Citrix CCA MetaFrame 1.8 for Windows: Exam 218
Authors: Phil Duffield, Roddy Rodstein
Venue:  (2001)

From the Book:Welcome toCitrix CCA MetaFrame 1.8 for Windows Exam Cram! Whether this is your first or your fifteenth Exam Cram book, you'll find information here and in Chapter 1 that will help ensure your success as you pursue knowledge, experience, and certification. This book aims to help you get ready to takeand passthe Citrix certification Exam 218, titled "Citrix Certified Administrator for MetaFrame 1.8." Exam Cram books help you understand and appreciate the subjects and materials you need to pass Citrix certification exams. Exam Cram books are aimed strictly at test preparation and review. They do not teach you everything you need to know about a topic. Instead, we (the authors) present and dissect the questions and problems we've found that you're likely to encounter on a test. We've worked to bring together as much information as possible about Citrix certification exams. Nevertheless, to completely prepare yourself for any Citrix test, we recommend that you begin by taking the Self-Assessment included in this book immediately following this Introduction. This tool will help you evaluate your knowledge base against the requirements for a CCA under both ideal and real circumstances. We also strongly recommend that you install, configure, and fool around with the software that you'll be tested on, because nothing beats hands-on experience and familiarity when it comes to understanding the questions you're likely to encounter on a certification test. Book learning is essential, but hands-on experience is the best teacher of all! The Citrix Certification Program Passage of the CCA exam demonstrates the ability to install and administer Citrix MetaFrame or WinFrame server-based, thin-client software. Until the CCEA certification was recently introduced, the CCA was the only comprehensive training/certification program for Citrix system administrators and resellers. The Citrix MetaFrame 1.8 Certification Exam consists of 10 unequally weighted sections. The 10 sections are: Introduction to MetaFrame, Windows Terminal Server Overview, Implementing and Installing MetaFrame, Installing and Configuring ICA Clients, Creating a Seamless User Experience, Configuring ICA Client Features, Administering MetaFrame, Implementing Load Balancing, Configuring Web Connectivity and Using Performance Monitor and Troubleshooting. Because the CCA exam consists of only 40 questions, most of the sections are only briefly covered. A passing grade is 68 percent correct answers. Most questions are multilple choice, but there are also some true/false questions. Note that the multiple choice questions can have one or several correct answers. The following information is available at www.citrix.com/training/: The CCA certification is offered in three different versions: CCA for MetaFrame 1.8 (Windows)Course CTX-302.2 and Exam 218 Citrix MetaFrame 1.8 for Windows Administration. Also visit the www.citrix.com/training/testing.htm page and click on the MetaFrame 1.8 Exam Guide link to view some sample test questions and answers. CCA for MetaFrame 1.0 (UNIX)Course CTX-3020 and Exam 310 Citrix 1.0 for Unix Administration. CCA for WinFrame 1.8Course CTX-181 and Exam 118 for Citrix WinFrame Administration. Citrix also offers the CCEA, CCSP and CCI certifications: Citrix Certified Enterprise Administrator (CCEA)As mentioned in the Self-Assessment Chapter, the CCEA is designed for networking professionals who manage large server farms that require the use of Citrix's optional add-on enterprise products. Candidates must already have their CCA certification and must pass four of seven advanced Citrix exams. The CCEA exams cover various aspects of Citrix Load Balancing, RMS, IMS, SecureICA, and NFuse. Citrix Certified Sales Professional (CCSP)This is an online exam designed to ensure that Citrix sales professionals understand the benefits and advantages of Citrix's server-based, thin-client computing. The economic justifications and Return on Investment (ROI) of the various Citrix products are covered in detail. A CCSP self-study course (CTX-5081) is available from Citrix; alternately, the course is also available from one of the Citrix Authorized Learning Centers (CALCs). Citrix Certified Instructor (CCI)CCIs must complete the Citrix instructional method course and have the CCA certification. CCIs are available for MetaFrame 1.8 for Windows, MetaFrame 1.1 for Unix, and WinFrame 1.8. For MetaFrame 1.8 (Windows). Applicants must complete course CTX-302.2, MetaFrame Administration, at a Citrix Authorized Learning Center. The candidate must also have passed the CCA exam with a score of 80 percent (regular CCA candidates need to score only 68 percent to pass the exam). Prospective CCIs must also have Microsoft Product Specialist status for NT Server 4.0 and an approved industry trainer certification (e.g. Microsoft MCT, Novell CNI or equivalent). Finally, candidates must have completed the new Citrix Train the Trainer course to earn the CCI. The Citrix training Web page (www.citrix.com/training/) contains all of the relevant information on the Citrix courses and exams. The www.citrix.com/ partners/calc page contains contact information and pricing for the Citrix Authorized Learning Centers (CALCs) where you can take the various certification courses. There is also information on how to contact the Prometric testing center near you where you can take the certification exams. Taking a Certification Exam Once you've prepared for your exam, you need to register with a testing center. Each computer-based CCA exam costs $100, and if you don't pass, you may retest for an additional $100 for each additional try. In the United States and Canada, tests are administered by Prometric. You can sign up for a test through the company's Web site at www.prometric.com. Or, you can register by phone at 800-755-3926 (within the United States or Canada) or at 410-843-8000 (outside the United States and Canada). To sign up for a test, you must possess a valid credit card, or contact Prometric for mailing instructions to send them a check (in the U.S.). Only when payment is verified, or a check has cleared, can you actually register for a test. To schedule an exam, call the number or visit the Web page at least one day in advance. To cancel or reschedule an exam, you must call before 7 p.m. pacific standard time the day before the scheduled test time (or you may be charged, even if you don't appear to take the test). When you want to schedule a test, have the following information ready: Your name, organization, and mailing address. Your Citrix Test ID. (Inside the United States, this means your Social Security number; citizens of other nations should call ahead to find out what type of identification number is required to register for a test.) The name and number of the exam you wish to take. A method of payment. (As we've already mentioned, a credit card is the most convenient method, but alternate means can be arranged in advance, if necessary.) Once you sign up for a test, you'll be informed as to when and where the test is scheduled. Try to arrive at least 15 minutes early. You must supply two forms of identificationone of which must be a photo IDto be admitted into the testing room. All exams are completely closed-book. In fact, you will not be permitted to take anything with you into the testing area, but you will be furnished with a blank sheet of paper and a pen or, in some cases, an erasable plastic sheet and an erasable pen. We suggest that you immediately write down on that sheet of paper all the information you've memorized for the test. In Exam Cram books, this information appears on a tear-out sheet inside the front cover of each book. You will have some time to compose yourself, record this information, and take a sample orientation exam before you begin the real thing. We suggest you take the orientation test before taking your first exam, but because they're all more or less identical in layout, behavior, and controls, you probably won't need to do this more than once. When you complete a Citrix certification exam, the software will tell you whether you've passed or failed. If you need to retake an exam, you'll have to schedule a new test with Prometric and pay another $100. How to Prepare for an Exam Preparing for any Citrix certification exam (including the MetaFrame 1.8 for Windows NT exam) requires that you obtain and study materials designed to provide comprehensive information about the product and its capabilities that will appear on the specific exam for which you are preparing. The following list of books and Web sites will help you study and prepare (these resources and others are also listed in the "Need to Know More?" sections found at the end of the book chapters): Mathers, Todd and Shawn Genoway. Windows NT Thin Client Solutions: Implementing Terminal Server and Citrix Metaframe. Macmillan Technical Publishing, Indianapolis, IN, 1999. ISBN 1-57870-065-5. Extensive information on installing and administering TSE and Metaframe networks. Keele, Allen (series Editor). CCA Certified Administrator for MetaFrame 1.8. Osborne/McGraw Hill, Berkeley, CA, 2000. ISBN 0-07-212439-3. A good source for both exam related materials and for general MetaFrame 1.8 administration information. Minasi, Mark. Mastering NT Server 4, 7th Edition. Sybex Inc., 1151 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501. ISBN 0-7821-2693-6. Chapter 12 has very good coverage of NT Domains and Trust Relationships. www.citrix.com/support has a great deal of information in the Solution KnowledgeBase(KB). From the KB, select Additional KB Resources, then Product Documentation, then MetaFrame 1.8 for Windows NT Terminal Server. This large .pdf manual offers in-depth coverage of all aspects of MetaFrame. For an excellent ICA overview, search the KnowledgeBase for Citrix ICA and Server Based Computing. This smaller .pdf file presents a good overview of ICA. The help files in MetaFrame 1.8 are extensive and very helpful. From the server desktop ICA Administration Toolbar, click on the book icon to launch the Books On-line reference. The MetaFrame Administration Guide (located under the Contents tab) is useful for exam related issues as well as for actual MetaFrame administration. Search the www.thethin.net site for MetaFrame or CCA. Very good source for links to Citrix issuesincluding the CCA exam. Try the http://thethin.net/ links.cfm link and look under the Training and Certification section. Visit the www.ccaheaven.com site for good Citrix and CCA related articles and links. Be sure to check out their CCA cramsession. Also visit the www.thinplanet.com site. This is one of the major Web sites for server-based and thin-client industry news. Study GuidesSeveral publishersincluding The Coriolis Groupoffer Citrix titles. The Coriolis Group series includes the following: The Exam Cram seriesThese books give you information about material you need to know to pass the tests. The Exam Prep seriesThese books provide a greater level of detail than the Exam Cram books and are designed to teach you everything you need to know from an exam perspective. Each book comes with a CD that contains interactive practice exams in a variety of testing formats. Together, the two series make a perfect pair. MultimediaThese Coriolis Group materials are designed to support learners of all typeswhether you learn best by reading or doing: The Exam Cram Personal TrainerOffers a unique, personalized self-paced training course based on the exam. The Exam Cram Personal Test CenterFeatures multiple test options that simulate the actual exam, including Fixed-Length, Random, Review, and Test All. Explanations of correct and incorrect answers reinforce concepts learned. About this Book Each topical Exam Cram chapter follows a regular structure, along with graphical cues about important or useful information. Here's the structure of a typical chapter: Opening hotlistsEach chapter begins with a list of the terms, tools, and techniques that you must learn and understand before you can be fully conversant with that chapter's subject matter. We follow the hotlists with one or two introductory paragraphs to set the stage for the rest of the chapter. Topical coverageAfter the opening hotlists, each chapter covers a series of topics related to the chapter's subject title. Throughout this section, we highlight topics or concepts likely to appear on a test using a special Exam Alert layout, like this: This is what an Exam Alert looks like. Normally, an Exam Alert stresses concepts, terms, software, or activities that are likely to relate to one or more certification test questions. For that reason, we think any information found offset in Exam Alert format is worthy of unusual attentiveness on your part. Indeed, most of the information that appears on The Cram Sheet appears as Exam Alerts within the text. Pay close attention to material flagged as an Exam Alert; although all the information in this book pertains to what you need to know to pass the exam, we flag certain items that are really important. You'll find what appears in the meat of each chapter to be worth knowing, too, when preparing for the test. Because this book's material is very condensed, we recommend that you use this book along with other resources to achieve the maximum benefit. In addition to the Exam Alerts, we have provided tips that will help you build a better foundation for Citrix MetaFrame knowledge. Although the information may not be on the exam, it is certainly related and will help you become a better test-taker. This is how tips are formatted. Keep your eyes open for these, and you'll become a MetaFrame guru in no time! Practice questionsAlthough we talk about test questions and topics throughout the book, a section at the end of each chapter presents a series of mock test questions and explanations of both correct and incorrect answers. Details and resourcesEvery chapter ends with a section titled "Need to Know More?" This section provides direct pointers to Citrix and third-party resources offering more details on the chapter's subject. In addition, this section tries to rank or at least rate the quality and thoroughness of the topic's coverage by each resource. If you find a resource you like in this collection, use it, but don't feel compelled to use all the resources. On the other hand, we recommend only resources we use on a regular basis, so none of our recommendations will be a waste of your time or money (but purchasing them all at once probably represents an expense that many network administrators and would-be CCAs might find hard to justify). The bulk of the book follows this chapter structure slavishly, but there are a few other elements that we'd like to point out. Chapter 10 includes a sample test that provides a good review of the material presented throughout the book to ensure you're ready for the exam. Chapter 11 is an answer key to the sample test that appears in Chapter 10. In addition, you'll find a handy glossary and an index. Finally, the tear-out Cram Sheet attached next to the inside front cover of this Exam Cram book represents a condensed and compiled collection of facts and tips that we think you should memorize before taking the test. Because you can dump this information out of your head onto a piece of paper before taking the exam, you can master this information by brute forceyou need to remember it only long enough to write it down when you walk into the test room. You might even want to look at it in the car or in the lobby of the testing center just before you walk in to take the test. How to Use this Book We've structured the topics in this book to build on one another. Therefore, some topics in later chapters make more sense after you've read earlier chapters. That's why we suggest you read this book from front to back for your initial test preparation. If you need to brush up on a topic or you have to bone up for a second try, use the index or table of contents to go straight to the topics and questions that you need to study. Beyond helping you prepare for the test, we think you'll find this book useful as a tightly focused reference to some of the most important aspects of MetaFrame 1.8. Given all the book's elements and its specialized focus, we've tried to create a tool that will help you prepare forand passCitrix Exam 218. Please share your feedback on the book with us, especially if you have ideas about how we can improve it for future test-takers. We'll consider everything you say carefully, and we'll respond to all suggestions. Send your questions or comments to us at learn@examcram.com. Please remember to include the title of the book in your message; otherwise, we'll be forced to guess which book you're writing about. And we don't like to guesswe want to know! Also, be sure to check out the Web pages at www.examcram.com, where you'll find information updates, commentary, and certification information. Thanks, and enjoy the book!