12/12/2007 -- Cisco caught my attention last week when it announced its new exam security measures. In brief, the company is now requiring all exam candidates to have a digital picture taken at the exam site, as well as submit a digital copy of their signature -- both of which will become a part of their test record. This, of course, is all being done in the name of integrity.

Taking your picture and signature won't keep you from visiting brain dump sites. It won't keep you from taking the exam multiple times until you memorize all the concepts and questions. And it won't solve -- or even address -- a host of other problems. What it will do, however, is place a bigger yoke on the independent testing centers that must meet a quota each month before they're paid a percentage for each exam.

While Cisco can spin this as a move to make the exam more valuable ("...to ensure the integrity of your Cisco certification..."), the truth of the matter is that fear of proxy testing must have escalated to the point that it has become a top priority. And while I salute any attempt to decrease cheating, the economics of proxy testing baffles me.

Suppose I wake up one day and decide that I want to become CCSP-certified -- a mid-level Cisco certification -- but I don't want to devote the time and effort necessary for it. According to the proxy-theorists, I would hire someone to do all this work for me. Not only would I have to pay for the four exams, but I'd probably have to pay someone a couple thousand dollars additionally to sit through and pass them. In the end, I'm out a few thousand and holding a piece of paper that says CCSP on it -- but what is its value? Do I really believe that an employer will hire me without question? Do I really believe that an employer won't fire me once they realize that my knowledge exists only on paper? It's not as if I can really do that much with the paper minus the knowledge.

Again, I'm all for ensuring integrity -- but I think there are problems far worse than proxy testing in the certification channel. Over the years, I've heard horror stories of testing centers that allow books to be taken into the room; of center administrators who look at your failing test score, tell you what you should have studied and then point out that you can use same-day-testing to take the test again in the afternoon. These are the avenues taken by test takers who are far more motivated than those who just phone it in, and I don't think taking a picture and a digital signature will do anything to alleviate these issues.

PDI+ Ready To Debut
PDI+, the newest one-exam certification from CompTIA, will go live in January. With a focus on printing and document imaging (hence the title), the exam elevates what was formerly a subset of A+ to a standalone certification. Aimed at the entry-level technician, PDI+ requires knowledge of copiers, fax machines, printers, scanners and all-in-one devices. In a carryover from A+, the exam also tests on soft skills such as professionalism and communication.

The weighting of each of the eight domains on the exam is as follows:

• Print Engine Process and Components (21 percent)
• Scan Process and Components (10 percent)
• General Troubleshooting (23 percent)
• Basic Electromechanical Components and Tools (13 percent)
• Connectivity (11 percent)
• Color Theory (8 percent)
• Professionalism and Communication (8 percent)
• Safety and Environment (6 percent)

Between now and Feb. 29, you can purchase a voucher for the exam from CompTIA that substantially reduces the price. All vouchers must be used before April 30.

More information on PDI+ and the vouchers can be found here.