Anyone Microsoft certified

KP · Unread post by KP » 13 Jul 2010, 14:14

As it seems to be a minefield to find the info on what i need for say exams and so forth as im thinking of exam 70-640 and getting the approriate amazon book+CD in the hope that will pass me to be MCTS certified...
my poor little brain...

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 13 Jul 2010, 14:26

I'm not Microsoft Certified Will but may years ago trying for my MCSE very nearly got me certified in a different way and clearly identified that Microsoft were certifiable

You, like me, work in the real IT world and not some Gatesian fantasy world and that makes passing the formal exams hard.

I found the questions to be so far removed from any sort of reality that they were virtually impossible to get right unless you could erase all your real-world knowledge and commit to memory only the gospel according to St. Bill.

Needless to say, I failed every time and gave up...

Sometimes Microsoft make me want to scream but mostly I pray at the altar of the Church of Windows because it keeps me in a job. That's the very best aspect of Windows - it provides many with good secure and well paid jobs. If it was good quality, there would be nothing like the job opportunities as it would not need the armies of people it does to nurse it along and keep it going!

Will, all I can say is the very best of wishes and good luck...

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 13 Jul 2010, 14:29

Is this where you're placed into a padded white room without windows
after prolonged exposure to Windows!?

Think different...

Andrew

Trainman · Unread post by **Trainman** » 13 Jul 2010, 14:45

CitroJim wrote: Will, all I can say is the very best of wishes and good luck...

Will, I concur with Jim on this, GOOD luck

KP · Unread post by KP » 13 Jul 2010, 15:09

I think different, i work for frogs and own a frog car when all the company sheds are bavarian manure wagons or haudi machines...

Thinking of doing exam 70-640 as i have very little AD skills and need to broaden my knowledge of them so my thinking is with little real world exposure to it a strict rulebase of reading the books could be the way to go as i wont be affected by it too much and i currently have a server and machine or two i can play with during the setup process...

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 13 Jul 2010, 15:37

Me. Or more accurately, I used to be

ADVANCED SERVER IN THE ENTERPRISE

IMO, it's a money-making waste of time unless you're the sort of person that enjoys learning new material constantly and have a nice boss that's willing to pay for it all.

Unread post by **myglaren** » 13 Jul 2010, 17:13

Not me, Oooooh NO!

But have you considered Cisco training - seems to be held in much higher regard than Microsoft and to be more real-world oriented? I know they are primarily networking but believe the coverage is reasonably broad.

evilally · Unread post by **evilally** » 13 Jul 2010, 23:41

I did the CCNA and CCNP, I can vouch for those, good courses. However I've never used any of it, I mainly work in Windows Server environments. So like you I'd be interested in some Microsoft courses, but I get confused just looking at the long long list of different modules and trying to figure out what goes together to make a qualification

KP · Unread post by KP » 14 Jul 2010, 08:21

See i reckon i could do the MCTS but cisco stuff aint cheap and my budget i have been given wouldn't stretch to that

The options are that i either find a hands on 1week type course for about £1k or bundle 2 mcts's together by gettingthe books for them, about £35 a peice and playing around in works time to learn it all, and then getting them to pay for the exams which i am lead to believe are about £100 a peice and are 2-3 exams per qualification.

I'd love the cisco stuff, there is a lot more money to be earned from CCNA and CCNP jobs round this way than Microsoft stuff...

red_dwarfers · Unread post by **red_dwarfers** » 14 Jul 2010, 22:26

Funny this subject should come up, I'm going to be booking an exam tomorrow, its the 70-270 - Installing, Configuring and Administering Microsoft Windows XP Pro.

Looking at some of the sample questions, some of them do make you think "Right...okay..." I came across one about file encryption for sensitive data. Two of the answers were "Use Windows EFS" and "Use 3rd party encryption software". I mean, what am I supposed to do? Should I suck up to Microsoft and say EFS or should I say what I would do realistically in which EFS never enters my train of thought?

I do feel that the 70-270 exam is aimed at those who are actively supporting XP Pro users and are very familiar with it. I think they presume you know all usual semi-nerdy stuff so mainly test you on the bits that you wouldn't necessarily use day to day, ergo proving that you are in fact "The Man" as it were.

I've been on the 5 day squashed course on Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment. We were given a big chunky book of everything we learnt with additional material on CD. Steve, the strict northern bloke who took the course, said that this really only covered half of what you would need to know to ace the exam.

I'm going to see how this XP one goes and hopefully get an MCP out of it. I'll then go on and do the Managing and Maintaining 2k3 along with the Implementing, Managing and Maintaining 2k3 within the next few months/year before they phase the 2k3 exams out. I'll then be well on my way to my MCSA. Something tells me I'm being a bit too confident about this though

Exams are £88 each with Prometric.

Here is the definitive list of different Microsoft Qualifications. To actually list the exams you need to take for each, click on the 'Certifications' tab after selecting a qualification.

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 14 Jul 2010, 22:35

incidently, exams are cheaper in Tel Aviv

did a 2003 re-take out there for £34

KP · Unread post by KP » 15 Jul 2010, 08:10

not a bad idea for a holiday Xac

Im looking at doing 70-640 and then about a week after it doing 70-642....

The week long course is coming in at around £395 each and includes the exam as well.

plus as its going to be around september/october time i have plenty of time to start playing with some old servers and machines here in a test env and get more to grips with it...

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 15 Jul 2010, 09:35

VMware is your friend when it comes to test beds

If you've got an old server then downloading ESXi from VMware would be the best option as it would give you exposure to vsphere etc which many businesses use.
Thing is, W2K8 is much more of a RAM hog than W2K3.

KP · Unread post by KP » 15 Jul 2010, 14:41

Oh got plenty of ram kicking around in 512 and 1024mg sticks

Even got a nice 2900series switch now to make my own LAN setup

Downlading esxi sounds like it could help me develop my skills after todays news as well...

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 15 Jul 2010, 14:54

uh-oh that doesn't sound like good news