IBM SOA certification

I'm preparing for IBM SOA solution designer certification now and am a bit limited in time to post here. Certification is an interesting topic here. I have heard very different opinions to this issue. Some say "how can you get certified a way of thinking" referring to SOA. I still believe it is an architectural style or architecture pattern as IBM defines it. And thus the knowledge to apply it can be measured and certified.

I should say, pursuing this IBM certification I learned a whole bunch new things about SOA. Regardless of the fact that the provider is IBM the preparation material is to 90% vendor unspecific and has a good abstraction level. There is also an assessment test from IBM at IBM education portal , which costs only 10$ and helped me to verify my level of knowledge. At my first attempt, before studying deeply, I scored it with 52% which meant failed (and study). I have repeated the test today after accomplishing two educational sections from IBM and digging through a lot of literature. The second attempt was 72%, which means passed (and study further :-)

SOA on the CEBIT 2007 in Hannover

I'm going to visit CEBIT in Hannover this year. One of the aspects I would like to get informed about is SOA. And SOA is a highlight topic on the exhibition this year with numerous events and presented solutions. So I started to look for appropriate exhibitors to plan my visit. IBM, Oracle, Microsoft and Software AG are already on my list. Surprisingly I could not find BEA with its AuquaLogic Suite and TIBCO among the exhibitors. Though there are lot of smaller companies representing SOA sector that go to CEBIT, most of them offering consulting services.