September 27, 2007 at 5:12 am
Okay, I'm curious. I've heard some of these SQL tests are "case studies" rather than multiple choice & simulation. I see the case studies in the books I'm using, but I'm wondering, how do the answers work in the exams that use case studies?
What I mean is, do you have to reply to the CS in a semi-essay type format? If so, how does that get scored? Or do you get a choice of answers similar to the multiple choice answer or the "Drag-n-drop" t-SQL sims I've seen in some practice tests?
If this question violates the NDA, let me know and I'll stop asking, but I don't think it will.
September 27, 2007 at 9:01 am
Questions are still multiple choice, but they're based off a business case given, usually a couple pages worth. As a very rough, very simplified example. (the question may not have a valid answer. I just made it up)
Case study:
X Booksellers has opened a second store in town Y. They want to transfer sales data from their new store to their main server. Due to technical issues, there is not a constant network connection available from the new venue to the old. There is no requirement of the sales data been immediately available at the main store
... Lots more requirements here...
The server in the new store is running SQL Server Workgroup edition. There is minimal space available for the transaction log of the sales database. Transaction log backups are made every 5 minutes and the transaction log is fixed at a size that can be reached by 30 minutes of transactions.
... continued for several more paragraphs, discussing other constraints and conditions ....
Example Question
What technology would be appropriate for transferring the sales data?
1) Distributed transactions
2) Service Broker
3) Transactional Replication
4) Database Mirroring
Does that help?
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
September 27, 2007 at 9:54 am
Gail's description is great. Usually there are a few sections of requirements (overview, technical, business, security, etc.) and possibly images even (ER diagrams, network diagram, etc.). Then I think you have 7-11 questions that are based on that case study.
Almost all the information is included in the case study and if you read carefully, you can probably figure out the answers just from the case study. Some SQL knowledge is needed, but not a lot. The questions are too tightly tied to the case study IMHO.
September 27, 2007 at 10:02 am
Well that makes me feel a lot better. I was worried that the Case Studies were going to be worded in a kind of "Write 500 words describing your summer vacation" way. @=)
And I just couldn't figure out how an automated scoring process could score an essay.
September 28, 2007 at 2:23 am
Couple times I had only 2-3 questions on a case study. Is not fun as the time is short. First time I got one of those I hadn't finished reading through the case study when I got the 2 min left warning 🙁
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
September 28, 2007 at 5:10 am
One of those situations where being able to speedread is helpful...
How much time do they generally give you on a case study?
September 28, 2007 at 7:22 am
Brandie,
Like GilaMonster mentioned, you may get 2 Case Study questions in your pool of 25 (or however many) exam questions. You have the entire 90 or 60 minutes of exam time, and can spend as much time as you wish per question.
"Key"
MCITP: DBA, MCSE, MCTS: SQL 2005, OCP
September 28, 2007 at 7:25 am
Really? Because when I took the 70-431 exam, the sims were timed differently from the rest of the exam.
September 28, 2007 at 7:31 am
Brandie,
My apologies. My last round of certification exams was for Oracle, and had Case Study questions lumped in with all the others. I guess I have to read up more on the MCTS and MCITP tracks and how the exams are structured ... sigh
"Key"
MCITP: DBA, MCSE, MCTS: SQL 2005, OCP
September 29, 2007 at 7:11 am
Damon Wilson (9/28/2007)Like GilaMonster mentioned, you may get 2 Case Study questions in your pool of 25 (or however many) exam questions. You have the entire 90 or 60 minutes of exam time, and can spend as much time as you wish per question.
Not so with the ITP exams. Each case study is timed separately and the amount of time is dependant on the number of questions in the case study (in my experience, between 2 and 15 questions). If there are 'normal' questions as well, then they are also in a separate time pool.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
September 30, 2007 at 3:45 pm
For better or for worse - if you find yourself pressed for time, read the questions FIRST, and then head into the case study. I find it helps me to "read for the questions" than to plough through it once and have to go back through looking for the questions.
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Your lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on my part...unless you're my manager...or a director and above...or a really loud-spoken end-user..All right - what was my emergency again?
September 30, 2007 at 8:54 pm
I usually read the overview and then skim the case study. There's definitely extra information, so I'd recommend what Matt suggested. Get to the question and then read the case study to find the information. Be sure that you read the whole case study after the first question, so you don't miss some information you need. After that you can probably skim for details.
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