IBM Test 283 Or WCD?

[Vikrama Sanjeeva]

Hi ranchers,
I am having confusion regarding my next certification.I have two choices, IBM Test 283 and SCWCD.I have to select any one. But the question is that which one?.
Bye.
Viki.
SCJP2.
NOTE:Money is not issue BUT Time!

[adam snopek]

Are you on the roadmap of JCert.org ? http://www.jcert.org/level2.html
I see you are a SCJP2, I had a similar dilemma and choose my next exam according to what I knew better, which was SCWCD vs. UML Test 486 next on the Jcert roadmad http://www.jcert.org/tracks.html

Also, you might want to research a little about the VAJ test since IBM might be moving in a new direction from VAJ 4.0 to a more integrated development environment, which is WebSphere Studio Application Developer.
http://www.ibmlink.ibm.com/usalets&parms=H_201-319
I don't believe they have a test set for this new product but give them time.
Hope this helps.

[Ashik Uzzaman]

I like to stick with SUN...

[Vikrama Sanjeeva]

Hi Adam.
I was not going for jcert at all.But when i started searching for my next cert. i came accross jcert programme.Where i see that if i do IBM Test 283 instead of WCD then i can become IBM Certified Solution Developer.Remember that my actual target is IBM UML 486.Therefore by giving IBM Test 283 its easy for me to achieve IBM Certified Solution Developer.However after having a little more search, i found that WCD is one of the contents of IBM Test 283.Therefore i decided to go for IBM Test 283 so that i can cover WCD as well i can save my time too!.
Now problem is that, i have no help for IBM Test 283 as i have in SCJP2(Javaranch The Best ).
Is there any one who can help me in IBM Test 283?
Bye.
Viki.
SCJP2
[ February 12, 2002: Message edited by: Vikrama Sanjeeva ]

[Guy Allard]

Viki - I was just looking at the IBM cert. sites.
My understanding is you need 3 exams for VAJ Certified Solution Developer. They are:
SCJP2 (or IBM equivalent)
IBM 486 (OOAD with UML)
IBM 283 (Visual Age Specific)
Since you are SCJP2 already, you can immediately take 486. As far as I recall SCJP2 is the only prerequisite for 486.
I have taken (in order):
SCJP2
IBM XML V1
IBM OOAD / UML
I will take SCWCD in next 2-3 weeks, but 283 is after that.
Regards, Guy

[adam snopek]

In order to become a IBM certified solution developer you need three certifications just like Guy said.
so you have the first one which is SCJP2 the natural progression is to take the UML exam next, then the IDE test (283).
One of the areas Test 283 is servlet and jsp development but from the point of VAJ's WebSphere development environment. The test focuses more on the use of the IDE.
Again the SCWCD is more of a generic test which focuses on your knowledge of the jsps and servlets whereas the VAJ test will focus more on the propriatery use of a vendors IDE(Intergrated Development Environemnt).
Just remeber IBM might be moving in a new direction and VAJ 4.0 might be replaced by this new product WSAD. Just my 2 cents.

[adam snopek]

one more thing go here for any ibm product related info.
http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/

[Vikrama Sanjeeva]

Thanx Guy & Adam.I have decided to go for IBM Test 283 and then IBM UML 486.If there is any drawback in this pattren then please let me know.Another thing is that,is there any one who is IBM Test 283 certified & can help me for preparing it?.Or is there any discussion forum on it.Your help and suggestions are highly appreciated.
Bye.
Viki.
SCJP2

[Axel Janssen]

Hi Viki,
Like stated before in this thread by Adam VAJ 4.0 will be last version of this product. IBM will replace it with WebSphere Studio Application Developer, which is based on Eclipse.
What do you think about 483 and 488. You will become "IBM Certified Enterprise Developer - IBM WebSphere� Application Server, Advanced Single Server Edition for Multiplatforms, V4.0". With just 488 you are WebSphere Specialist. Both tests are very EJB intensive.
The confusing point for me is that the what I think very interesting 486 (UML) was part of WebSphere Enterprise Developer 3.5, but is not part of WebSphere Enterprise Developer 4.0 certification.
IBM has very confusing certification politics.
Axel

[Maulin Vasavada]

Hi Axel,
i thought IBM 486 exam to be only UML and stuff regardless of any server technology like webshpere.... (when i saw the description on IBM's page)
i wouldn't like to go for any particular server or environment specific exams like for Visual Age etc...'coz its just a matter of usage which doesnt take more than a month to learn if u know the fundamental architecture/mechanism...
let me know if IBM 486 has any specific constraints of environment (of course except UML and in that case Rational Rose will be allowed )...
regards
maulin.

[Axel Janssen]

Hi Maulin,
IBM 486 has is N O T related with IBM products or Rational Rose.
The important points of that exam seems to be standard UML-knowledge and knowledge about iterative development process. The exam is extensively discussed in the OO/UML forum of javaranch.
One special trick. Search for long post in that forum. You get all the answers of the mock exam.
486 exam objectives, recomended readings and a mock test you find at : http://www-1.ibm.com/certify/tests/info.shtml#486
The WebSphere certification I mentioned consist of 3 exams. 2 are not IBM-products specific and 1 is product specific. And it changes a lot.
Axel
Axel

[Vikrama Sanjeeva]

Like stated before in this thread by Adam VAJ 4.0 will be last version of this product. IBM will replace it with WebSphere Studio Application Developer, which is based on Eclipse.

This statement is shaking me in selecting my next cert.Is there any robust reason which verifies this statement?.Secondly Axel, ur opinion about 483 and 488 seems me to be more reasonable. :roll: .
Bye.
Viki.
SCJP2

[Axel Janssen]

Hi.
We all know that knowing Java, knowing OO-thinking is much more difficult and important than IDEs: But: VAJ 4.0 is last release of VAJ.
http://www7b.boulder.ibm.com/wsdd/library/techarticles/0110_searle/searle.html
[ February 14, 2002: Message edited by: Axel Janssen ]

[adam snopek]

They way I am apporaching the certification, is by taking what I am most familiar with, SCWCD. Afterwards continue with the UML exam (not vendor specific) and by that time I will have to take a vednor specific product certification as in the JCert roadmap. You know yourself best.
Hope this helps.

[Maulin Vasavada]

hi,
i'm getting inclined to take IBM 486 test. may b i'll end up first having scwcd. donno yet as i'm currently having job oriented approach and i seek server side development job... tho i 'm a master student in CS and did my undergraduate also in CS...
anyways, i think i'll learn JSP/Servlets more than i knew being here...i want to learn those...
regards
maulin.

[Guy Allard]

Hi - Regarding the OOAD/UML exam - let me assure all (as has been said), it is not vendor specific in any way.
There is no VAJ.
There is no WAS.
There is no Rational Rose.
.... or anything else you can think of.
Of course the written works of the top dogs at Rational may be used for learning this subject. They pretty much invented it.
HTH, Guy

[Guy Allard]

Hi Again - I am going to take 283 because it is one of three I have left for that cert (and it's actually a double cert in my case).
However, if you are new to IBM certification paths and tests, then then I think the WAS tests (4xx), are the place to go.
Just my $0.02.
Regards, Guy