Brainspace Admin Certification
The Brainspace Admin training course is the most difficult of the three certificates. The level of knowledge you need varies from the application to Linux, though this has been my favourite of the three because of the content and complexity . For a moment, I felt like I had been transported back to university and was in a lab all over again going through linux commands!
Like the previous two courses, this one was set out into bite size videos and exercises, coupled with end of module quizzes or knowledge checks. Some of the videos on this course were heftier and had a lot of technical information, especially on the back end servers; showing how to install, upgrade and run commands to pull back information that could be needed for troubleshooting purposes.
It has taken a lot longer to get through this training than I would have liked, as I have had to couple the learning with looking after my daughter. She is pretty hands on at the moment, though I wouldn’t swap this time I have had to spend with her for anything. I have also been enjoying the glorious weather and quite a few BBQs, so learning has tended to be at the weekend. I have made copious amount of notes in preparation for the 85 question exam, which Brainspace have afforded its delegates 2 1/2 hours to complete. This is very generous but shows just how complex they feel exam questions are.
What has been most challenging for me across the three courses, is that I do not have a live or test environment to work with. I am learning from the videos and simulations. The admin course does not have very many simulations; so its very much a theoretical course if you do not have access to live or test content. It is particularly difficult with the linux sections, which is the operating system of the three backend servers. It has been over ten years since I last played around with Linux so it was a steep learning curve.
The way the material is presented to you during the course does make it easier than going to an inperson course, as I can rewind the videos to my heart’s content to pick up on key points. You also don’t have to contend with other delegates who might distract you from the lesson. I think I prefer this method and I hope that other software vendors look at what Brainspace have done and try to mirror the training; I have really enjoyed the experience.
When the I took the exam on Friday 22nd May, I felt very confident that I would pass because I had prepared and revised well. Thankfully, my confidence wasn’t misplaced and I passed with a strong mark.
I feel like Peter Crouch when he knocked in three past Arsenal! This has been a very nice distraction, scoring this hat trick of certifications and I am very grateful to the Brainspace team.
jmerritt
This blog is by James Merritt. For the last ten years I have worked in the Forensic Technology and eDisclosure sector. The views expressed on this website are those of my own and have no bearing on those of my employer. I have been debating whether or not to start this blog, whilst I have many years of experience, I don’t want to sound contrived and call myself an industry leader. However if what I decide to write about on this blog is considered interesting (and hopefully helpful) by those that read it, I have achieved what I set out to do, which is provide insight and advice. In my career I have been lucky enough to work on some incredible cases that have taken me all over the world. If you work in the industry then you know that big cases can be a life stealer, and I have worked on plenty of those. However, there is a certain degree of satisfaction on working with complex data and helping others understand it. I have worked with various litigation support tools over the last ten years but of late I specialise in Nuix and Relativity. This blog will be written with the industry in mind but only what I find interesting and on varying topics, from conferences to current developments, from products to training courses.