HP Accredited Technical Associate (ATA) - Servers and Storage V1 certification validates the candidates skill and knowledge in designing application hosting, data storage solutions to meet the customer requirements. The certified candidate will be able to recognise and explain industry standard server technologies and its implications, plan, design, configure, install and upgrade rack mount servers, administer, manage and operate storage and server solutions for SMB customers.

To complete the exam successfully, I took the training program and hands-on lab practices from HP. They provided me the best preparation method for this examination. The exam is for 1 hour with multiple choice questions. The result will be displayed within 5 days after the exam. The required exam for this certification is "Designing and Deploying Server and Storage Solutions" with Exam Code HP4-A03. The main topics to be covered for this exam are given below:

Explain and recognise industry standard server technologies and its implications for the needs of Customers: In this topic, I prepared for Processor technologies and its implications for customer needs, Memory technologies and its implications for customer needs, Common server system architectures and its implications for customer needs, Common Storage technologies and its implications for customer needs, networking technologies to server implementation and performance and its implications for customer needs, various types of server applications and their functionalities, configuration profile which includes file servers, web servers, DB servers, proxy servers, messaging servers and authentication servers, identify common industry OS and solutions currently supported by x64 systems, Architecture elements of industry standard OS, server hardware management and technologies, and Common components of Datacentres.

Description and recognition of HP server products and solutions: In this topic, I prepared for the description of Server products, Tools and technologies of health and fault management, description of Remote management offerings, various types of rack series features and options, description of power management and power protection, description of network options, description of storage options, description of Standard management solution for Linux and windows, description of HP ProLiant essential packages, description of the usage of HP SIM management, description of HP Standard warranties and service offerings.

Planning and designing storage provisions for SMB enterprises: In this topic, I prepared for selecting a suitable operating system, selection of a suitable hardware, SPOF elimination through proper design, implementing backup strategy and selection of proper tool for storage solutions.

Implementation of storage and server solutions: In this topic, I prepared for the verification of installation procedure, installing the suitable operating system for the server for optimal performance, configuration and installation of management softwares, performing test for validating the server performance, usage of in built diagnostic tools and installation of SMHs.

Tuning and optimizing the performance: In this topic, I prepared for verification of the performance optimization, identifying the softwares creating bottleneck throttling, resolving OS configuration issues, checking the performance issues and tuning the system to optimize the performance.

Troubleshooting: In this topic, I prepared for recognising issues by going through the log, evaluating the log for identifying false reports, testing a plan and executing it, and implementing preventive measures.

HP infrastructure management: In this topic, I prepared for Managing storage and servers using Insight Manager, setting up SIM homepage, ProLiant Essentials features like SmartStart and Management, and management using HP server services.

Administration and operation of server: In this topic, I prepared from system upgrades and the methods to do it, fault management solutions, backing up and restoration, and performing software updates.

HP ATA - Servers & Storage V1 certification helps the candidate to achieve higher job position in IT field and to earn higher potential through high quality education with industry standard technologies. This certification helps to attain IT roles such as Server Architect, System Administrator, System Engineer and Technical Support Engineer. The training for HP ATA certifications is delivered by Certiport authorised centres and through approved learning centres.

Keiichi Sakaguchi, Consultant, Tigel Networks LLC.