (although I didn’t quite understand how to do this practically, because it is forbidden to document / save the question in any way, but it is not so easy to remember exactly the details after the fact, but there would be a desire - a process still present).
It is forbidden (and not only not recommended) to use in preparing for the brain dump dumps. I quote in English (because the terms should not be translated in this paragraph): “A“ brain dump, ”is a source, such as a website, that is There was a fraud. It’s a great deal of relief. During these exam constitutes cheating. "Brain dump" providers are in violation of Microsoft intellectual property rights and nondisclosure agreements.
For incorrect answers, points are not withdrawn: “There is no penalty for guesswork. If you choose the wrong answer, you simply do not get points for this question. No points are awarded for incorrect answers ”(see link ).
Materials
To prepare - was preparing, but not all day and night, because I was already counting on my theoretical and practical knowledge. Refreshed knowledge of the electronic version of the book " Exam Ref 70-532 Developing Microsoft Azure Solutions ", but according to the first edition. Azure and the exam itself 70-532 have undergone certain changes, so the book has been updated. In particular, in the first edition of the book, an entire chapter is reserved for Cloud Services, but now it is no longer relevant (because there are App Services, etc.), also, for example, in the first edition there are no sections on Azure Search, Cosmos DB and information about the new resource deployment model - ARM (Azure Resource Manager).
I will note that understanding how the Cloud Service and / or Azure WebSites worked would not be superfluous, precisely at the level of understanding the work (and not the settings, etc.) and quite help to adapt to App Services. And with Cosmos DB, for example, I dealt with projects, so I decided that this would be enough. Of course, it is better prepared by the second edition, if it is at hand, if not, then you can choose the first edition and read the missing material in addition. By the way, after each chapter in the book there is a test with 5 questions on the topic studied - these tests help to tune in to the exam format and test yourself (both knowledge and ability to answer test questions).
Partially watched the course " Technical Session on preparing for the exam 70-532: Development on Microsoft Azure " from the portal CloudPro 2020. Partly - because I prefer printed materials. But in this question - to whom that is more convenient.
In addition to these resources, I can highlight eBooks from Microsoft (free), which are not very large structured brochures on a particular topic. Sometimes it is a review material, sometimes examples of implementation based on illustrative scenarios. Books are free, format is electronic, formatting and illustrations are good — suitable for familiarizing yourself with the topic. It is not necessary to read everything thoroughly, sometimes it is enough to look over and run through the book, dwell on the technical details that are of interest. Find a list of such books here . I didn’t reread it especially for the exam, but sometimes I study it in the process.
Record for the exam
I created another profile (in the old spelling error, but it's not so easy to fix it, you need to write somewhere, etc.) on the Microsoft certification portal (or rather, you created a profile for your second Microsoft Account) so I decided to create a new profile on the mcp.microsoft.com page. I note that they advise you to write the full name clearly, as in a passport, for example, or rights, since Verify will precisely with them. I agree that the transliteration rules are changing, but you don’t need to deviate much from the rules, so before final confirmation of the surname and property entered, it’s better to check everything carefully (as I wrote above, it’s possible to change them, probably, theoretically, but it’s not very clear how to do it in practice) .
I chose the appropriate center and time of certification. Passed in person at the Academy Lanit on Bauman. Then she entered the code of the voucher received. And that's all. Day X has been set.
Interestingly, the online format of the exam (called "Microsoft Online Proctored Exam") is possible. In this case, the room in which the testing will take place must meet certain requirements (the presence of cameras, a dedicated “closed” space, ie, openspace will not work, etc.). I did not try it myself, but note to others, so I selected links on this topic below:
- The online exam experience
- Taking an Online Proctored Microsoft Certification Exam
- My Experience Taking A Microsoft Certification Exam ... At Home
Apart from the time on the road, a clear advantage of the “home or office” exam is that there will be allocated space (and a “native” mouse or tapach) in which only you pass the exam, at certification centers these are still rooms for several people . As I understood, before the exam was always watched by a real person, but now sometimes automatic systems are also used (therefore, any changes in the flow from the camera can cause both non-false and false alarms, for example, a change in the room illumination or disappearance, giving out from the frame, but All this is solved, you just need to realize how the process is organizationally and technically implemented).
Exam itself
Organizational issues
The exam takes about 3 hours (the exam is not interrupted, so all go out and log in at "your account"). The certification center was asked to present two identity documents (it seems that it was a Russian passport and a right or a foreign passport). I got acquainted with the rules of testing (in English) and signed for confirming that I understood everything and agree.
Has handed over all things, both electronic and non-electronic, i.e. not only the phone, the watch, but the whole backpack with everything that was in it (including pens and notepads). In exchange, a marker and a notepad are issued (in case something needs to be written down, for example). I personally did not use any of this. I entered the examination room (except for me, there were 2 or 3 more examinees) and proceeded to the examination. Since the clock was surrendered, then the time count is somewhat gone (there is always a countdown on the exam page, but it is relative), probably almost the same feeling in the casino (although it was not there) when you do not know what time it is outside the walls (on Exam, of course, can be calculated, but I'm only talking about feelings). I spent about one and a half hours on the exam itself. Results are reported immediately upon completion of the exam.
Exam format
The exam is available in various languages, including Russian, but I chose English. I note that knowledge of English will be required for reading both the scenarios (requirements) for which a number of questions will be asked, as well as for organizational issues (type of questions, possibility of returning to questions, etc.), so choose what is closer.
Before the exam (exam time is not spent on it), you will receive an electronic questionnaire in which you answer questions about what prompted you to take the exam, what experience with Azure you have left, etc. According to the disclaimer and the information here, the answers to these questions do not affect the questions that may appear in the test. I suppose that this is the way it is, but when answering any questions, be vigilant, it never puts vigilance.
Microsoft passed the first technology exams a long time ago, so it was a little unprepared for the changed (or so it seems to me) format. I was sure that it would be possible to return to any question later, but this is not so. The entire exam is divided into several blocks. Blocks are questions combined in a single scenario or some technical topic. So, you can return and check only while you are within the block (you cannot switch between blocks, i.e. one block is completed and the other begins). I do not think that somehow it prevented me. Marked answers for verification and return several times, but in fact did not change this answer. Then she stopped ticking and began to answer immediately (because either you know, or you don’t, or you exclude exactly those that are not suitable and choose the one that you think is the most correct, but in this case, intuition will “torture” once again).
I had 40 questions, according to information from the FAQ questions can be approximately 40-60. It is interesting (again from the FAQ that I read when preparing the article) that there are issues that are not taken into account when formatting the final score (see the link), but apparently this is not my case, because and so there were only 40 questions. I think it makes no sense to delve into the final score. Clearly the process is not described, so everything is heuristic and guesswork, almost like to delve into the algorithm of ranking issuance when searching, and it will be even easier to determine the algorithm (the algorithm is, of course, more difficult, but it will probably be easier to determine). So just get ready and answer correctly.
As I wrote above, points are not removed for incorrect answers. Frankly speaking, if I test, I prefer tests, where points are removed for wrong answers (everything is relative, but I consider such as “more revealing”), but I played by the rules and gave answers to all the questions. I note that Microsoft does not claim that certification is some absolute and only measure. Certification and its successful passage allows you to confirm that the candidates have certain skills and knowledge of technology.
There were 3 or 4 scenarios. I liked the questions about the scenarios the most, because seemed a little more interesting. In these questions in the description of the script and the code (the code of the part of the models is also given) there is always a “hint” for the correct answer, i.e. carefully read the manual and the requirements voiced in it (sometimes the requirements raised questions, but here you need to understand that this is testing, and not a real project, although requirements causing questions are the maximum approximation to a real project). Ie, for example, if one asks about the port number or the number of copies for scaling, then one does not need to immediately panic and say “what do I know” and “it depends”, somewhere directly or indirectly (can be calculated) in the requirements or code, this information is present.
All this is also described by the same magic link (subsection "Exam Features").
There were different questions ... There was a question about Azure Storage, virtual machines, Azure Search (this one was especially remembered because I could not remember the correct syntax for declaring the required tokenizer - I chose the closest one), about Cosmos DB, about SQL Azure and Elastic Pool, about PowerShell and CLI (seems to be creating App Services). There was everything that was promised.
Result
The passing score is 700 (see link ). I can not boast of exorbitant points, but they allowed me to pass the test (763 points). Azure is confident in her knowledge of the topic, the exam was passed with preparation, but without cramming. The goal is achieved.
By the way, from the same FAQ that I used to write while writing articles, I learned that the final score is not an absolute indicator for the exam (only “pass” \ “failed” are absolute indicators). “In addition, the assessments of candidates who passed the exam do not allow comparing their competence; a higher passing score does not mean higher levels of competence. The same is true for grades below the passing score; lower grades do not mean lower levels of competence. "
And to raise the spirit I will quote A. Einstein: "Never memorize what you can find in a book." To successfully pass the exam is enough understanding and some practice in Azure. Those. all fair (fair) some questions, indeed, knowledge of the exact syntax or step-by-step actions (but not all), but it does not require 100% correct answers to all questions for the passage. Here, passing the exams for law, really memorized questions about the provision of first aid and transportation of oversized cargo. It's nice that this is not the case and this is not required.
Do not be afraid that you do not know something or do not remember. If there is a meaningful understanding of the essence, then this understanding of the principles and possibilities is the main thing). There were moments when reading the script, I realized that I would offer a different solution altogether, including taking into account the new features of Azure. I note that exams are updated, both questions and scenarios.
Total certificate and a pleasant mood.
I tied my certificate to the company profile (Silver Microsoft Partner) with which I cooperate.
And what's next?
Exam 70-532 is a baseline for further certifications and levels (“number of feathers”). For me, this is the basis for exam 70-535 "Architecting Microsoft Azure Solutions". But it can also be a starting point for other exams, for example, on Blockchain .
All successful preparation and passing exam Microsoft, as well as a great and warm summer!
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/417879/
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