ICCP Communications Exam

OK fellow travelers in cyberspace, perhaps some of you can help me.

I am preparing to take the ICCP Communications exam.
Any recommendations for textbooks, study material, practice tests?

I must say the exam outline in the ICCP Handbook is a bit intimidating. I've posted the brief outline from the "old" ICCP web site below.

All the textbook references in the ICCP Handbook were more than 10 years old and many of the textbooks are out of print (though later editions of a few are available).



Many thanks in advance for your help.


ICCP Communications

The Communications examination is intended to help establish recognized professional standards within the computing industry in the field of electronic communications.

1. Data Communications Theory
1.1 Information Theory
1.2 Protocols
1.3 Layering
1.4 Interfaces

2. Networking Theory
2.1 Topology
2.2 Connectivity
2.3 Queuing Theory
2.4 Flow and Capacity

3. The ISO OSI Reference Model
3.1 Physical Layer
3.2 Data Link Layer
3.3 Network Layer
3.4 Transport Layer
3.5 Session Layer
3.6 Presentation Layer
3.7 Application Layer

4. Established Communications Systems
4.1 Standards Organizations and Standards
4.2 Telecommunications
4.3 Data Communications
4.4 Computer Communications and Networks

5. Hardware
5.1 Data Switches
5.2 Modems/Codecs
5.3 Multiplexors/Concentrators
5.4 Communications Controllers
5.5 Front-End Processors
5.6 Buses and Channels
5.7 Fiber Optical Devices
5.8 Connectors and Cables
5.9 Telephone Systems
5.10 Computer Terminals
5.11 Installation of Equipment
5.12 Diagnostic Equipment

6. Usage and Design
6.1 User Needs
6.2 Access Rights and Privacy
6.3 Security
6.4 Costs
6.5 Analysis Tools, Software
6.6 Comparisons
6.7 Reliability and Pathology

 

OK, folks, I finally passed the ICCP Communications exam.

I thought the test covered a large number of topics but did not require a knowledge of any topic in any great depth. I was given 2 hours to complete the 110 questions.

As far as I'm concerned there's no one resource that will help you pass this exam.

The approach that worked for me was to start by reading one of the recommended textbooks from cover to cover (Understanding Data Communications by Gilbert Held) and doing each end of chapter quiz for which the answers are provided at the end of the book.

I then purchased the Bird Review and Q&A drills which I thought were very helpful, but expensive. After taking the Bird Review practice test and all Q&A drills, I took the ICCP sample test and was quite shocked to find that I didn't pass as the sample test had questions on material that I had not seen during my studies above.

So, I studied the test's full subject outline and the sample test very carefully and researched each topic (and technical word) using a variety of resources including www.whatis.com, www.about.com and www.google.com. I browsed sections of Data and Computer Communications by William Stallings and Computer Networks by Andrew S. Tanenbaum that covered these areas. I saved a bit of money by buying used copies of previous editions of these textbooks.

I then purchased Shaum's Outline of Computer Networking and did all the review questions and problems to make sure I understood the material.

All this was quite a bit of work for 3 upper level credits but I prefer studing on my own and taking exams to attending classes. Anyway, I never seem to get out of work on time regularly enough to attend a scheduled class.

 

The Communications test was perhaps the hardest ICCP test I took. I agree that the Stallings book is pretty good (though it can't be your onmly source of info). The Bird Publications materials are merely ok. They'll maybe improve your score by 10%, which may be enough to push you from fail to pass, but they aren't nearly as good as most test prep materials for the more traditional IT certifications.

Congratulations on passing this one. I had the advantage of a couple of years experience in building PC WANs and LANs, and still had a rough time with this test.

 

Overall, I'd say that the single best resource that I used was the Tanenbaum book. I think it covered more of the topics that appeared in questions on the test than any other individual resource. I liked the Stallings book second best and actually read half the book before I began to run out of time. I then had to focus on researching individual topics off the exam outline and practice exam.

I think the Bird review and Q&A drills touched on at least 60-70% of the material on the exam but in many cases not in enough depth to pass the exam.

I forgot to mention that I had some courses on newtorking which I downloaded through my company from NETg. I ended up not using them as I thought their focus was too vendor specific (IPX/SPX, AppleTalk, Netbios) or in way too much technical detail and lacking in theoritical detail for the purposes of preparing for the ICCP exam.

Ultimately, I've been working as a financial services application programmer/analyst and not a networking engineer so needed to follow the path I laid out in my earlier post to pass this exam.

 

I have also read Held's book.

Of possible interest to degreeinfo.com denizens is that Gilbert Held is on the "faculty" of Greenwich University (Norfolk Island). He has a consulting business called "4-Degree Consulting," whose name presumably reflects his 4 degrees (BSEE, MSEE, MSTM, MBA).

 

ICCP Core Exam

Hi All,

What do you think about ICCP core exam?
What materials can I use to prepare for this exam?

Please advise, thanks.

Steven

 

Will buy your ICCP exam books in NY

Hi,

I recently enrolled in Excelsior's BS/CIS program.
I'm thinking about taking a few ICCP exams.
I noticed a bunch of you are from NY.
I live in Long Island, NY.

If anyone is interested in selling their study materials,
like the Bird Review and Q&A drills or anything else
that could be useful, I'm interested in buying them.
I would come to you to buy them or meet you
wherever you want.

I would also consider trade possibilites if I have books
that you could use for other courses. I'll be taking a few
Excelsior courses and buying their study materials soon.

If interested, reply back to this forum. I'll be checking
back in soon.
Thanks
Mike

 

Re: ICCP Commo exam study materials for sale

I posted my Bird Review and Q&A drill for sale at the Excelsior book exchange site along with some of the textbooks I used to study for the ICCP Commo exam. I also live on LI and work in Manhattan and will be happy to sell these materials. If you're interested you can leave me a private message here or contact me through Excelsior.

 

FYI - I'm on one of the ICCP boards. They are really busy modernizing the exams. Hopefully, the age of the material you reference here will be soon corrected.

Thanks - Andy

 

Andy, Is there a way to suggest a Data Structures and Algorithms exam to the ICCP board.

My motivation is self-interest. This is the only requirement standing in the way of my obtaining an Excelsior BS/CIS. They recently changed their requirments.

 

TESC has an affordable data structures course. Granted, an ICCP exam would be an easier/cheaper alternative.

One thing to recognize though is that ICCP is not really geared towards college credit - it's geared to information technology skills in the workplace. Nobody will higher someone in the real world based on their skills in data structures - instead it's much more of a pure computer theory skill required in colleges.

 

This test is my last adventure. I bought Calidris' study materials so I think I'm well armed in that regard. Any further advice? I plan to start with the outline and then move to the Stallings book.

 

Here is another option.

Excelsior accepted an intermediate C++ programing course fro my data structures requirements.

 

That's good to know. That was for Data Structures though, right? So you'll still need a Data Communications course, correct?

 

Eric,
I have a list of questions (with the answers) that
were on the ICCP Communications exam. It definately
helped me pass. In fact, all I did was use this list,
the useless Bird materials (make sure you memorize
all the practice questions/answers), and read about 4 chapters
of a Data Communications book.
I think I sent this to you but I'm not sure.
If you want it, let me know.
Mike

 

18 hours till this test... I still need to study a lot. Hopefully I'll get in 6-8 hours of study time in the next 18 hours.

 

Ouch. I got a 67. There were three questions that I actually pointed out to my proctor as being bad questions, but I doubt ICCP would be willing to consider my objections to 3 questions. One question had two identical (correct) answers. Another question had two nearly identical questions that were worded slightly different but were the same in meaning. A third question was just a bad question in my opinion.

Does anybody know how long I have to wait to retake this exam? Or does anyone know any quick alternatives?

 

Sorry about the exam Eric. The question now is whether you want to take it again. I believe they raised the price of the ICCP exams to $250.00 now.

Excelsior recently announced a new course they are offering called Business Communications (I think) and I think it satisfies the Communications requirement for the Degree. You may want to check it out.
Personally, I despise ICCP. They need to get their act together. I know taking a course is a bit more of a hassle, but it beats losing another $250.00.
Right now I'm taking the Systems Development course from Athabasca University and it is not too bad. I'm halfway done and it will take only 6 weeks to complete. And I'm actually learning something useful, instead of studying the worthless Bird study guide. The Bird web site claims that 70% who use their study materials pass the ICCP exams. What bullshit.
I failed the Systems Development 3 times. That test was such nonsense. I complained to the Executive Director, Kewal Dhariwal, but he apparently couldn't take my criticisms because he started blocking my e-mails. I made some valid points but he wouldn't challange any of them. And I'm not the only one who feels this way about the exam.
Mike

 

I found the course at Excelsior and it can be used for the CIS degree: CIS 350: Business Data Communications

https://www.excelsior.edu/portal/page?_pageid=57,81948&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

 

Thanks Mike. I'll check it out.

And I agree the ICCP exams are pretty dated and subjective. I passed the Sys Dev exam, but a good portion of the questions were pretty much grey areas I thought. The Data Comms exam seemed somewhat less subjective, but the material is pretty outdated.