Pentaho Training:

Study Guide for

Certification Exams
Pentaho Solution Consultant Certification Exam and
Pentaho Data Integration Certification Exam

Copyright 2014 Pentaho Corporation. Redistribution permitted. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
For the latest information, please visit our web site at pentaho.com.

Contents
Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Pentaho Solution Consultant Certification Exam Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Topical Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Recommended Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Exam Topics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Recommended Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Pentaho Data Integration Exam Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Topical Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Recommended Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Exam Topics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Recommended Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

STUDY GUIDE FOR CERTIFICATION EXAMS

PENTAHO 2

Overview
The Pentaho Solution Consultant certification examination coordinates with
Pentahos professional training offerings. The examination is delivered in an
un-proctored, online format. Despite the un-proctored format, you are not allowed
to use external resources when taking the exam (including books, course materials,
Google searches, colleagues, and so on).
The Pentaho Solution Consultant examination is 90 minutes long and consists of 75 questions chosen (at
random) from a series of question pools. To pass the exam, you must achieve a score of 80% (or higher).
The Pentaho Solution Consultant exam is designed to validate the knowledge and skills required to deliver
rapid, high-value implementations of the Pentaho business intelligence platform. The exam is intended for
experienced Business Intelligence Consultants, Business Intelligence Solution Developers, Technical Business
Analysts, Content Creators, and Pentaho Partners.

> B
 A2000 - Business Analytics Report
Designer: https://training.pentaho.com/
instructor-led-training/business-analytics-reportdesigner-ba2000

TOPICAL OVERVIEW
The Pentaho Solution Consultant exam covers the
following topics:
> Installing and configuring the Pentaho business
intelligence platform
> Using xactions
> Implementing security
> Using Pentaho Data Integration to create jobs
and transformations
> Implementing OLAP cubes using Pentaho
Schema Workbench
> Creating reports using Pentaho Report Designer
> Using the Pentaho User Console tools to generate content: Pentaho Analysis, Pentaho Interactive
Reporting, Pentaho Dashboard Designer
RECOMMENDED TR AINING
Pentaho offers a variety of courses to assist exam
takers. Before attempting the certification exam,
Pentaho Training recommends the following courses:
> B
 A1000 - Business Analytics User Console:
https://training.pentaho.com/instructor-ledtraining/business-analytics-user-console-ba1000

> B
 A3000 - Business Analytics Data Modeling:
https://training.pentaho.com/instructor-ledtraining/business-analytics-data-modeling-ba3000
> D
 I1000 - Pentaho Data Integration: https://
training.pentaho.com/instructor-led-training/
pentaho-data-integration-di1000
> A
 D1000 - Pentaho Installation and
Administration: https://training.pentaho.
com/instructor-led-training/installation-andadministration-for-version-50-ad1000
For some exam subjects, the following additional
course may also be useful:
> S
 LN7000 - Integrating and Extending Pentaho:
http://www.pentaho.com/services/training/
pentaho_architects_bootcamp.php

STUDY GUIDE FOR CERTIFICATION EXAMS

PENTAHO 3

EX AM TOPICS
This section lists the topics found on the Solution Consultant exam and includes resources available to assist
exam takers. Sample exam questions are also included. Most exam topics are covered by the Pentaho Training
curricula and the Pentaho product documentation. All documentation on the Pentaho platform can be found in
the Pentaho InfoCenter at:
> h
 ttp://infocenter.pentaho.com/help/index.jsp.

TOPIC

RESOURCES

SAMPLE EX AM QUESTION

Installation and Deployment

> F
 rom the Pentaho InfoCenter:
B
 A Server Manual Deployment
Guide
B
 usiness Analytics Graphical
Installer Guide
P entaho Data Integration
Installation Guide

What is the default location

of the Hibernate configuration files?

Action sequences,
Pentaho Design Studio

> F
 rom the Pentaho InfoCenter:
C
 reating Action Sequences

What is the most

common use for a global
action sequence?

> F
 rom Pentaho Training:
S LN7000 Integrating and
Extending Pentaho
Security Model, Securing Objects

> F
 rom the Pentaho InfoCenter:
T he Pentaho Security Guide

What open source framework is used by Pentaho

for authentication and
authorization?

Carte, Pan, Kitchen

> F
 rom the Pentaho InfoCenter:
P entaho Data Integration
Administrators Guide

Which parameters must be

passed to Carte on startup?

> F
 rom Pentaho Training:
D
 I1000 Pentaho Data Integration
Metadata, Metadata Security

> F
 rom the Pentaho InfoCenter:
P entaho Metadata Editor
User Guide
> F
 rom Pentaho Training:
B
 A3000 Business Analytics
Data Modeling

STUDY GUIDE FOR CERTIFICATION EXAMS

PENTAHO 4

To load a metadata domain

file, what files must exist in
the same parent directory in
the solution repository?

TOPIC
Mondrian

Pentaho Report Designer

RESOURCES

SAMPLE EX AM QUESTION

> T
 he Mondrian project
documentation:
h ttp://mondrian.pentaho.com

What file controls

Mondrian logging?

> F
 rom the Pentaho InfoCenter:
P entaho Report Designer User
Guide

A traffic light can be added to

a data element in a report by
using a ________?

> F
 rom Pentaho Training:
BA2000: Business Analytics
Report Designer
Pentaho User Console

> F
 rom the Pentaho InfoCenter:
P entaho User Console Guide
> F
 rom Pentaho Training:
B
 A1000 Business Analytics
User Console

Pentaho Interactive Reporting

> F
 rom the Pentaho InfoCenter:
P entaho User Console Guide
> F
 rom Pentaho Training:
B
 A1000 Business Analytics
User Console

Pentaho Analyzer

> F
 rom the Pentaho InfoCenter:
T he Pentaho Analysis Guide
> F
 rom Pentaho Training:
B
 A1000 Business Analytics
User Console

Pentaho Dashboard Designer

> F
 rom the Pentaho InfoCenter:
P entaho User Console Guide
> F
 rom Pentaho Training:
B
 A1000 Business Analytics
User Console

Pentaho Analyzer

> F
 rom the Pentaho InfoCenter:
T he Pentaho User Console Guide
> F
 rom Pentaho Training:
B
 A1000 Business Analytics
User Console

Community Dashboard
Framework (CDF)

> T
 he Community Dashboard
Framework documentation:
h ttp://wiki.pentaho.com/display/
COM/Community+Dashboard+
Framework
STUDY GUIDE FOR CERTIFICATION EXAMS
PENTAHO 5

When you create a model

in Pentaho Data Access,
what types of models does
it create?

True or False: Aggregate

functions in Interactive
Reporting require groups.

True or False: You cannot drill

on a chart object in Pentaho
Analyzer.

True or False: Aggregate

functions in Interactive
Reporting require groups.

In what file would you find

the templates used in Pentaho Dashboard Designer?

True or False: A FolderTree is

a core CDF component.

Note: Though the exam tests knowledge of the

Pentaho suite of products, exam takers may find
the Pentaho Community wiki helpful as well:
http://wiki.pentaho.com/display/COM/
Community+Wiki+Home. The Community Edition
wiki contains resources on a number of exam topics
including:
>
>
>
>
>

Creating business intelligence solutions

Security
Data integration (Kettle)
Metadata
Reporting

RECOMMENDED READING
The following publications may also be useful in
preparing for the certification exam:
> P
 entaho Solutions: Business Intelligence and Data
Warehousing with Pentaho and MySQL by Roland
Bouman and Jos van Dongen
> Pentaho Kettle Solutions: Building Open Source
ETL Solutions with Pentaho Data Integration by
Matt Casters, Roland Bouman, and Jos van Dongen
> Pentaho Reporting 3.5 for Java Developers by Will
Gorman
> Pentaho Data Integration 4 Cookbook by Mara
Carina Roldn and Adrian Sergio Pulvirenti

Overview
The Pentaho Data Integration exam is an un-proctored, 60 minute online examination consisting of 50 questions derived from a larger question pool. A score of 80% is
required to pass the exam. Despite the un-proctored format, you are not allowed to
use external resources when taking the exam (including books, course materials,
Google searches, colleagues, and so on).
Before taking the exam, it is recommended that students have a minimum of six months experience using
Pentaho Data Integration. Several exam questions are designed to test practical knowledge gained from
deploying Pentaho Data Integration in the field.
The Pentaho Data Integration certification exam is designed to validate the knowledge and skills required to
deliver rapid, high-value implementations of Pentaho Data Integration (including Big Data implementations).
The exam is intended for experienced Business Intelligence Consultants, Business Intelligence Application
Developers, Database Administrators, Business Intelligence Solution Architects, Technical Business Analysts,
and Pentaho Partners.
TOPICAL OVERVIEW
The Pentaho Data Integration exam covers the
following topics:
> Installing and configuring Pentaho Data Integration
> Configuring transformation steps and job entries
> Performing extract, transform, load (ETL)
operations in PDI

>
>
>
>
>

 aintaining job/transformation portability

M
Using Kitchen and Pan
Clustering and partitioning
Logging
Big Data

STUDY GUIDE FOR CERTIFICATION EXAMS

PENTAHO 6

> B
 A3000 - Business Analytics Data Modeling:
https://training.pentaho.com/instructor-ledtraining/business-analytics-data-modeling-ba3000

RECOMMENDED TR AINING
Pentaho offers a variety of courses to assist exam
takers. Before attempting the certification exam,
Pentaho recommends taking the following course:

EX AM TOPICS
This section lists the topics found on the certification
exam and resources available to assist exam takers.
Sample exam questions are also included.

> D
 I1000 - Pentaho Data Integration: https://
training.pentaho.com/instructor-led-training/
pentaho-data-integration-di1000
For some exam subjects, the following additional
courses may also be useful:
> S
 LN7000 - Integrating and Extending Pentaho:
https://training.pentaho.com/instructor-ledtraining/integrating-and-extending-pentahosln7000
> B
 A1000 - Business Analytics User Console:
https://training.pentaho.com/instructor-ledtraining/business-analytics-user-console-ba1000
> B
 A2000 - Business Analytics Report
Designer: https://training.pentaho.com/
instructor-led-training/business-analytics-reportdesigner-ba2000

TOPIC

Most exam topics are covered by the Pentaho

Training curricula and the Pentaho product documentation. All documentation on the Pentaho platform
can be found in the Pentaho InfoCenter at:
> http://infocenter.pentaho.com/help/index.jsp
Though the exam tests knowledge of the Pentaho
suite of products, exam takers may find the Pentaho
Community Wiki helpful as well:
> h
 ttp://wiki.pentaho.com/display/COM/
Community+Wiki+Home
Exam takers should have a general understanding of
the following topics:

RESOURCES

SAMPLE EX AM QUESTION

Installation and Deployment

> F
 rom the Pentaho InfoCenter:
P entaho Data Integration
Installation Guide

What is the default location

of the Hibernate configuration files?

Steps

> F
 rom the Pentaho Wiki:
h ttp://wiki.pentaho.com/display/
EAIPentaho+Data+Integration
+Steps

True or False: The Modified

Java Script Value step supports calling Java methods.

> F
 rom Pentaho Training:
D
 I1000 Pentaho Data Integration

STUDY GUIDE FOR CERTIFICATION EXAMS

PENTAHO 7

TOPIC
Job Entries

RESOURCES

SAMPLE EX AM QUESTION

> F
 rom the Pentaho Wiki:
h ttp://wiki.pentaho.com/display/
EAI/Pentaho+Data+Integration
+Job+Entries

What is true about job

entries launched in parallel?

> F
 rom Pentaho Training:
D
 I1000 Pentaho Data Integration
Carte, Pan, Kitchen

> F
 rom the Pentaho InfoCenter:
P entaho Data Integration
Administrators Guide

Which parameters must be

passed to Carte on startup?

> F
 rom Pentaho Training:
D
 I1000 Pentaho Data Integration
Logging

> F
 rom the Pentaho InfoCenter:
P entaho Data Integration
Administrators Guide

The easiest way to enable job

logging in database tables in
PDI is by_________.

> F
 rom Pentaho Training:
D
 I1000 Pentaho Data Integration

RECOMMENDED READING
The following publications may also be useful in
preparing for the certification exam:

Information on all Pentaho

training courses can be found at
www.pentaho.com/services/training/

> P
 entaho Kettle Solutions: Building Open Source
ETL Solutions with Pentaho Data Integration by
Matt Casters, Roland Bouman, and Jos van Dongen
> Pentaho Data Integration 4 Cookbook by Mara
Carina Roldn and Adrian Sergio Pulvirenti
> Pentaho 3.2 Data Integration: Beginners Guide
by Mara Carina Roldn

STUDY GUIDE FOR CERTIFICATION EXAMS

PENTAHO 8

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Copyright 2014 Pentaho Corporation. Redistribution permitted. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
For the latest information, please visit our web site at pentaho.com. 14-521