How to pass 000-421 - Certified Solution Developer - InfoSphere DataStage v8.5

On May 31st 2011, I succeeded in getting Certified as "IBM Certified Solution Developer - InfoSphere DataStage v8.5"

The lucid path was a sure addition for my success.

For you, First of all make a note of what to prepare for certification.
I always have this perspective that Certification questions are not Interview questions. Not that there are instances when they can cross paths.
Ensure you dedicate couple of hours each day.

Know the facts:

No weekend exam.
You need 49/65 to get through.
You have 90 minutes.
You can mark a complex question for review and come-back later.
Exam cost $200 or Take it Again $210 in USA. See for IBM-Prometric Voucher. TIA

 Take-away for visiting my blog 

• Concentrate on Job designs, best-practises and "processes" you follow in your day-to-day development or management of DataStage Job's.
• Do notice what DataStage is throwing when you develop, Compile and run the Job.
• Know what Admin does to give you access.
• Understand how to read syntax of osh {dump score} and pid info on unix.
• Partitioning methods and why use them. In-Built collectors that can sort.
• Did you ever notice How Annotations can be done?
• Advanced Find how handy is it. Try to play with it atleast twice a day for 1 week.
• Give attention to what is called elimination method. Eliminate wrong answers first.
• Know whats new in 8.5,
• Especially Manager is Back.
• Deployment is built-in with Eclipse integration 
• New transformer loop activity.
• Few more that can be listed like XML, etc.,
• You can ask me questions. Leave a Comment below.

Now its time get started.

My best sources include:

IBM Red Books:

IBM InfoSphere DataStage Data Flow and Job Design
InfoSphere DataStage Parallel Framework Standard Practices
Information Server: Installation and Configuration Guide

Objectives of exam 000-421: {Copied from IBM-Site Source}

All questions (95%) are from the objective's. If you are prepared in each and every point below you are good to go.

Section 1 - Configuration (6%)

1. Describe how to properly configure DataStage v8.5
2. Identify tasks required to create and configure a project to be used for v8.5 jobs
3. Given a configuration file, identify its components and its overall intended purpose

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Section 2 - Metadata (6%)

1. Demonstrate knowledge of Orchestrate schema
2. Identify the method of importing, sharing, and managing metadata
3. Demonstrate knowledge of runtime column propagation

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Section 3 - Persistent Storage (10.5%)

1. Explain the process of importing/exporting data to/from framework (e.g., sequential file, external source/target)
2. Describe proper use of a sequential file
3. Describe proper usage of FileSets and DataSets
4. Describe use of FTP stage for remote data
5. Describe use of restructure stages (e.g., column import/export)
6. Identify importing/exporting of XML data

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Section 4 - Parallel Architecture (9%)

1. Demonstrate proper use of data partitioning and collecting
2. Demonstrate knowledge of parallel execution

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Section 5 - Datatbases (9%)

1. Demonstrate proper selection of database stages and database specific stage properties
2. Identify source database options
3. Demonstrate knowledge of target database options

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Section 6 - Data Transformation (12%)

1. Demonstrate knowledge of default type conversions, output mappings, and associated warnings
2. Demonstrate proper selections of Transformer stage vs. other stages
3. Describe Transformer stage capabilities (including: stage variables, link variables, DataStage macros, constraints, system variables, link ordering, @PART NUM, functions
4. Demonstrate the use of Transformer stage variables (e.g., to identify key grouping boundaries on incoming data)
5. Identify process to add functionality not provided by existing DataStage stages. (e.g., wrapper, BuildOps, user def functions/routines)
6. Demonstrate proper use of SCD stage
7. Demonstrate job design knowledge of using RCP (modify, filter, dynamic transformer)
8. Demonstrate knowledge of Transformer Stage input and output loop processing (e.g., LastRecord(), LastRowInGroup(), SaveRecord(), etc.)

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Section 7 - Job Components (12%)

1. Demonstrate knowledge of Join, Lookup and Merge stages
2. Demonstrate knowledge of SORT stage
3. Demonstrate understanding of Aggregator stage
4. Describe proper usage of change capture/change apply
5. Demonstrate knowledge of Real-time components

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Section 8 - Job Design (9%)

1. Demonstrate knowledge of shared containers
2. Describe how to minimize Sorts and repartitions
3. Demonstrate knowledge of creating restart points and methodologies
4. Demonstrate proper use of standards
5. Explain the process necessary to run multiple copies of the source (job multi-instance)

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Section 9 - Monitor and Troubleshoot (7%)

1. Demonstrate knowledge of parallel job score
2. Identify and define environment variables that control DataStage v8.5 with regard to added functionality and reporting
3. Given a process list, identify conductor, section leader, and player process
4. Identify areas that may improve performance (e.g., buffer size, repartitioning, config files, operator combination, etc.)
5. Demonstrate knowledge of runtime metadata analysis and performance monitoring

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Section 10 - Job Management and Deployment (10.5%)

1. Demonstrate knowledge of advanced find
2. Demonstrate knowledge and the purpose of impact analysis
3. Demonstrate knowledge and purpose of job compare
4. Articulate the change control process
5. Source Code Control Integration

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Section 11 - Job Control and Runtime Management (6%)

1. Demonstrate knowledge of message handlers
2. Identify the use of dsjob command line utility
3. Demonstrate ability to use job sequencers (e.g., exception hunting, re-startable, dependencies, passing return value from routing, parameter passing and job status)