How to Prepare your certification IBM C1000–100: IBM Cloud Solution Architect v4.
Hello, today I want to share my experience preparing to become certified in the world of IBM, in this case, the C1000–100 certification: IBM Cloud Solution Architect v4.
Purpose of Exam Objectives:
When an exam is being developed, the Subject-Matter Experts work together to define the role the certified individual will fill. They define all the tasks and knowledge that an individual would need to successfully perform this job role. This creates the foundation for the objectives and measurement criteria, which form the basis of the certification exam.
The Cloud Software Certification item writers use these objectives to develop the exam questions.
It is recommended that you review these objectives.
• Do you know how to complete the task in the objective?
• Do you know why that task needs to be done?
• Do you know what will happen if you do it incorrectly?
If you are not familiar with a task, then go through the objective and perform that task in your own environment. Read more information on the task. If there is an objective on a task there is about a 95% chance that you WILL see a question about it on the actual exam.
After reviewing the objectives in this guide and completing your own research, take the assessment exam. While the assessment exam does not indicate which specific questions were answered incorrectly, it does indicate overall performance by section. This is a good indicator of preparedness or if further preparation is warranted.
What’s the next step?
In my specific case, analyzing existing material on the Internet. I was referred to the official IBM course which is acquired for a paid subscription which has a cost of $3600 (It is not a cheap course), but that it refers to the aforementioned preparation guide, which covers all the necessary points to achieve the Certification.
Anyway, here are the topics that will be evaluated when presenting the certification:
High-level Exam Objectives
Section 1 — IBM Cloud Compute Options
1.1 Describe and differentiate the various compute options available on IBM Cloud
1.2 Describe IBM Cloud for VMware Solutions offerings and their key options
1.3 Understand IBM Cloud Container Platforms
1.4 Describe the capabilities of the IBM Container Registry Service
1.5 Describe the capabilities of IBM Cloud Functions (Serverless)
1.6 Describe the capabilities of IBM Virtual Private Cloud
Section 2 — Design solutions based on Application Platform capabilities
2.1 Identify the core architecture of IoT solutions using IBM Internet of Things Platform
2.2 Utilize Watson AI services to add AI capabilities to IBM Cloud solutions
2.3 Design solutions using IBM Blockchain platform
2.4 Architect Cloud and Hybrid Cloud solutions using IBM Cloud Integrations
Section 3 — Data Analytics, Management, and Reporting Capabilities
3.1 Understand the options and capabilities of analytics services on IBM Cloud
3.2 Understand the options and capabilities of Database services on IBM Cloud
Section 4 — IBM Cloud Storage Options
4.1 Describe the options and capabilities of storage on IBM Cloud
Section 5 — IBM Cloud Networking Options
5.1 Describe Hybrid Cloud Networking Capabilities
5.2 Apply appropriate Cloud-Native Connectivity
5.3 Utilize Cloud Internet Services appropriately
Section 6 — IBM Cloud Security Options
6.1 Explain IBM Cloud Security Options
Section 7 — Describe DevOps Capabilities
7.1 Explain DevOps Build and Test
7.2 Explain Delivery Pipelines
Section 8 — IBM Cloud Resiliency Options
8.1 Design for Disaster Recovery
8.2 Design for Resiliency
Section 9 — Service Management Principles
9.1 Demonstrate knowledge of monitoring and alerting capabilities
9.2 Demonstrate knowledge of logging capabilities
Section 10 — IBM Cloud Paks
10.1 Describe the Cloud Paks available on IBM Cloud
Let’s get into the matter
We are going to learn more about the preparation course that IBM offers us to prepare our Certification route:
To do this, I will share the link where we find the course
About my experience in this type of certification preparation, since I have already prepared other certifications in other cloud providers such as AWS and AZURE, and I believe that this kind of certification requires previous experience working with these technologies. Some concepts might be unkown for people new to this subject, which would make the learning process more complicated.
Dedication:
The time it has taken me to complete this course has been three months, now I explain a little about my study methodology:
Daily dedicate 1 hour from Monday to Friday, take note of each topic this serves as a reference to then wave to investigate the more in-depth concept of high complexity which were new to me.
IBM offers a free account with $200 dollars. I won’t lie to you, this budget is not enough for exploring all the features available, but for learning and deploying basic services in the platform, that budget works well!
About the Course
The course contains 7 modules divided into 21 modules, with a total dedication of about 36,3 hours.
This requires more dedication because it refers to additional documentation to understand and delve into information. In my specific case adding the study time plus for each module and lectures with important information. I spent 120 hours of preparation.
In their order of learning and exploration. I mention below:
1. Introduction To Cloud Architecture Role
We can learn about the Overview of IBM Cloud Service Models role that the cloud architect plays and the responsibilities and knowledge that he must have when implementing, maintaining, and proposing valuable solutions.
2. Compute Options
We will be able to know in-depth each one of the types of computing offered by IBM to propose a solution-oriented to the cloud, on-premise migration process and with which tools you can take your workloads to the cloud.
This module is compose by 7 training assets:
Overview of IBM Cloud Service Models:
Provides a review of the IBM Cloud service models and discusses the benefits of IBM regions and availability zones.
Introduction to the IBM Cloud Compute Options:
Reviews the IBM Cloud Compute options and discusses IBM Cloud Classic Bare Metal Servers and related infrastructure.
Architectural Overview of Using VMWare Solutions:
Provides the skills and knowledge for using VMWare solutions and discusses architecture and technical specifications.
Architectural Overview of Using IBM Cloud Container Platforms:
Provides the skills and knowledge for using IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service and Red Hat OpenShift on IBM Cloud.
Using the IBM Cloud Container Repository and Registry:
Provides the skills and knowledge for using the capabilities and benefits of the IBM Cloud Container Repository and Registry.
Creating a Simple Deployment for an IBM Function on the Cloud:
Provides the skills and knowledge required to create a simple deployment for an IBM function on the cloud.
Reviewing the IBM Virtual Private Cloud (VPC):
Reviews the IBM Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) and discusses the compute, storage, network and security options.
3. Storage and Resiliency Options
We will learn about the types of storage available, whether of the object, block, etc. In addition to offering a highly available storage solution to achieve a highly available application
In this module you can learn about it :
Reviewing the IBM Cloud Storage Options:
Reviews IBM Cloud Storage dives into block storage, Network File Storage (NFS), and Cloud Object Storage (COS).
Networking Options for Architecting Hybrid Cloud:
Provides the skills and knowledge to architect hybrid cloud solutions including security, connectivity and other considerations.
Planning a Security Strategy:
Provides skills and knowledge for planning a security strategy for a cloud solution and examines application security.
Overview of Disaster Recovery Concepts:
Provides an overview of disaster recovery concepts, explores resiliency models and identifies availability zones and regions.
4.Application Solution Platforms
We will learn about new technologies such as AI, Blockchain, IoT. And how we can take advantage of the use of them using new tools that IBM provides.
In this module you can adquiring this abilities:
Applying Data and AI Reference Architectures for Cloud Solutions:
Provides skills and knowledge required to apply data and AI reference architectures and discusses integration with Watson services.
Introducing the Internet of Things:
Introduces the Internet of Things (IoT) and covers the basic steps to leverage the Watson IoT Platform.
Using the Blockchain Reference Architecture:
Provides the skills and knowledge to use the Blockchain reference architecture in IBM Cloud and make decisions using a flow chart.
5.Service Management and Reporting
We can see all the management options for monitoring your platforms, new tools such as DevOps, API, Data Analytics. We will help us maintain statistics, analysis of our platforms.
Here you can learn about it:
Applying IBM Cloud Monitoring into the Service Management:
Provides the skills and knowledge for fitting IBM Cloud Monitoring into the Service Management reference architecture.
Introduction to Modern Integration Reference:
Explores modern integration reference architecture with IBM Cloud as well as use cases for API management capabilities
Review of Data Analysis, Management and Reporting:
Reviews analytic services including functions provided by different databases and capabilities of IBM Hyper Protect DB as a Service (DBaaS).
Introduction to DevOps for Cloud Solutions:
Introduces DevOps as an approach to help businesses become lean, agile and capable of responding to changing demands.
6.IBM Cloud PAKS
This series of features offers the possibility of migrating and using cloud services in a simpler way, without complications, and quickly
Finally, here you can learn:
Introduces the IBM Cloud Paks including features and capabilities of the available packages.
7. Practice Lab
This module is a practical part where we can validate the knowledge acquired throughout the course. For me, it’s not enough to put into practice all concepts of learning during these modules.
Certification Presentation
After finishing our preparation, we can schedule to present remotely using PearsonVue Site. In this link, we’ll follow the steps necessary to registry our information and put the date for the exam.
It has a cost of $ 200, similar to other certifications of this type with other providers. My scheduling is for March 31, 2021, and I hope to tell you about the result later.
