lr cpc exam

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Section D - C programming.
10 points (7%)
30 minutes.

As can be seen from the recommended completion times for each section, Mercury’s estimates are definitely on the low side (adding up to only 6 hours, 15 minutes), and the possible scores for each section do not correlate with the suggested times.

I spent 4 hours and 30 minutes on Section A, and 45 minutes on Section D, with the rest of the time split between the two remaining sections.

The questions in Section A build on each other. If you cannot complete the first question, you will not be able to go on with subsequent questions. Having completed the exercises from the CPS comes in handy here, as some of the questions are similar. Ensure that you are familiar with parameterisation and correlation using both recording modes (as far as I can remember, the CPS only used URL mode). Try not to make assumptions about what is required. Follow the instructions to the letter. If you miss something on an earlier question, you will probably not have time to go back, make changes to all your previous scripts and re-run them. Remember that script execution for debugging purposes can be sped up by turning off “Animated Run” and closing the output window. Your script execution will be CPU-bound, and these items have a large overhead.

Section B focuses on creating and executing a scenario. There are no surprises here, but one of the key questions is based on how Mercury thinks a load test should be run, so your own experiences/prejudices may have little value. There is at least 30 minutes of execution time in this section that can be completed in parallel with Section C or D. Just remember that, as the Application Under Test will probably be running on the same machine as the controller, any compilations or searches through Acrobat files will affect the scenario results as they push CPU utilisation to 100%.

Section C is an opportunity to pick up some easy marks. There are 36 possible points for the 32 multiple-choice questions. There are some obscure questions here that you are guaranteed to have never encountered, but all answers can be found by searching through the documentation or experimenting with LoadRunner. As with the CPC, there are some very ambiguous questions, and even a question on the features of a type of graph that unintentionally leaves the name of the graph out of the question. When in doubt, deal with ambiguity by documenting your assumptions about what the question means.

Section D is the easiest section for guaranteed marks. You are given a script that contains compilation, logical and functional errors and must make it run against the Application Under Test. if you have a working knowledge of C, it shouldn’t be hard to track down the compilation errors. Start with the first error and work down the list. Remember that a “not writing pre_cci.ci” output message from the compiler can (non-obviously) push the real error off the top of the debug window. Once the compiler errors are taken care of, you must ensure that the script meets its stated aim. This will not be hard if you can successfully complete Section A.

Apparently the LoadRunner 7.6 CPC exam has a very high failure rate. I am not totally confident of receiving a passing grade myself. All questions were answered and all exercises were completed to the specifications, but my scripts were short on elegant solutions and clearly written code. My fingers are crossed for some generous marking.

Update: I finally received my results, and I passed this exam comfortably.

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 19th, 2004 at 5:52 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

6 Responses to “LoadRunner CPC Exam”
Ahkman Says:

July 6th, 2004 at 4:02 pm
do you have answer? please send it to me asuriygapi@hotmail.com

BEST REGARDS and thank you in avance

Ahkman

Stuart Moncrieff Says:

July 7th, 2004 at 4:00 pm
Ahkman,

Providing answers or detailed information on exam questions would defeat the purpose of having a certification exam.

Mercury changed their LoadRunner certification from a take-home exam to a one day in-house exam because too many answers could be found with Google, and some people were work-shopping the exam.

My entry was deliberately vague on concrete details. I signed a confidentiality agreement, so I can’t give you information on the questions even if I wanted to. All the (useful) information I have provided is either

* freely available from the Mercury website
* easily learnt through a quick phone call to your local Mercury representative
* a standard debugging or execution technique (you should know this already)

Study hard :)

oldsidney Says:

January 18th, 2005 at 4:12 pm
Congratulation!!

I have pass too.

stephen cheney Says:

July 11th, 2005 at 6:22 am
I have a GREAT deal of problems with people like asuriygapi@hotmail.com; The whole reason the CPS was changed to a classroom setting (CPC) is because of people like that. There’s also seems to be plenty of people who take the CPC and are willing to give the answers out. Props to Perf Creep for not responding to that retard’s request.

The CPC is very expensive; and is probably one of the only ways, in this current job environmet(i.e. people of questionalbe integrity entering the field) for employers out of the know to determine the qualification of candidates. To ask for or give away answers to it is just stupid. And for the people that had to spend the money to take it; is unbelievably unfair.

This basically is like having people pay a couple grand for a test that has no merit. Those of us in this niche; need to guard against people like asuriygapi@hotmail.com.

Aditya Chinni Says:

September 1st, 2005 at 7:17 am
Congrats. Great work

David Cater Says:

March 23rd, 2006 at 10:47 pm
Congratulations Stuart,

I recently took the LoadRunner v8.0 CPC exam in the UK. It is now reduced in duration to 6 hrs, and includes a section on LoadRunner Analysis. The last time I looked the Mercury web site still refered to the v7.6 exam.

More than that I am not allowed to divulge, except to say I also passed, and it’s still hard!

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