Passed SCEA I - 73%

[Rama Ghanta]

Hello Ranchers,
I passed the step 1 SCEA 5 with 73%. Not the greatest of score�s but nonetheless I am happy with the result. I thank each and every one of you for the contribution on message board.

Score Break Down%
Application Design Concepts & Principles66
Common Architecture50
Integration & Messaging100
Business Tier50
Web Tier50
Applicability of Java EE Technology77
Patterns100
Security100


Below is a brief description of the resources I have been using and my thoughts on their usefulness for the exam.

1. Head First Design Patters � This is a must have, I read it from top to bottom.

2. Core J2EE Patterns � I read the description of each pattern and browsed through the details of implementation strategies. Don�t bother with the code.

3. EJB 3 in Action, Manning � Very easy to read. I would recommend it for thorough understanding of EJB3, JPA and JMS. I didn�t use any other resource for JMS or EJB. I read most of the chapters from this book.

4. J2EE WebService (RMH), SOA using Java WebService (SOA) � I have no experience using Web Services. I used the RMH book for grasping the basic concepts and then read the fist few chapters ( 1 through 7, to be precise) in SOA. There were several questions on JAX-WS and RESTful, �SOA using Java WebService� addresses those requirements quite well. Again, don�t bother with the code examples.

5. Core Security Patterns � I read chapters one through four. I dint think this was particularly useful. Sun�s ePractice and McGraw Hill study guide gives you some pointers for this section.

6. McGraw Hill SCEA Study Guide
Chapter 4 � Applicability of J2EE technology. This chapter covers a broad range of SCEA objectives like Non-functional requirements, client and web tier technologies etc.
Chapter 6 � Legacy Connectivity. There were a couple of questions on JCA and Ch. 6 addresses SCEA objective for JCA.
Chapter 10 � Security. This resource was better than core security patterns.

8. Designing Enterprise Applications for J2EE platform � Read chapters 3 and 4, Client tier and Web tier. These two chapters address the �Applicability of Java EE technology� objective for SCEA. The EJB and WebService part for this section (SCEA objective 7) are explained pretty well in EJB in Action and SOA using Web Services.

9. Core Java Server Faces � I read brief description of chapters 1 though 6. There were at-least four questions on JSF.

10. Mark Cade from Sun � Read chapters on Security and non-functional requirements. These are also explained pretty well in McGraw Hill�s SCEA Study guide.

Common Architecture objective for SCEA - deduced from the Sun ePractice Exams.

Simulators
I neither endorse or affiliate myself to any particular product, please consider them at your discretion.

Sun ePractice � This is the best simulator available in the market. Although the price is a bit too steep for 120 questions, I think its worth buying. All the questions are divided into two exams. The first exam was pretty easy, I would recommend to take that early in your preparation.
The second exam is a TRUE representation of what you will see in the �real deal�. I did this part the night before real exam, was able to complete it in 80 minutes and scored 72%. SCEA the next morning- took me 85 minutes and scored 73%. Also, go through the explanations and resources for each question provided by Sun.

WhizLabs � If you must absolutely have a simulator, apart from the one mentioned above, then Whizlabs is the way to go. I scored around mid 70�s to mid 80�s on its practice exams. But the questions do not represent what you'll see in the real SCEA. Some of the questions on non-functional requirements were confusing. The best part of the simulator � Security, Design Patterns and to get a feel for the exam. The �grammar� part of the questions was a bit ordinary.

eParcticeLabs � A total waste of time and money. The look and feel of the simulator was bad and the grammar in the questions was extremely poor. Not that I�m any good with my writing skills, but I expect something more professional for 100 bucks. Also, there were several errors and ambiguous, irrelevant questions. This simulator did not add any value for my preparation.


SCEA Exam � �The Finals�
Most of questions were scenario based, some of them were really long and there were some one line questions. I don�t think time is an issue, but you�ll have to critically evaluate all the options in the multiple choice. I think the questions in the first and the last parts of the exam were on the tough side, so don�t get boggled down if you�re unable to answer the first few questions.

Good luck,
Rama Zha
[ August 23, 2008: Message edited by: Rama Zha ]

[Eoin Li]

Congratulations!!! Thanks for sharing your experience.

[Andrew Shakirow]

Congratulations! Good luck with Part II!

[Rogerio Kioshi]

Congratulations!!

[Joe San]

Congratulations!

[giuseppe fanuzzi]

very good rama!
and thanks for shared your experience!

[Chaminda Amarasinghe]

Congratulation and thanks for sharing your experience

[Nilesh Kaneriya]

Congrats!!!
Thanks for sharing your experience.
All the best for remainig parts of the exam.

[Vijaya Raghava]

Hello Ram,

Thank you very much for suggesting some books for SCEA part-1. I really scared about the syllabi of SCEA-1 as i am unable to found the reference books.

Apart from the books you suggested for SCEA part 1, should we need to refer any other books, if so please advise. I am pretty much worried about the objectives 8(security), 3(Integration and Messaging) and 6(Applicability of Java EE technology) as there are lot many books to refer to cover these objectives. Please advise me how you approached these objectives.

And one more query for Objective 6, should we just need 1-7 chapters of Richard Manson Haffel's J2EE Web Services? or we need to cover the entire book for SCEA part 1. Please advise.

Thank you very much,
Vijaya Raghava
SCJP, SCWCD, SCBCD.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Originally posted by Rama Zha:
Hello Ranchers,
I passed the step 1 SCEA 5 with 73%. Not the greatest of score�s but nonetheless I am happy with the result. I thank each and every one of you for the contribution on message board.

Score Break Down%
Application Design Concepts & Principles66
Common Architecture50
Integration & Messaging100
Business Tier50
Web Tier50
Applicability of Java EE Technology77
Patterns100
Security100


Below is a brief description of the resources I have been using and my thoughts on their usefulness for the exam.

1. Head First Design Patters � This is a must have, I read it from top to bottom.

2. Core J2EE Patterns � I read the description of each pattern and browsed through the details of implementation strategies. Don�t bother with the code.

3. EJB 3 in Action, Manning � Very easy to read. I would recommend it for thorough understanding of EJB3, JPA and JMS. I didn�t use any other resource for JMS or EJB. I read most of the chapters from this book.

4. J2EE WebService (RMH), SOA using Java WebService (SOA) � I have no experience using Web Services. I used the RMH book for grasping the basic concepts and then read the fist few chapters ( 1 through 7, to be precise) in SOA. There were several questions on JAX-WS and RESTful, �SOA using Java WebService� addresses those requirements quite well. Again, don�t bother with the code examples.

5. Core Security Patterns � I read chapters one through four. I dint think this was particularly useful. Sun�s ePractice and McGraw Hill study guide gives you some pointers for this section.

6. McGraw Hill SCEA Study Guide
Chapter 4 � Applicability of J2EE technology. This chapter covers a broad range of SCEA objectives like Non-functional requirements, client and web tier technologies etc.
Chapter 6 � Legacy Connectivity. There were a couple of questions on JCA and Ch. 6 addresses SCEA objective for JCA.
Chapter 10 � Security. This resource was better than core security patterns.

8. Designing Enterprise Applications for J2EE platform � Read chapters 3 and 4, Client tier and Web tier. These two chapters address the �Applicability of Java EE technology� objective for SCEA. The EJB and WebService part for this section (SCEA objective 7) are explained pretty well in EJB in Action and SOA using Web Services.

9. Core Java Server Faces � I read brief description of chapters 1 though 6. There were at-least four questions on JSF.

10. Mark Cade from Sun � Read chapters on Security and non-functional requirements. These are also explained pretty well in McGraw Hill�s SCEA Study guide.

Common Architecture objective for SCEA - deduced from the Sun ePractice Exams.

Simulators
I neither endorse or affiliate myself to any particular product, please consider them at your discretion.

Sun ePractice � This is the best simulator available in the market. Although the price is a bit too steep for 120 questions, I think its worth buying. All the questions are divided into two exams. The first exam was pretty easy, I would recommend to take that early in your preparation.
The second exam is a TRUE representation of what you will see in the �real deal�. I did this part the night before real exam, was able to complete it in 80 minutes and scored 72%. SCEA the next morning- took me 85 minutes and scored 73%. Also, go through the explanations and resources for each question provided by Sun.

WhizLabs � If you must absolutely have a simulator, apart from the one mentioned above, then Whizlabs is the way to go. I scored around mid 70�s to mid 80�s on its practice exams. But the questions do not represent what you'll see in the real SCEA. Some of the questions on non-functional requirements were confusing. The best part of the simulator � Security, Design Patterns and to get a feel for the exam. The �grammar� part of the questions was a bit ordinary.

eParcticeLabs � A total waste of time and money. The look and feel of the simulator was bad and the grammar in the questions was extremely poor. Not that I�m any good with my writing skills, but I expect something more professional for 100 bucks. Also, there were several errors and ambiguous, irrelevant questions. This simulator did not add any value for my preparation.


SCEA Exam � �The Finals�
Most of questions were scenario based, some of them were really long and there were some one line questions. I don�t think time is an issue, but you�ll have to critically evaluate all the options in the multiple choice. I think the questions in the first and the last parts of the exam were on the tough side, so don�t get boggled down if you�re unable to answer the first few questions.

Good luck,
Rama Zha

[ August 23, 2008: Message edited by: Rama Zha ]

[Rama Ghanta]

Hi Vijaya,
Security - If you have time, then go through core security patterns chapters 1 through 4
Integration - JCA chapter from McGrawHill study guide will do
Messaging - Message Driven Beans chapter from EJB in Action
Applicability of Java EE Technology - This is really a wide topic, I didn't read anything specific to objective. But the books I mentioned above like SOA using Java WS, EJB in Action and even the core J2EE patterns talk about applicability of technology.

Use "J2EE WebServices" only if you're not familiary with the technology, else just use the "SOA using Java WS"
Thank you.
Rama Zha

Originally posted by Vijaya Raghava:
Hello Ram,

Thank you very much for suggesting some books for SCEA part-1. I really scared about the syllabi of SCEA-1 as i am unable to found the reference books.

Apart from the books you suggested for SCEA part 1, should we need to refer any other books, if so please advise. I am pretty much worried about the objectives 8(security), 3(Integration and Messaging) and 6(Applicability of Java EE technology) as there are lot many books to refer to cover these objectives. Please advise me how you approached these objectives.

And one more query for Objective 6, should we just need 1-7 chapters of Richard Manson Haffel's J2EE Web Services? or we need to cover the entire book for SCEA part 1. Please advise.

Thank you very much,
Vijaya Raghava
SCJP, SCWCD, SCBCD.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Bert Bates]

Congrats Rama,

Let's move this over to the results forum.

Bert

[Sharma Ritu]

Congratulations! We are glad to have contributed to your success! We look forward to contributing to your future certification exams.

Best wishes
Ritu Sharma
--------------------
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[Simran Khot]

Congrats! and thanks for sharing your experiences.

I have purchased voucher for CX 310-052 and would like to buy Marc Cade's Study Guide.

Is Marc Cade's Study Guide From Sun is Updatged for SCEA 5 -- I mean does it cover CX 310-052 objectives?