Persuing The MCSA Server 2012 R2 cert - advice?

Hi all,

Having just passed my OSCP, I am now going to go after what i've always wanted - the MCSE. But before then, I want to get the MCSA as that's the logical step.

Do you think i'd be able to jump into the MCSA Server 2012 R2 course without much prior experience of servers apart from some AD and remoting onto servers to perform basic tasks? I am very willing to learn and put in serious effort to learn this stuff.

I was considering the following book for the first exam: McSa Windows Server 2012 R2 Installation and Configuration Study Guide: Exam 70-410: Amazon.co.uk: William Panek: 9781118870204: Books

Thanks in advance

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Comments

alan2308

Sure, you'll need to do a lot of labbing, but there's nothing in the exams that will prevent you from reaching that goal. Start here and you'll find a lot of great resources for your journey, including a trial version of 2012R2 that you can use for labbing. I can't comment on the book since I did the 70-417 upgrade exam for the MCSA 2012.

Good luck!

TeXJ

Following thread. I'm wanting to get my MCSA server 2012 R2

When people say labbing(get ready for newb question) what does that mean? What tasks should I do and/or expect on the exams?

ssnyderu2

TeXJ wrote: »

Following thread. I'm wanting to get my MCSA server 2012 R2

When people say labbing(get ready for newb question) what does that mean? What tasks should I do and/or expect on the exams?

Since i have yet to study for and take the MSCA 2012 i cant give you specifics about the exam or type of questions you will see. But labbing is setting up a test network and servers. Setting up things like a domain controller or a Hyper-V server and practicing the exam objectives. Those who have studied for and taken the exam can provide more info.

cyberguypr

Labbing=trying the stuff on your own servers/VMs (personal lab). What to lab? Easy! Follow the test objectives. Example:

Install servers

Plan for a server installation, plan for server roles, plan for a server upgrade, install Server Core, optimize resource utilization by using Features on Demand, migrate roles from previous versions of Windows Server

Configure servers

Configure Server Core, delegate administration, add and remove features in offline images, deploy roles on remote servers, convert Server Core to/from full GUI, configure services, configure NIC teaming, install and configure Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC)

Configure local storage

Design storage spaces, configure basic and dynamic disks, configure master boot record (MBR) and GUID partition table (GPT) disks, manage volumes, create and mount virtual hard disks (VHDs), configure storage pools and disk pools, create storage pools by using disk enclosures

PowerShell is big for all exams so make sure you know how to do most things both on the GUI and PS. The good thing is that there are step-by-step guides and videos for all of this stuff so even if you are a beginner you can read the basics and then follow the guides to actually do it.

alan2308

TeXJ wrote: »

Following thread. I'm wanting to get my MCSA server 2012 R2

When people say labbing(get ready for newb question) what does that mean? What tasks should I do and/or expect on the exams?

When you read the actual exam topics, they are shown as a list of tasks you should be able to perform. For example, look here for the 70-410 topics. The topics page also has some links on it to various things related to those topics including howtos. In the link I put in my first post, I gave a link to technet. As you read through the pages on the topics of interest, you'll find a lot of step by step guides. Go through them, paying close attention to what you're doing and why you're doing it. The exam cert guides will also have exercises for you to complete.

If the exam topics say you should know how to perform a task, you should have done it enough times that you can do it without any reference and know how to fix it if it wasn't done correctly. Also pay attention to when features were first introduced so you'll know if you need to upgrade the server before deploying a technology or if you can do it with what you already have.

si20

Thanks guys. I've downloaded the R2 Trial and i'm building my setup so that I can run 2x Server 2012 R2 and 1x Hyper V. I'm totally new to both of them so we'll see how it goes. I'm giving myself the full year to get the MCSA. Not in a rush for it, but i'd still like it done in the year if possible.