Here's a detailed study plan for the C1000-148 exam, incorporating both the Pomodoro Technique and the Forgetting Curve review method. This plan will help you structure your learning with clear goals, scheduled tasks, and review sessions to reinforce retention.
Study Plan Overview
- Total Duration: 4 weeks (28 days)
- Daily Study Time: 2-3 hours (6-8 Pomodoros)
- Weekly Review Sessions: Scheduled to reinforce knowledge based on the Forgetting Curve, with regular review of previously learned material.
Study Goals
Objective: Achieve a deep understanding of the IBM C1000-148 certification topics, covering platform planning, architecture design, and solutioning using IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation, to successfully design and optimize automation solutions.
Weekly Focus and Task Breakdown
Week 1: Platform Planning
Goal: Build a solid foundation in IBM Cloud Pak deployment models, infrastructure planning, container management, and environment management.
Daily Study Content and Tasks
Day 1: Deployment Models and Architecture Selection
- Objective: Understand multi-cloud, hybrid cloud, and on-premises deployment options, and gain a basic understanding of high availability (HA) and disaster recovery (DR) design principles.
- Study Content:
- Explore multi-cloud and hybrid cloud architecture, with their pros and cons.
- Learn about on-premises deployment requirements and challenges.
- Understand HA and DR design strategies.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Create a comparison table outlining the advantages and disadvantages of multi-cloud, hybrid cloud, and on-premises setups.
- Task 2: Draw a simple HA architecture diagram, highlighting key components such as redundancy and failover mechanisms.
Day 2: Infrastructure Planning - Compute and Storage Resources
- Objective: Learn about the types of compute and storage resources needed for various Cloud Pak modules and how to allocate them effectively.
- Study Content:
- Study CPU, memory requirements, and scaling for compute resources.
- Understand different storage types, including block storage, NFS, and object storage, and their use cases.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Prepare a resource planning sheet that lists CPU, memory, and storage requirements for each Cloud Pak module.
- Task 2: Identify and note scenarios where each storage type (block, NFS, object) would be best suited.
Day 3: Network and Connectivity Configuration
- Objective: Master the core components of network configuration for internal and external connections.
- Study Content:
- Learn the roles of firewalls, load balancers, VPCs, and subnets.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Draw a basic network topology diagram with each component (firewalls, load balancers, VPC, subnets) labeled to understand network flow.
- Task 2: Create a checklist of security measures to ensure network security between components.
Day 4: Storage Selection and Persistent Data Management
- Objective: Understand storage types, features, and best practices for persistent data management.
- Study Content:
- Learn characteristics of NFS, block storage, and object storage.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Create a table comparing storage types with their main characteristics, benefits, and drawbacks.
- Task 2: Write a brief use case for each storage type explaining when it would be ideal in a Cloud Pak deployment.
Day 5: Container Management and Orchestration
- Objective: Understand Kubernetes and OpenShift fundamentals for container lifecycle management and orchestration.
- Study Content:
- Study container orchestration, lifecycle management, service discovery, and load balancing in Kubernetes/OpenShift.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Draw a container lifecycle flow diagram, showing key stages (creation, scaling, deletion).
- Task 2: Prepare notes on Kubernetes service discovery and load balancing methods.
Day 6: Installation and Configuration Management
- Objective: Master the installation and configuration steps for IBM Cloud Pak on various platforms.
- Study Content:
- Learn the steps for installing Cloud Pak and best practices for configuration.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Write down a step-by-step installation guide.
- Task 2: Record common configuration settings and best practices.
Day 7: Review and Self-Assessment
- Objective: Reinforce learning and identify weak areas from Week 1.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Review notes and summaries from each day’s study session.
- Task 2: Take a self-assessment quiz on Platform Planning topics and highlight areas needing further study.
Week 2: Architecture Design
Goal: Understand IBM Cloud Pak’s core architecture components, microservices-based architecture, data flow and integration architecture, and security design.
Daily Study Content and Tasks
Day 8: Core Architecture Components - Business Automation Studio and BAW
- Objective: Learn the functions of Business Automation Studio and Business Automation Workflow (BAW) for automation projects.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Design a basic workflow in BAW with assigned tasks, approvals, and user interactions.
- Task 2: Document the primary functions of Business Automation Studio for easy reference.
Day 9: Core Architecture Components - Decision Services and Document Processing
- Objective: Understand the role of Decision Services for business rules and Document Processing for data extraction.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Write a sample business rule and model a simple decision-making flow.
- Task 2: Set up an example of document processing with OCR and note key steps.
Day 10: Core Architecture Components - Content Management
- Objective: Learn content management functionalities, such as version control and access permissions.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Set up a simple content management flow with versioning and access control.
- Task 2: Summarize use cases for content management in automation.
Day 11: Microservices Architecture
- Objective: Understand microservices architecture principles for scalability and independence.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: List the benefits and challenges of microservices versus monolithic architectures.
- Task 2: Create a basic architecture diagram highlighting independent services in Cloud Pak.
Day 12: Containerization and Kubernetes
- Objective: Learn Kubernetes concepts like service discovery, networking, and load balancing.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Create a deployment plan using Kubernetes concepts for service management.
- Task 2: Document Kubernetes commands needed for container lifecycle management.
Day 13: Data Flow and Integration Architecture
- Objective: Master data flow between Cloud Pak modules and integration with third-party systems.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Draw a data flow diagram illustrating key interactions between Cloud Pak modules.
- Task 2: Outline integration scenarios with external systems like CRM or ERP.
Day 14: Security Architecture
- Objective: Learn RBAC, data encryption, and compliance strategies for secure Cloud Pak implementations.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Set up a security role structure with permissions.
- Task 2: List data encryption requirements and compliance standards (e.g., GDPR) relevant to Cloud Pak.
Week 3: Solutioning
Goal: Develop skills in designing and implementing automation solutions that meet business requirements using IBM Cloud Pak components.
Daily Study Content and Tasks
Day 15: Business Process Automation - Process Modeling
- Objective: Learn how to use BAW for designing business processes.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Design a complex process model using BAW with task assignments and decision points.
- Task 2: Identify areas in the process where automation can streamline tasks.
Day 16: Business Process Automation - Process Optimization
- Objective: Optimize workflows by identifying bottlenecks.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Review a sample process and outline steps to improve efficiency.
- Task 2: Document potential workflow changes and their impact.
Day 17: Decision Automation
- Objective: Master business rule design and implementation in Decision Services.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Develop a set of business rules for an automated decision process.
- Task 2: Map decision criteria to business goals and make adjustments for accuracy.
Day 18: Document and Content Automation
- Objective: Use Document Processing to extract and manage data automatically.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Set up OCR to extract data from sample documents.
- Task 2: Configure document classification settings and test content retrieval.
Day 19: Integration and Performance Optimization
- Objective: Integrate Cloud Pak with external systems and optimize performance.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Configure integration with a sample external system
(e.g., Salesforce).
- Task 2: Apply caching and load balancing techniques to improve performance.
Day 20: User Experience Design
- Objective: Design user-friendly interfaces for workflows.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Simplify a workflow to minimize user steps.
- Task 2: Optimize form layout and field organization for ease of use.
Day 21: Review and Self-Assessment
- Objective: Reinforce Solutioning knowledge and practice weak areas.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Summarize Solutioning topics and complete a self-assessment.
- Task 2: Review any identified weak areas in preparation for the final week.
Week 4: Comprehensive Review and Mock Exam
Goal: Reinforce understanding, conduct a full mock exam, and focus on any remaining weak areas.
Daily Tasks
Day 22-26: Comprehensive Review
- Objective: Review key topics from Weeks 1-3 and ensure understanding of weak areas.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Create flashcards summarizing each topic for quick review.
- Task 2: Focus on reviewing areas marked for improvement.
Day 27: Mock Exam
- Objective: Simulate the exam environment with a full practice test.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Take the mock exam under timed conditions.
- Task 2: Review incorrect answers and analyze weak spots.
Day 28: Final Review and Exam Preparation
- Objective: Finalize knowledge and confidence for the exam.
- Tasks:
- Task 1: Address any last-minute questions or areas of confusion.
- Task 2: Review notes and practice relaxation techniques for test readiness.
This plan structures learning into manageable tasks with clear goals, making use of study techniques to optimize retention and ensure success on the C1000-148 exam.