SGI Customer Education offers the ACE program to provide metrics measuring students' comprehension of topics presented in our training courses. By successfully completing examinations in this program, students earn certificates and titles that recognize the knowledge they have acquired.

SGI Customer Education offers accreditation credentials through our Accreditation for Continued Excellence (ACE) program. Each credential indicates that a student has successfully completed an examination that covers the topics presented in one or more of our classes. Individual and sequence credentials are available.

Individual Course Credentials
Individual credentials are available for specific courses, including:

• Linux System Administration
• Linux Network Administration
• SGI Altix System Administration I (SLES based)
• SGI Altix System Administration II (SLES based)
• SGI Altix Performance Evaluation and Tuning
• SGI Altix Performance Evaluation and Tuning II
• Cluster Manager Administration (Platform Manager on SGI Altix XE)
• Cluster Manager Administration (Tempo on SGI Altix ICE)

To receive an individual course credential, a student must achieve or surpass the minimum accreditation score on the examination for the course.

Sequence Credentials
Sequence credentials indicate a student has successfully achieved accreditation in a topic that spans multiple courses. The following sequence credentials are available:

• Altix IA-64 System Administrator Sequence
• Altix IA-64 Senior System Administrator Sequence
• Altix XE Cluster Administrator Sequence
• Altix ICE Cluster Administrator Sequence

To receive a sequence credential, a student must achieve or surpass the minimum accreditation score on all course examinations in the sequence or on a comprehensive examination. (The comprehensive examination covers topics from all courses in the sequence.)

Receiving a sequence credential earns a student the title that goes with the credential:

• SGI Accredited Altix IA-64 System Administrator
• SGI Accredited Altix IA-64 Senior System Administrator
• SGI Accredited Altix XE Cluster Administrator
• SGI Accredited Altix ICE Cluster Administrator

Testing Processes
For selected courses, we offer students the opportunity to take an optional online examination on the last day of class at no additional cost. Students that take the examination will receive their results via e-mail within five (5) business days of taking the examination:

• Students who achieve or surpass the minimum score for accreditation receive a certificate of accreditation. Receiving this certificate means they have received the accreditation credentials for the topics/courses covered by the examination.
• Students who do not achieve at least the minimum score for accreditation have the option of retaking the test in the future for an additional fee. These students receive a certificate of attendance for the class.
• Students who do no take the examination on the last day of class may take the test in the future for an additional fee. These students receive a certificate of attendance for the class.

Students who need to take a test for the additional fee may take the test at an SGI training center or at selected local testing centers. The fee for taking a test at an SGI training center will be provided upon application. The fee for taking a test at a local testing center will be provided upon application. (Contact an SGI Customer Education representative for additional information about site-specific testing fees.)

Updating Your Credentials
Credentials are coded to the software revision they support. If your site uses the latest software releases, SGI Customer Education recommends updating your credentials approximately every two years to keep up-to-date with the latest changes.

You can obtain updated credentials by achieving or surpassing the minimum score required for accreditation on the current examination.

Terms and Conditions
Each credential granted through the Accreditation for Continued Excellence (ACE) program indicates that the individual demonstrated significant comprehension of the topics related to the credential at the time that the examination occurred. After obtaining a credential, the individual should be able to perform standard professional duties related to the topics covered. These credentials do not imply that the individual has expert knowledge in any of the topic areas.

To protect the integrity of ACE examinations and credentials, students will be required to commit to a non-disclosure agreement prior to taking an examination. This agreement indicates that the student will not copy and/or disclose any examination questions through any means (including but not limited to verbal dissemination, email, Websites, blogs, online chat, instant messaging, hardcopy, digital images, audio, and video).