Configuration Management Exam

Favour · Newbie Joined: Oct 16, 2007 Posts: 15

Does anyone have any tips on passing this exam? I seem to be missing it by about 2 or 3% and I feel like screaming!!! Sad

UKVIKING · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 12:53 am Post subject:

the short / G.O.M> answer is

study the material
know the material
read the question
read the question again
read the question again
answer the question
check to see if you answered the question

other than that what else do you want from us ?
=============================================

From a helpful sort of person as in not as grumpy

Can we get a little more detail

Which version of ITIL v2 or v3
Is this part of the Practioners course for V2
is this the manager's v2 question set about configuration ?

Did you take the course / on the course

what kind of exam - essay or multiple guess
_________________
John Hardesty
ITSM Manager's Certificate (Red Badge)

Change Management is POWER & CONTROL. /....evil laughter

Favour · Newbie Joined: Oct 16, 2007 Posts: 15

Thank you kindly for your response.

The Version ITIL 2 Practition in Configuration Management which is based on the Martco case study.

I took the course in November and scored a high mark on the multiple questions but I am struggling with the written/assignment piece.

The areas that I weak on are relationships, problems associated with having and not have the CMDB and attributes...

I thought I really did well this time around but it was not supposed to be...

UKVIKING · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 6:12 am Post subject:

OK....

So

next set of questions...

when are you scheduled to take the re-test ?
You are of course are nt you

OK..

In my not so humble... just ask the rest... but grumpy old man opinion

my verdict is that you did not study enough to answer the essay questions in the correct method

do the following

1 - buy the Support book if you have not already
2 - write down the following

what are the activites of cmdb
what the benefits/cost/issues associated with...

3 - look at the other disciplines and answer the questions about them using w/cmdnn and w/o cmdb aspart of the answer

4 - look at change and release real hard and memorize how they interact with config

remember config by itself does not do a thing... there has to be chaneg and release to make config work

change confir and release go together like a full breakfast (english breakfast if you are brit) but if you are a yank .. a denny's breakfast deal
_________________
John Hardesty
ITSM Manager's Certificate (Red Badge)

Change Management is POWER & CONTROL. /....evil laughter

Mark-OLoughlin · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 8:53 am Post subject:

... add white instead of black pudding and its a Full Irish ... yummm

Another thing to consider when your so close to the marks is are you actually answering the question being asked for the written part or asnwering what you would like the question to be which is quite a common trap in the managers exam in particular.

Just something else to think about.
_________________
Mark O'Loughlin
ITSM / ITIL Consultant

Favour · Newbie Joined: Oct 16, 2007 Posts: 15

Thank you both for your response. Very much appreciated. I got 17% in the mulitple choice and 14% in the written given me 62% as my full mark.

I have the support book and I now see your point about reading more around Change and Release and not just fully on Config as it cannot work on it's own.

I am due to sit again on 2nd May and deciding whether I should just do the multiple or the written or both!?

I am confident in the question around attributes and CI types and structure. Where I may fall down is around the relationships and also the problems in the case study or problems around CMDB.

There was a question around problems in the case study and I wrote about the problems and how they happened and how to resolve them. Funny enough, I got a lower score in the written this time around than I did when I wrote about problems in general...

UrgentJensen · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 6:38 pm Post subject:

Can I just clarify if Change Release and Config are breakfast, then which is the bacon?

Whooaa... oh yeah, the drugs are kicking in... I think I can make it to the the weekend after all...

UJ
_________________
Did I just say that out loud?

(Beige badge)

Favour · Newbie Joined: Oct 16, 2007 Posts: 15

All of them will be sausages and jam for me.... not into the black/white pudding......

Seriously any suggestions on how to improve!!!

Mark-OLoughlin · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 8:05 pm Post subject:

Hi,

"There was a question around problems in the case study and I wrote about the problems and how they happened and how to resolve them. Funny enough, I got a lower score in the written this time around than I did when I wrote about problems in general..."

You are doing a config exam not a problem exam. I would imagine (though can be corrected) that you shoud at least focus on how a good CMDB can aid in problem fault diagnosis

e.g. - buy having CI;s listed and having relationships in place you may be able to find rot casue easir. You can use the CMDB to estimate impact of the problem on other system, services, users via CI relationships.
You should be able to identofy system owners and tech support groups easier as their details shoul dbe included in the affected CI record and or related to the CI record.

Also the CMDB can be used for proactive problem management - it is used to identify single point of failure - again via the relationship structure etc.

Did you answer the question in this manner?
_________________
Mark O'Loughlin
ITSM / ITIL Consultant

Favour · Newbie Joined: Oct 16, 2007 Posts: 15

Sorry I was not clear on this email. It was not problem management.

In the case study currently they do not have a CMDB or configuration management in place. So there were a lot of issues with support teams implementing changes without going through the change process or releasing software into the live enivronment etc so you have to pick 5 issues and provide a resolution using Configuration management and pointing out the advantages.

UKVIKING · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 10:30 pm Post subject:

so in order to answer the question

list any issues/benefits for the other disciplines if there is no cmdb

then

list issues/beneifts for the other disciplines if there is a cmdb or configuration mgmt

nOTE: you can have configruation management w/o aveing a fully dressed cmdb

And UJ

Change is the eggs - sunny side up
Release is the bacon or sausage or ham
and configuration is the hash browns / grits / rice or potatoes

i
_________________
John Hardesty
ITSM Manager's Certificate (Red Badge)

Change Management is POWER & CONTROL. /....evil laughter

UrgentJensen · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 10:52 pm Post subject:

I like the way IT people go for a healthy breakfast... Screw the cereal munchers!
_________________
Did I just say that out loud?

(Beige badge)

asrilrm · Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 11:24 pm Post subject:

Hey, but I love scrambled eggs with salmon, slices of bread and orange juice.
What mixture do I make?
*cough cough*

Favour · Newbie Joined: Oct 16, 2007 Posts: 15

Hi,

I have decided to take both exams on 2nd May. Any advice will be great!

UKVIKING · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:43 pm Post subject:

what exams ?

The advice I already have given still applies.

know the material
understand material
explain the material
relate the material
_________________
John Hardesty
ITSM Manager's Certificate (Red Badge)

Change Management is POWER & CONTROL. /....evil laughter


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