Finally going to take 461

N2IT

I have very little energy left in me due to work etc. I've told myself I am going to only study 3 more chapters. XML is going to be one of them. Any suggestions on the other 2? Up to page ~205 I have read the book 20 times maybe more going back and forth using the querying strategies etc for certain job task. I never really had to push it past the 200 page mark. With that information presented what would you recommend? I am going over the XML chapter now it's time and I have very little experience so I want to make sure I had that chapter complete down. Thanks

NotHackingYou

I recommend tons of practice, especially on the XML syntax. General rule for me - if I'm dreading that part of the subject, that's where I need to study the most. Really study the syntax of all the commands, down to whether or not they are singular or plural.

N2IT

Yeah I am dreading the XML piece I may just turn full focus to that piece. There are a few others as well, I really don't have an excuses I spend 7 hours a day in SSMS when I am not driving project meetings or status meetings.

N2IT

22nd this month at 8:30 CST am FYI Just scheduled at Prometric 10 minutes ago.

NotHackingYou

Best of luck!

N2IT

Yeah I am skimming through book making sure I understand RANK / DENSE_RANK ETC with the commands.

N2IT

I failed lol. Done with the SQL server track! Too much information for DBA's I honestly scored a 0 on optimization on the exam. I was average in creating structures and querying data, score a 0% on optimization. Ended up with 500 and some change.

aaronchristenson

I am sorry to hear that. It took me a couple of times to pass myself. I am not a programmer so 461 was really difficult for me as well. After all the time you have put into this exam I would not just write it off yet. Take a break and do another exam, when the second shots come back. I am having the same problem with 413 one of the Windows 2012 MCSE exams.

N2IT

Thanks Aaron appreciate the response.

NotHackingYou

Sorry to hear this. I'll second what Aaron said - it's a tough exam, don't give up yet!

N2IT

I agree it is a tough exam. It owned me, 540 or so isn't really close, I made a few educated guesses along the way . I think the MTA's might be more my level to be honest. Which is pathetic since I am in my 30's and have been writing code for ~ 2 years. The exam is a little over the top IMO, but if you do get 461 I have extremely high expectations for you. I expect that person to crank out solution after solution database related. ***Props to you all for passing that certification.

NotHackingYou

I found the exam to be quite challenging as well. I'd be glad to help you when you're ready to tackle this again.

Tawaz

I am sorry to hear that,don't give up!!! I am also busy with 461.

Zorodzai

Sorry to hear about that. Important thing is you gave it a shot......I'm still dilly dallying

sabrepunk

I've tried it twice so far, and I'm not sure if I'm going to go for a third time.
The first time I got 550, the second 650.

N2IT

I won't touch it with a ten foot pole. My end game is business architect or solutions, certs are for fun not mission critical. I'm not dropping another dime on a MS SQL certification.

I'll still come in here to support folks and def won't bash the cert. It's just not part of my game.

zaleonardz

Here is the problem with the last comment.

If you specialize in business intelligence and or reporting , and by that I mean you simply query data, import into excel,or crystal or front end of your choice, nobody takes you seriously without this cert.

N2IT

That's not true, in fact it's the opposite. If you have the cert but can't deliver nobody takes you seriously.

I work with other RDBMS as well, Teradata and Oracle. How's 461 going to help with that?

zaleonardz

hmm

good points indeed

I do know there is a lot of platform between oracle and SQL,

Syntax, function and use is differant, but principles apply

Datafield types are similiar
views
functions
stored procs
they are all there
isolation levels I beleive, based from the guys at the "MVA' are actually designed to make "steal a bit" so that oracle and migrate to MS, and of course the other way around

Ms released something, oracle copies it, oracle releases, MS copies it.

I actually worked on IBM universe, which is a multi-dimentional DB, and thats chunks differant.

461, is going to help you 60% in oracle, I know this because I oracle by day, MS by nigh, and there is really a LOT of cross platform. I actually went looking for all of the functions I have learnt studying for 461 on SQL, they are all there, synonnyms ect.

Merc and BMW, same thing, which do you prefer, both are cars, both are of exceptional quality,both have the same input and output, both have the same toys, yet completly different...

Judging from your nick, Excel is your bread and butter, which is epci.

It has been mine too for years, and between crystal reports and excel, there is nothing that I can do.

But I was turned down for 3 positions now, which I would ace at, simply because I have no cert.

That said, I have no oracle cert either, so that could be part of the problem..

sramashiya@gmail.com

CarlSaiyed wrote: »

I found the exam to be quite challenging as well. I'd be glad to help you when you're ready to tackle this again.

I have registered for the exam(April-24) I would really appreciate if you can help me

sabrepunk

Did it a third and fourth time before finally getting it. Yay.

N2IT

Sabre nice work it's been looming over me. It really beat me up last time and it stung lol.