Hello everyone! I’m steadily walking towards becoming a ‘Golden Kuberstronaut’.
In my last post, I mentioned that I learned ‘humility’ after experiencing the bitter taste of OTCA. This time, armed with that humility, I challenged the 8th hurdle: the ISTIO (ICA) certification! This success story will probably be the most unforgettable and spectacular day of my life. π₯³
π The Orthodox Method for a Week: Digging into Theory
Recalling the lesson from OTCA, this time I decided to calmly build a strong theoretical foundation first. I firmly grasped the concepts of Istio for about a week through the official training course provided by the Linux Foundation.
- Learning Materials: Introduction to Istio (LFS144)
Up until then, I was spending peaceful days, thinking, “Ah, I’ve studied the theory thoroughly, so I’ll pass without a hitch, right?” That was until the storm hit.
πΆ D-Day’s Twist: Birth of My Fourth Child, and… “This is a practical exam?!”
On the long-awaited exam day, I actually had an even bigger event than the exam itself. It was the day my adorable fourth child was born! π
Amidst the joy of childbirth and the chaotic situation, as I was checking my exam preparations, I suddenly realized a shocking truth. “Wait a minute… this wasn’t a multiple-choice exam, but a performance-based one?!”
The bewilderment of realizing on the day of the exam that it was practical, after diligently studying only ‘theory’ for a week… cold sweat really ran down my spine. My child was born, the exam was imminent, and I hadn’t prepared for the practical part at all! It was a continuous mental breakdown.
β‘ A 4-Hour Miracle: Cramming with Killercoda
But I couldn’t give up here. I couldn’t add news of failure on such a happy day, the birth of my fourth child. I had only 4 hours left. I decided to trust Killercoda.
- Practical Practice: Killercoda – Istio Scenarios (lorenzo-g)
I focused like crazy. Through Killercoda’s lorenzo-g scenarios, I familiarized myself with Istio settings from start to finish. Since I had a week’s worth of theoretical knowledge in my head, I could quickly grasp how the practical commands mapped. For 4 hours, I typed furiously, as if my keyboard would break, and ‘poof’ I was ready.
π The Result? An Overwhelming Pass with 98 Points!
After 24 hours of nerve-wracking waiting, the results came out.
- Cut-off Score: 68 points
- My Score: 98 points
98 out of 100! I didn’t just barely pass; I passed with an extremely high score! π Perhaps I received a blessing buff from the birth of my fourth child, or the 4-hour cramming created a miracle. It was a refreshing result that completely wiped away the bitterness from the OTCA.
π‘ Exam Review and Tips
For those preparing for this exam, especially those who need to prepare quickly like me, here are some tips.
- Difficulty: If you have prior experience with Kubernetes and Istio, it’s not as difficult as you might think. Don’t be intimidated!
- Exam Environment: The environment is very similar to CKA (Certified Kubernetes Administrator). If you are comfortable with a terminal environment, you should be able to take it comfortably.
- Essential Skills: You basically need to know how to handle Kubernetes to be able to take the exam. If your K8s fundamentals are lacking, you might waste time on basic operations rather than Istio configuration, so keep that in mind.
β¨ Concluding: Now Past the Halfway Mark
With this pass, I have achieved 8 out of 15 goals! I’ve finally rounded the halfway point. This 8th pass, coming with the birth of my fourth child, is even more meaningful. (Though my heart was pounding right before the exam.)
I learned that even in unpredictable situations, combining fundamental knowledge (theory) and concentration (practical skills) can lead to good results. Until the day I become a Golden Kuberstronaut, I’ll keep fighting both parenting and certifications!
Please look forward to my next 9th challenge! π
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