MCITP

saltrock2007

Hey Guys,

I was wondering about the new MCITP(SA), i.e. MCSA for server 2008. I want to get this cert, but im unemployed and want to do it as cheaply as possible, otherwise I'd be forking out up to €2,500 for it through online courses. Has anyone bought the books and found that they have simulations which provide you with a GUI near enough to the real thing, or do you really need to have a server running 2008 with fully functional DNS, DHCP, FS, Webserver and Exchange to get a hands on feel for it. I assume the reason the classes are so expensive is because a)you have an instructor telling you what you need to know and b)have a simulation server running that you can practise on.

thanks in advance,

Chris

phill106

saltrock2007 wrote: »

Hey Guys,

I was wondering about the new MCITP(SA), i.e. MCSA for server 2008. I want to get this cert, but im unemployed and want to do it as cheaply as possible, otherwise I'd be forking out up to €2,500 for it through online courses. Has anyone bought the books and found that they have simulations which provide you with a GUI near enough to the real thing, or do you really need to have a server running 2008 with fully functional DNS, DHCP, FS, Webserver and Exchange to get a hands on feel for it. I assume the reason the classes are so expensive is because a)you have an instructor telling you what you need to know and b)have a simulation server running that you can practise on.

thanks in advance,

Chris

Well you can download virtual pc from microsoft, as well as trial iso's of the various o/s's. Couple that with a normal pc/laptop and you can run for instance 2008, 2003 and xp all at once, from a normal laptop.

fguihen

To get the most from these exams you do need a fully working copy of sql server 2008.

You can pass these exams using braindumps found online, but if you do that your fooling yourself and lowering the value of the exams. Many employers are dubious as to the value of these exams as it is because many people just download brain dumps and use them to pass the exam so they can get one extra item on their CV.

These people have zero working knowledge or real knowledge of the product.
To ensure you are not one of these people, and you get the most from the exams, you need to do all the examples and play around with the product.
Dont lower the value of these exams, and waste your money. use the product, do the examples, play with the product and get your hands on experience.

Now, when it comes to study material you can go two routes.

first is the MS certification material:
http://www.amazon.com/Self-Paced-Training-70-432-2008-Implementation-2008-Implementation/dp/0735626057/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272405421&sr=8-1

I got this book and although some of it is quite good, there are a lot of inconsistencies and plain errors caused by carelessness, and by the author using a beta version of the product instead of the final release. Basically rushed to get the book out and didnt edit or update the book before release. Because of this I didnt trust any info in the book and doubble checked everything.

Another way of learning is to use Books Online, which comes with sql server, and is also online:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms130214.aspx

There are tons of tutorials in books online, and its a definitive reference for all things sql server.

Look at what MS are testing for, look up the topics in books online and do some examples. best way, hands down of learning the material and gaining some experience.

The list of skills being measured are at the end of this link:
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exam.aspx?ID=70-432#tab2

Again, do the examples and get the experience, and use the exam for what its meant for, to teach you new skills and provide you with some experience. Dont waste the opportunity and devalue the exam at the same time by cheating.

best of luck.

saltrock2007

hi,

Thanks guys for your answers.
Fguihen, I wasn't planning on doing the sql server exam tbh. But in regard to the other exams, im definately a learn by doing kinda guy so learning by examples is the way that i'd go definately. My original question tho was do any of the books available today have simulation cds wherein you can do examples of real world scenarios using just a personal laptop, and get a good feel for it.
Phill106, thanks for that offer but if i installed vmware or anything along those lines, i would still only have a server with no clients on it, you get me?! i.e. from an AD point-of-view, it wouldn't be too easy to perform tasks with no accounts.

phill106

saltrock2007 wrote: »

hi,

Thanks guys for your answers.
Fguihen, I wasn't planning on doing the sql server exam tbh. But in regard to the other exams, im definately a learn by doing kinda guy so learning by examples is the way that i'd go definately. My original question tho was do any of the books available today have simulation cds wherein you can do examples of real world scenarios using just a personal laptop, and get a good feel for it.
Phill106, thanks for that offer but if i installed vmware or anything along those lines, i would still only have a server with no clients on it, you get me?! i.e. from an AD point-of-view, it wouldn't be too easy to perform tasks with no accounts.

atm i have virtual pc running 3 virtual machines, one is a 2003 domain controller, one a 2003 member server and one xp machine. Have all these in the one virtual domain. Can add clients, ou's, do group policy, anything you can do on a normal server, you can do there.
try it out, its free!