Ongoing Technical Issues with CKAD Exam on PSI Browser (Second Attempt MacOS 15.5)

haniehmo

Today, I experienced a deeply frustrating and disruptive situation during my second attempt at the CKAD exam—an experience very similar to what was described in this Linux Foundation forum post (https://forum.linuxfoundation.org/discussion/868168/my-experience-with-the-cka-exam-and-psi-browser-issues/p1)

During my first attempt, I faced similar issues. Despite opening a support ticket, no one could identify the root cause and only significant ping lag was identified. I was only granted a one-time exception to retake the exam.

Unfortunately, the same technical problems occurred again today:

As soon as I launched the secure browser, the section beside the exam question—where the CLI terminal and documentation browser usually appear—completely crashed.
After some reconnection attempts, it began to work, but with serious delays.
I faced significant issues navigating between windows and trying to arrange them side by side, losing several minutes in the process.
While typing, I encountered noticeable input lag.
Suddenly, all open windows closed unexpectedly. Also I had some issues with the background resolution.
At this point, I was extremely disappointed and requested the proctor’s help. Unfortunately, the proctor could only suggest I contact technical support—during the exam. I did so and after a long wait, I was finally able to speak with a technician. However, they merely opened a ticket, gave me a reference number, and asked basic questions like whether I was using a personal laptop and what operating system I had. Their only suggestion was to restart the secure browser, which did not resolve the issue.

By this time, nearly 50 minutes of my exam had already passed. I again sought help from the proctor but was only given a copy-paste message recommending I contact support—again.

I am very disappointed. I have invested months preparing for this exam, and I still do not have a clear understanding of the root cause of the problem. I strongly suspect that the PSI exam environment is not compatible with recent MacOS es, which makes it particularly concerning that a technology-focused institution relies on such a poor-quality platform with limited support.

What’s even more surprising is that the technical support team appeared not to have access to my exam environment, nor could they offer meaningful troubleshooting guidance in real time and could not communicate directly with the proctor.

For reference, my system passed all pre-exam checks. My internet connection was stable, with:

Download speed: 7.77 Mb/s
Upload speed: 9.30 Mb/s
Ping: 12 ms
I respectfully request a thorough investigation into this matter and a better resolution than what I received after my first attempt. Others are clearly experiencing similar issues, and it is vital for the integrity of the exam process that such issues are addressed.

fcioanca

Hi @haniehmo

We apologize for the inconvenience this issue has caused. If you have not done so already, please open a ticket with the Linux Foundation Customer Support team at trainingsupport.linuxfoundation.org and they will assist you in this matter.

Regards,
Flavia
Linux Foundation Education

haniehmo

Hi @fcioanca,

Unfortunately, the support I’ve received through the tickets has not been helpful—beyond acknowledging the significant lag in ping during the exam. My internet connection meets the CKAD exam’s technical requirements, and I do not have access to an alternative network.

I’m quite disappointed with the level of support provided so far. Could you please advise how I can escalate this issue for a proper resolution?

Thank you,

fcioanca

Hi @haniehmo

The Customer Support team is the one handling all exam-related inquiries, so all concerns and questions must be directed to them.

Regards,
Flavia
Linux Foundation Education