Passed Test 158!

[amchi gelo]

Whew! What a relief! I had to study EJBs completely from ground up when I realized that that was the most important component of the exam. Thanks to Axel Janssen and Robert Laflamme for posting the results of the online Test.
Sanjay

[rick collette]

Originally posted by Sanjay Joshi:
Whew! What a relief! I had to study EJBs completely from ground up when I realized that that was the most important component of the exam. Thanks to Axel Janssen and Robert Laflamme for posting the results of the online Test.
Sanjay

Congrats! Sanjay.
Could you please tell about the preparation materials you used, and elaborate more on the test itself? Thank you.

[J Guha]

Hi Sanjay
Congrats on clearing 158
Can u list the materials that we need to prepare from, in order to clear the exam ?
regards
Guha

[amchi gelo]

Hi,
Thanks guys!
This certification was by far the most difficult one that I have taken. I didnt succeed the first time and passed the second. My problem was that I didn't know any EJBs and had to learn that from ground up. Remember, EJBs are VERY IMPORTANT for this certification. You might even tell yourself that this is an EJB cert rather than a WAS cert. Another important bit of advice is I suggest people do not give undue importance to the books that the IBM cert site suggests. They recommended a book by Kyle Brown and I studied that for my first attempt and did very badly. I am not referring to the O'Reilly book by K Brown that they now have on their site. I am talking about the "Enterprise Java Programming with IBM Websphere".

Don't buy this! While it is a VERY good book, its NOT complete from the test point of view. Buy it if you want to learn about WAS 3.5.
What I studied
1. EJB Development with VisualAge for Java for WebSphere Application Server
Good book. They did ask a decent number from here, not directly pertaining to VAJ, but EJB design issues.
2. IBM WebSphere V4.0 Advanced Edition Handbook
3. Mastering Enterprise Java Beans Second Edition
All free. I downloaded the pdfs for 1 and 2 and printed them out, yeah, around 700 pages each. You can buy them if you want or just look at the pdfs. I bought the Ed Roman book (3) since it will be helpful for EJBs later on.
4. Go through the Servlet API from the Java website. They ask tricky questions about elusive methods. These are easy scorers if you've read the API.
5. JSP, I read this:
http://www.apl.jhu.edu/~hall/java/Servlet-Tutorial/Servlet-Tutorial-JSP.html
Good enough.
5. Remember to concentrate a lot on the EJB part since a lot of questions are from that. Transactions are very important. Inheritance and multiplicity are topics they asked questions from that I didn't do well though I had read it well, or so I thought. Its all in (1) book.
6. Try out a small project using HTML, JSP, Servlet and EJBs and deploy it. It will solidify your understanding.
7. The IBM Test on their site yielded about 3 questions. Since I knew that test, I didn't have to think to answer them!
Good luck! Remember - this is a hard one!
Sanjay
[ December 05, 2002: Message edited by: Sanjay Joshi ]

[Prabu Swami]

Hi Sanjay,
From the book list above, I downloaded
1. EJB Development with VisualAge for Java for WebSphere Application Server
I just browsed it, I found that this book talks about VisualAge 3.5 and EJB 1.0
But the Objectives are about EJB 1.1 and WSAD 4.0.3.
Could you advice me the amount of concentartion needed on this book with respect to the test 158.
Thank you,
Prabu
[ October 17, 2002: Message edited by: Prabu Swami ]

[J Guha]

Hi Sanjay
One of the test objective is as follows
Section 6 - Develop J2EE components with IBM WebSphere Studio Application Developer for Windows, V4.0.3
o Use WebSphere Studio Application Developer to develop J2EE software components
o Use WebSphere Studio Application Developer to test, debug and export J2EE components
What material do u suggest for this objective ? The 158 test is based on WSAD, hence no objective mentions about Visual Age for Java.
How does Visual Age fit into the scheme of things ? How does WSAD fit into the scheme of things ?
Does being familiar with Visual Age for Java suffice ? Or do we need to be familiar with WSAD as well ?
Also can u give us the objective wise percentile weightage, how many questions were there and the pass percentage too
Thanks for your reply
With Warm Regards
Guha

[amchi gelo]

Originally posted by Guharaman J:
[QB]
Section 6 - Develop J2EE components with IBM WebSphere Studio Application Developer for Windows, V4.0.3

Guharaman, they asked 15% of the questions from this section (8 Qs) and just one really was about the WSAD. The rest are something which you can answer if you know VAJ. They just asked me ONE Q which was pure WSAD.

a. Use WebSphere Studio Application Developer to develop J2EE software components
b. Use WebSphere Studio Application Developer to test, debug and export J2EE components

They just asked ONE question on the a. and none on b. I think you should safely leave out WSAD and spend your valuable time preparing for EJBs, Transactions and the WAS itself.

What material do u suggest for this objective ? The 158 test is based on WSAD, hence no objective mentions about Visual Age for Java.

Thats where its confusing. The first time I took the test, I didnt study the EJB with VAJ book. I didnt clear the test. Yes, they don't mention VAJ, but its good to know how EJBs fit in with the IBM tools and the redbook talks about Association, Inheritance etc which appear in the test.

How does Visual Age fit into the scheme of things ?

I realized that its important to know how to use EJB with VAJ from the Point of view of the test.

How does WSAD fit into the scheme of things ?

Not too important, I skipped it safely.

Does being familiar with Visual Age for Java suffice ? Or do we need to be familiar with WSAD as well ?

How familiar is familar? :-) I followed the WJB with VAJ book carefully and did all the worked examples. Its important because they ask indirect questions which are based on your knowledge of VAJ.

Also can u give us the objective wise percentile weightage, how many questions were there and the pass percentage too

Section Percent
1 15
2 19
3 8
4 4
5 11
6 15
7 13
8 15
Tip: Transaction questions were pretty tricky, so play around with that a bit.
[ October 20, 2002: Message edited by: Sanjay Joshi ]

[amchi gelo]

The part that's important (for the exam) is using the VAJ tool for EJB, more than the version of the EJB API. They don't mention that in the objectives and I was mislead too. I did all the examples using VAJ 4.0. They don't talk about deployment, so the version of WAS is irrelevant for that book.
I suggest studying the VAJ+EJB book and the WAS Handbook 4.0 (don't waste time on the 3.5 book). Pay a lot of attention to the Application Assembly Tool (AAT). Try to think of this as an EJB test since that takes up the most part.
WSAD is something only if you have extra time left over. Not too important, notwithstanding what the objectives say. This is from personal experience.

Originally posted by Prabu Swami:
Hi Sanjay,
From the book list above, I downloaded
1. EJB Development with VisualAge for Java for WebSphere Application Server
I just browsed it, I found that this book talks about VisualAge 3.5 and EJB 1.0
But the Objectives are about EJB 1.1 and WSAD 4.0.3.
Could you advice me the amount of concentartion needed on this book with respect to the test 158.
Thank you,
Prabu
[ October 17, 2002: Message edited by: Prabu Swami ]

[Prabu Swami]

Thanks Sanjay for making me concentrate more on EJBs.
One little question.
How deep is the JSP, Servlets area in the exam?.
For example, compared with SCWCD.
Prabu

[amchi gelo]

For JSP, they ask syntax questions. So grab a basic JSP book and be thorough with the syntax. You will need to know whats optional and whats not, for example. For Servlets, read the API well. They asked me what certain methods do and the the differences. Like getServletPath() and getServletURI() or something like that. Don't know about SCWCD since I haven't taken it yet!

[garth schneider]

Sanjay is not refering to the 158 exam. Sanjay is refering to the IBM 488 exam which is based off of the VisualAge technology. That exam will be totally expired in Dec 2002 along with IBM # 283 for VisualAge for Java. The IBM test 158 refers totally to the WSAD and will not have any VisualAge questions in it.
Garth

[amchi gelo]

No Sir, I am referring to the 158. Thats the one I took and thats the one I passed. :roll:
There were about 5 questions on Multiplicity and Association. Thats from the VAJ book. They do not ask VAJ questions explicitly, but I found it very beneficial to read the book. There are some areas from the book they get their questions from.

[rick collette]

Hi, Sanjay:
How important is the WebSphere V4.0 Advanced Edition Handbook? This book has more than 1000 pages, do we need to read all of it?! Thanks.

[amchi gelo]

Hi Rick,
Its very important to read that and in my opinion, thats the best book for this certification for the WAS topics.
I studied the book till page 836 which is till the end of Chapter 21. You can leave out the whole of Part 3 which deals with installation.
Sanjay

[Axel Janssen]

congrats Sanjay.
Me, too, failed the first try.
yes. its lots of books folks.
The book of Kyle Brown is yet quite outdated. Its for version 3.5. He promised a new edition for WS 5 and its really not an exam preparation book, but it was good read for me, because he has clear ideas how to build J2EE apps. For example he stresses concept of layering, which is most important for me.
The reason why one should read the VAJ stuff is, that there seems to be no documentation about ejb inheritance with WSAD and me got lots of questions on that and in WSAD its very similar to VAJ. I haven't installed VAJ. I just read the ejb-inheritance parts in the VAJ redbook and played a little around with WSAD to achieve the same with WSAD.
good luck
[ October 26, 2002: Message edited by: Axel Janssen ]

[amchi gelo]

Thanks Axel!
Your "long post" with the solutions to the IBMs online exam helped a lot. Thanks a lot for posting it!
I am on to 157 now. Are you planning to take that? Have you begun? Or have you passed already?
Sanjay

[Axel Janssen]

Hi Sanjay,
isn't there a newer one for WSAD than 157, with free voucher ???
Remember to have read something similar. Will post it here, if I find it. Not sure.
Currently no certification. Maybe SCWCD in november. I need very little preparation for that. Currently I am focused on struts, database programming (stored procedures, triggers PL-SQL and the like) and preparing a 1-day overview training about Websphere.
Good debate about aspects of WSAD-exam would be great.

[garth schneider]

Sanjay,
Sorry for doubting you. I thought you said there were VAJ specific questions which just did not make sence to me in a WSAD test. Also using a book that was recommended in the 488 exam threw me off a bit as well. I stand corrected.
Thanks for making the correction.
Garth
[ October 28, 2002: Message edited by: garth schneider ]

[rick collette]

Hi, Sanjay and Alex:
Thanks for your important info. I am wondering what WAS version you guys downloaded, I could not find the exact version (AEs ?) for this cert preparation. BTW, I have Win2000 Pro. Thanks.

[amchi gelo]

Garth, no problem. I was just letting people know the simplest way to get the certification, as I saw it. I think IBM is making things very complicated by having many tests for similar things. There should be just 1 WAS exam, not one with VAJ and one Websphere based.
Axel, I thought that since WSAD has been around for some time, the free voucher deal would have been over. Hmm maybe not... I will check. Please post if you have any more info. I thought 157 was the only WSAD cert available...
Rick, I downloaded the 4.0.4 Advanced Edition for Multiplatforms. I know the cert is for "Single Server" edition, but I didn't find that distinction too terribly important.

[Sanki Chan]

Hi Sanjay! Congratulations! on clearing the exam, I liked your receipe for preparation, I have downloaded all the 3 books that u referred, but I have one question regarding this important point that u stressed...
Try out a small project using HTML, JSP, Servlet and EJBs and deploy it. It will solidify your understanding.
can u please tell me what all tools I need to try any project...I have used tomcat4.0 for my SCWCD exam...WAS is an application server where u deploy ur code...but where do u develop EJB's, JSP's and Servelts, and HTML pages...
Thanks in advance and eagerly awaiting ur reply.

[amchi gelo]

Hi Sanki,
I like to think of my method as the most "cost efficient"!
I used VisualAge for Java 4.0 for my little project. Used FrontPage for the HTML, you can hand code it if you want. Then I used WAS 4.0 for deployment. No need for elaborate servlets or EJBs, just basic stuff is fine.
Before doing this, I thought that I was some sort of WAS genius, but to my shock, I had a hard time. Once you work through the problems, your grip on the process will be stronger.
Sanjay

Originally posted by Sanki Chan:

can u please tell me what all tools I need to try any project...I have used tomcat4.0 for my SCWCD exam...WAS is an application server where u deploy ur code...but where do u develop EJB's, JSP's and Servelts, and HTML pages...
Thanks in advance and eagerly awaiting ur reply.

[Sanki Chan]

Hi Sanjay! Thanks a lot for the prompt reply...I'll catch you in case of any further doubts....

[garth schneider]

Sanjay
Congratulations on passing the 158.
Garth

[ted oniger]

Axel,
Can you please post again the "long post." I am sure it's gonna help aspirants like me.
Thanks,
Ted