Anyone use outside testing/quizzing software or service?

I've worked with one client who links their End of Module test with a URL button in the module. When the user clicks they are redirected to an LMS page which contains a question bank. This process is then easily recorded on the system for them. It's one process to consider linking to a more convenient location for you, however it does disrupt the learning experience.

Is there an option for you to host the exam within your LMS - although if you're citing connection issues as one of your potential worries maybe this isn't the best solution?

Connection issues and using online courses/quizes go hand in hand.  It may be more the reporting ability of your LMS against Scorms limitations.  Scormcloud has some great reporting tools is this an option, although it isn't cheap.

I have read the original post a couple of times and I am confused.

It seems to me like the question you are asking, (or the business problem you have...) is actually "How do I guarantee network connectivity to all users at all times?".

That is an issue/question that does not really need to take the quiz platform or the production type into consideration, as (in my experience) they are all fine providing the connection is there.

I may have misunderstood - apologies if I have.

To add to Phil's recommendation, I would also look into QTI 2.1 (or even the earlier 1.2 version) if your LMS supports the LTI specification.

My 2c,
Alex

The connection issue when it comes to completing a 150-question exam is just one of the problems. Most recently, we are being asked to be able to pull very detailed reports on these exams. For example, they want to be able to run a report that gives us information on what questions are most commonly being missed. I've seen functionality like this in testing solutions that are built within some LMS' but our LMS does not have it's own testing/quizzing application.. So really, I have multiple reasons for searching for an outside testing solution... connectivity during such a long exam is one of them but, at this point, reporting limitations is at the forefront. 

Let me throw out another reason for using an outside source... we also have state licensing exam study courses with practice exams. The actual exams are usually around 100 questions but we have question banks so that a "new" exam is presented every time it is taken, through the randomization of questions. We've been making due with building the tests in Storyline but we end up needing to have over 300 questions/slides which really bogs down the system. This is just yet another reason that an outside testing application would be beneficial to us. I know they exist because I've seen things like this done, I just don't know what the applications are.

To expand my earlier point, here's a link : https://webapps.ph.ed.ac.uk/qtiworks/

In simple terms, this is an example of an external application using the newer 2.1 QTI standard which integrates/plugs in to your LMS via the LTI standard. It doesn't look Storyliney good, but reporting can be so much more detailed. However, your LMS has to support LTI, there's no other way around it.

Alex