Questions about getting ready for your Red Hat remote exam?

[Deanna]

This thread is dedicated to connect you with Red Hat subject matter experts who can help answer your questions regarding Red Hat remote exams. Please see the following resources for Red Hat Remote Exams below:

• Remote Exams Announcement
• Technical Documentation for "Getting ready for your Red Hat remote exam"
• Remote Exams FAQ

For questions on scheduling or redeeming your exams,  please use the Red Hat Certification team comment form here. 

**Our subject matters experts in the Red Hat Learning Community will not be assisting with tasks related to scheduling exams. 

[shefeeqyr]

Hello,

Wireless internet can be used if the remote exam image detects your wifi adapter and allows you to connect by entering the route password. We always caution candidates about potential performance impact with wireless connections though. 

Best Regards,

Shefeeq

[enthuguy]

HI @shefeeqyr  @JS_Learning 

Yesterday, have managed to performe Test Compatability checks with my

1. Surface 2 Laptop

2. Wired Keyboard

3 Wired Mouse

4. External Webcam

5. Wired Internet

All my check passed except "Media Server Connection" attached for reference.  I rebooted few times with USB ISO again all passed including external webcam video. However, media server failed. 

Could you kindly confirm, how to resolve this please? I have now rescheduled my exam to tuesday now.

Please help asap

[shefeeqyr]

Hello @enthuguy,

With external keyboard and mouse, you would need an external monitor too. The laptop screen has to be kept closed.

Regarding the media server error, this indicates an issue with video and audio packets reaching our servers. It can be due to a few variables, like the router blocking media packets over UDP or a fluctuating network connection at the time of testing. If you have a back up internet connection, please try the test through that to see if it changes.

There have been instances where the webcam and audio feeds were transmitted to our servers without issues during the actual exam, while compatibility test displayed random errors. Hence I wouldn't deem this to be your inability to take the exam. 

If you do not have an alternative laptop/network to try, but are meeting all the system requirements in terms of keyboard, mouse, monitor, webcam, working audio input (mic) etc. the last resort would be to attempt the exam. If things fail to take off, you can request the Proctor for a reschedule at the beginning itself.

Best Regards,

Shefeeq

[enthuguy]

Thanks @shefeeqyr , I forgot to mention. Yes I tried with external monitor too. (with my laptop lid closed)

Will try to find another laptop or else will go with this one. Hope fully it will be ok :)

thanks for all your help!

[enthuguy]

thanks @shefeeqyr  @JS_Learning , have written my exam today.

as you suggested surface 2 laptop didnt help, we had connectivity issues. I end up using DELL laptop with wired mouse and external webcam.

I must thank redhat support team. They were so helpful guiding me through over phone. They had lot of patience too :)

you guys awesome ! :)

[shefeeqyr]

It's a genuine pleasure to read your feedback @enthuguy. Most appreciated!

Best Regards,

Shefeeq

[dukesam]

Hi,

I followed all the instructions to prepare the remote exam bootable Live USB. It initially brings up three options 
1. Start exam
2. Test the devices setup & start the exam

3. Troubleshooting

The option 2 automatically starts after 5 to 6 secs but I am getting attached error.

error

Is that something issue with my laptop? I do not have CD disk-drive. But it complains about that. Is that something you could advise how to fix?

[JS_Learning]

Hi @dukesam ,

What do you get when doing:

"sha256sum rhrexboot.iso"?

Could you try downloading the .ISO again?

That error could be indicating a corrupted ISO...

Also it could be how you flashed the ISO, it appears in some case Win10 remount the iso and alter some files:

Extract:

Unfortunately, Win10 finishes the dd command and then
immediately automounts the drive.  This, of course, triggers a whole bunch
of system indexing tools, restore point tools and so on, writing some data into efi partition and this, in turn, changes the drive data sum as the dd command saw it. 

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1282244 

If so, I'd suggest you try an alternative method to flash the ISO to your USB drive.

Cheers,

[Sarang]

Good initiative in this pandemic times. 

I have couple of questions:

1. Regareding Camera:

- I want to buy a camera for Remote exam. However, I am not sure on how to check compatibility. Is there a list of compatible external cameras?

- What is the OS used in 'live USB ISO' or 'rhrexboot.iso' that will be used to setup exam environment.  

2. Regarding Network:

I have two internet connections,  a wired broadband connection and 4G mobile internet . Both meet the speed requirements i.e. Download speed requirements of 768Kbps and
upload speed requirements of 512Kbps

If the primary network connections (broadband)  goes down during exam. Lets say for 15 min.

- Will I be able to switch to my mobile 4G connection?

- Will I be able to connect back again after 15 min if switching to mobile internet is not allowed?

- Will I be able to reschedule the exam if above two are not allowed?

[JS_Learning]

Hi @Sarang ,

1.1 There is no such list officially. What is officially requested is an external webcam with at least 1m cable. Unofficially, some candidates are sharing their experience here:

https://learn.redhat.com/t5/General/RedHat-Remote-Exam-supported-hardware-cameras-mice-keyboards/m-p... 

1.2 The OS is Fedora 32.

2. I think, it's a difficult topic to answer and something that the proctor will have to evaluate with all variables at hand and discuss with the candidate. In general, it also depends when the interruption occurs. See the FAQ and Getting Ready documents, links available in the supported hardware camera topic link I shared above.

As for the actual 4G, it also depends on it's connected, the only supported method are wifi and ethernet cable. Therefore, it it's connecting to a 4G hotspot, and using wifi for the Remote Exam Laptop, I guess it's ok. If it's about using a 4G modem directly, it's not in the officially supported hardware.

Cheers,