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MS Certification for DBAs

Washout

I am researching MS Certification and what to do...Ive been doing SQL Server DBA and server admin on 2k3 for the last couple of years.

should I go for the MSDBA
or MSTS in SQL server 2005?

What is the value in doing each one?

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Ginger

The MCDBA is the DBA certification for DBAs on SQL Server 2000, the MCITP: DBA is the cert for SQL Server 2005.

MCDBA takes 4 exams to achieve, as does the MCITP: DBA but you also get the MCTS as its one of the requirements.

Which one are you using on a day to day basis. If its 2000, do that one and then do 2 more exams and earn the MCITP: DBA as well.

If its 2005 just start on that track.

The main value for each is that its a recognised certification that says yes this person actually does know something about being a DBA using one of the MS SQL Servers. A lot of people use them as leverage for a pay increase because you can get better benefits through the partner program by having MCPs on your staff.

Washout

Thanks Ginger for the info. Its all so confusing but you made it easier to understand

Im currently working for MS as a contractor lol but contract coming to an end in a couple of months.
I didnt think I would enjoy the role but I must say that I have grown into it and the learning curve is actually quite huge.

Because I want to move from a contract role to a permenant one I am expecting to take a bt of a wage drop but I think it will be worth it if I go for Junior DBA roles and also in paralell get the Microsoft Certification.
Maybe when completed in a year or two It will help me move into a senior DBA role.

As it stands I was thinking of doing the MSDBA and progressing to the MCITP.

How long would you think it would take to complete. 18 months - 2 years?

Ginger

Dont head for the Junior DBA.. how much experience have you?. Coming from contract in MS you could walk into a decent DBA role in a smaller company without needing to take such a wage drop.

You could theorectically achieve the MCDBA cert in 4 months, and the MCITP:DBA in 2 months after it if you did an exam a month and you were fairly nifty at the stuff in the exams.. But you might have to give up any social life to do that.

Personally taking 2 years is a fairly long time, i did mine in a very short space of time. I was working all the tech in question at the time, so that helped a lot. Also depends a huge amount on the time you can devote to this. My own situation allowed me a lot of time to study and get the stuff learnt and practiced.

Having the certs wont as such land you the Senior DBA role, however it will make your CV more marketable thats for sure.

For 6 exams you get MCP, MCDBA, MCTS, MCITP and thats a nice few letters on your CV to help you along or argue a case for a higher salary.

Static M.e.

I just completed (This morning 88%) the 70-431 MCTS: SQL 2005 exam and I'm by no means a DBA at all, I just babysit the databases.

I would have thought anyone who works with dbs on a daily basis would breeze through it.

If you know what Indexs are and how to write in T-SQL your sorted.

(OT. Thanks for your Help with that Ginger!)

Ginger

Nice one Static.. well done on that!

Washout

Ginger wrote: »

Dont head for the Junior DBA.. how much experience have you?. Coming from contract in MS you could walk into a decent DBA role in a smaller company without needing to take such a wage drop.

I wont be taking a humongous wage drop but maybe about 4k to 5k. the differance being contractor wages are generally higher anyways with no benifits so the perm job would have benifits which would make up the differance. I have 2 1/2 years experience.

One of my mates took a 50% pay drop to cross over to an oracle role and as he had no oracle experience he was offered a grad position...i told him he was crazy...3 months later he now realises it.

Ginger wrote: »

You could theorectically achieve the MCDBA cert in 4 months, and the MCITP:DBA in 2 months after it if you did an exam a month and you were fairly nifty at the stuff in the exams.. But you might have to give up any social life to do that.

What Im considering is to just book the first MSDBA exam now for 5 weeks time...see how I get on and take it from there. Because I pay for it now will motivate me to actually sit down and study for it.

Ginger wrote: »

For 6 exams you get MCP, MCDBA, MCTS, MCITP and thats a nice few letters on your CV to help you along or argue a case for a higher salary.

Yeah ..I need more than BSc

Is there an exam for IIS admin i cant find one.

Ginger

Well 5K isnt huge, I thought we taking 20K or something!! 2.5yrs is a decent DBA role, above junior anyways.

There is no IIS Admin MCP because it is covered under the MCSE and some of the development ones.

There used to be an MCSE+I in Windows 2000 and thats about it.

If you need any advice give me a buzz

Washout

Thanks Ginger for your nput and help.

Where is the best place to book the exam in town?
Also Books and Software.... i saw the website ucertify.com
is such software for doing practice exams essential?

Ginger

MS Exams are booked through Thompson and there is one there next to the Jervis Centre

UCertify... hmm I remember them, and I was talking to Shon in MS Learning about them, and at the time (27/06/2007) they were guilty of infringement and so shouldnt be used. This however may have changed.

Only ones that are recommended and allowed by MS are MeasureUp but there are others out there like Transcenders and the like. Have a look at CertGuard.com to see which ones are clean

Which exam are you thinking of doing and I can guide you. I did one for 70-431 exam and the thread is http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055144958

Washout

Ginger wrote: »

MS Exams are booked through Thompson and there is one there next to the Jervis Centre

UCertify... hmm I remember them, and I was talking to Shon in MS Learning about them, and at the time (27/06/2007) they were guilty of infringement and so shouldnt be used. This however may have changed.

Only ones that are recommended and allowed by MS are MeasureUp but there are others out there like Transcenders and the like. Have a look at CertGuard.com to see which ones are clean

Which exam are you thinking of doing and I can guide you. I did one for 70-431 exam and the thread is http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055144958

planning on tackling
• Exam 70-228: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition

• Exam 70-229: Designing and Implementing Databases with Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition

ill try and pick up the books tommorow..gauge whats invoved and book exam according to that.

thanks for al you info Ginger it is well appeciated.

Ginger

Right for the MCDBA, you need 228 & 229 and most likely 290 (Windows Server 2003)

After that, hmmm maybe 293 or if you are dev one of the development exams..

228 would be the logical starting point, make sure you know your TSQL. Its got some of it in there even for the ssysadmin exam.. 228 is more the implementation of the server software whereas 229 is DB Design and maintainance and is developer friendly

If you are more a SysAdm start with 228 I think. My first ever MS Exam was 229, and its all views, stored procs, schema design and TSQL whereas the 228 is where is the best place to put a DB in this scenario etc etc, RAID levels for logs and managing the DB at the server level.

I will try to put together some pointers on both of these for you, so that you can get started.

EDITED due to mixup in Exam numbers corrected now

Ginger

Thread has been posted here

Washout

I just priced the books with hodges and figgis.

amazon.co.uk price 25 quid sterling so lets say with delivery worst case price 50 euro.

Hodges and figgis price 79.99 euro. OMG! with 2 - 3 weeks delivery time.

Ginger

Yup.. but the books are fairly hefty. Have you checked Easons just in case.

Best of luck with the SQL exams. You might want to look at 70-290 exam which is the main server part of the exam. Its not the trickiest of the Windows 2003 exams (personally I found it to be the easiest of all the exams I took)

FindingNemo

GINGER,
You know your sh1t I must say.
You've put some really valuable stuff regarding exams etc. on this site,
Thanks