There's another version of the same class called "Introduction to WebSphere Studio 5" that you should take if you don't have a background in Domino development. When people ask me to recommend resources for them to become more familiar with WebSphere, the courses from TLCC are among the first things that come to mind because they'll help you get vital hands-on knowledge of the product. Plus, as an added bonus, if you take the "Introduction to WebSphere Studio 5" course by 12/15 you'll receive a free CertFX practice exam valued at $65 (see the description below).

You can read my article about the TLCC WebSphere course, "Become a WebSphere master with TLCC's Introduction to WebSphere 4.0 for Domino Developers" at http://www.dominopower.com/issues/issue200209/websphere001.html.

A solid resource for preparing for test 285 is a book called "An Introduction to Web Application Development with IBM WebSphere Studio." This is a study guide designed specifically to help prepare you for test 285. I found it to be very helpful, partly because it is the only book of its kind on the subject. You can find it at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1931182116.

Another indispensable resource is the IBM page that describes what it takes to become an "IBM Certified Associate Developer - WebSphere Studio, V5.0." Essentially, it takes passing test 285. You can find information about the exam, including the certification objectives, at http://ibm.com/certify/certs/addawstv5.shtml.

You can take a free mock version of the certification exam using IBM's Certification Exam Tool (ICE). You'll need to create an account or use an existing one, but once you're logged in, you're all set to take the test. What I actually did with the test was to set my printer's preferences to use landscape mode and then I printed out each of the sample questions, which I then used as a study guide. After I studied the questions for a while, I went back and took the test without notes. You can find ICE at http://certify.torolab.ibm.com/ice/displayPage/en.

You can also get 105 practice questions from CertFX (at http://certfx.com), along with the explanations that were sorely missing from IBM's Certification Exam Tool. They just released a practice exam for test 285 that you can read about at http://www.certfx.com/A55877/CertFX.nsf/tests/285?OpenDocument. The price is $65, but it's worth it if you want to increase your chances of passing the test on the first try.

My next quest is test 286, which will qualify me as an IBM Certified Solution Developer. As far as I can tell, there is nothing keeping you from taking this test (or even test 287) first if you're so inclined. The one catch is that there is an additional requirement to become an IBM Solution Developer, which can be fulfilled by passing either the CIW Web Developer test (1D0-532) or the Sun Certified Programmer for Java 2 exam (which I've already done). I'll write more about this test in a future WebSpherePower article, but if you have any information you'd like to offer, please send it to me at dvelasco@webspherepower.com. Now that I've told you about my certification adventure, perhaps you're now more motivated to embark on your own (if you haven't already).

Bon voyage!