IBM Technical Support Services Certification Process January 2013

1. IBM Technical Support Services Certification ProcessJanuary 2013

2. Why Certify IBM Professional Certifications validate that IBM Business Partners have developed the sales, installation and support skills needed to cope within an increasingly complex marketplace. Our customers want the IBM Business Partners they select to have certified skills, and IBM wants to ensure that IBM Business Partners provide customers with the most qualified sales and technical support teams • The mission of IBM Professional Certification is to: • Provide a reliable, valid and fair method of assessing skills and knowledge. • Provide IBM a method of building and validating the skills of individuals and organizations. • Develop a loyal community of highly skilled certified professionals who recommend, sell, service, support and/or use IBM products and solutions.

3. How to Prepare for Exam

4. Test Preparation Level 1 http://www-03.ibm.com/certify/certs/41000501.shtml select

6. This page will include all the modules needed to prepare for the test. Just click on each title to be taken to the actual module. You will need to sign-in using your PartnerWorld ID.

7. Test Preparation Level 2 • Test number 000-145 • TSS will host 2 webinar training sessions, dates to yet be determined • Late January • Late February • After this the module will be posted on PW University under Level 200

8. Taking the Test

9. http://www-03preview.ibm.com/certify/certs/41000501.shtml The level 2 test can be scheduled by selecting the Prometric link and select Test number 000-145

11. Look for test 000-144or 000-145

12. Documenting Results

13. Test Results • Prometric will provide test taker with a score report. • Prometric’s will send results to the IBM Certification Program Manager. • IBM Program Manager will send email to test taker with directions on how to retrieve the PDF Certification. • Please make sure you have setup your profile ID in IBM Partnerworld Profiling system. Instruction on next page.

14. Copy of Certification

15. Reporting and viewing IBM Certifications and Mastery Exams • The Authorized Profile Administrator (APA) at each Business Partner firm is responsible for creating the • candidate ID in the IBM PartnerWorld Profiling System (PPS). • The Reporting of an employee-supplied candidate ID • The Assigning of the employee to the firm agreement • Please follow the 2 step process below: • Reporting IBM Certifications and Mastery Exams in PPS • Link to the PPS system and sign on (https://www-304.ibm.com/partnerworld/wps/servlet/ContentHandler/pw_com_udp_index) • Select Update your profile • Select Update your company profile • Select the location profile where the employee resides • Select employee information which is found on the left navigation • Add an employee or select the employee to update • Add a Candidate ID • Enter the Candidate ID supplied on the candidates test score report • Save/Exit and retain the confirmation number for reference. • Assigning the employee candidate to the firm agreement • Sign in to PPS and select the Enterprise Profile • Select 'Agreements' from left side menu options • Select 'Manage Contract Compliance' • Select the ‘Company name'. • Select 'Certification Compliance report'. • Select Assign employee to contracts for the chosen contract. The employee is to be assigned to one location. • Select the 'employee' and then select the radio button for Sales or Technical. • Select the Submit button at bottom of screen.

16. Employee Movement Employee movement The Authorized Profile Administrator (APA) at each Business Partner firm must report Employee Movement to IBM via the IBM PartnerWorld Profiling System (PPS) in the Employee Profile Employee End Date Field within 30 days of the employee leaving the firm. The APA can access this field through the employee's profile. The only step to complete is to enter the Employment End Date. When a Business Partner notifies IBM via the PPS Employee Movement Reporting Function that a certified employee has left and the firm no longer meets the certification requirement, the firm qualifies for a three month grace period for both (VAE) and (Platform Certification) in order to meet the certification requirement by achieving and reporting the required certifications. If the Business Partner fails to notify IBM within 30 days of the employees last workday that the certified employee has left their firm, leaving the firm without certification in a product area, the Business Partner forfeits the grace period. When IBM discovers that a certified employee has left the firm without prior notification from the firm, IBM will under normal circumstances notify the firm via a "Notice of Deauthorization" letter, however IBM reserves the right to terminate with notice the Business Partner's approval to sell the affected IBM products.

17. Retake Policy IBM Test Retake Policy The same certification test may be taken only two times within a 30 day period. If a certification exam is not completed successfully on the first attempt, there is no waiting requirement before taking the test a second time. However, candidates may not take the same test more than twice within any 30 day period of time. Additionally, retakes are not allowed after the successful completion of an exam. A test result found to be in violation of the retake policy will not be processed, which will result in no credit awarded for the test taken. Repeat violators will be banned from participation in the IBM Professional Certification Program. For FAQ’s on Certification please visit http://www-03.ibm.com/certify/process/faq_gen.shtml