Best Online Labs for Microsoft Certs?

DribbleCastle

Hi, I'm returning to the Microsoft world to complete my 2008 MCSA. Never got around to finishing the final exam I needed which is the 70-646. I'm currently watching some CBT Nuggets Videos and I have a MS book, however, I want to do some labs and I don't really feel like setting up a ton of VM's on my Mac this time around.

Does anyone have any services (free or paid) that provide a really good lab experience that helped them with MS cert exams? The only one I've been investigating is the package on MeasureUp for $149. I've used their practice exams in the past and thought they were pretty good but have no clue what their lab experience is like.

Also, I'm looking more for a lab and manual (steps to complete in the lab) service. Basically more than just a view online VM's to play around with. I need some direction.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Lexluethar

Microsoft provides this, free of charge:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/virtuallabs/bb467605.aspx

While the instructions outline various tasks to accomplish in each lab - each session is actually completely open and you can do whatever you want in them for the most part.

I used that link for the first two exams i took, mid last year they changed their provider and the lab experience has been horrible since (IMO). So i just went through and installed vmware player (free again) and downloaded the ISOs for the server OS i was studying for (again free for 30 days).

DribbleCastle

Lex,

Thanks for the quick response. I'll have to poke around with a few and see how they are. I saw you took the 60-646 yourself. How would you compare that exam to the 640 and 642? Sounds like it has case studies and matching list questions. Don't remember the case study questions 640/642.

Congratulations on your MCSA. I know MS exams are a pain.

Lexluethar

Thanks man. Ya the virtual labs suck for user experience, since they revamped the site mine would always crash and timeout. I would highly recommend doing your own lab. You will spend less hours banging your head against the wall waiting for things to load and you will get a ton of practice reinstalling the OS and setting the domain up as you want it setup.

I would say because of the broadness of the 646 it was a bit more difficult because it encompassed things learned in the 640 and 642. Also some of the questions were a bit obscure in my opinion - but that's Microsoft for you.

Itrimble

Measure Up has some pretty good labs. Or you could roll your own with virtual box and some free trials of the software.

DribbleCastle

Again, thanks for the input guys. Yeah, I have everything I need to do my own lab, just need to spend some time getting things setup. Thats the way I used to do it back in 2010-2012 and my MacBook Pro today is definitely a lot more powerful. All I really have to do is think about all the other ways I could spend the $150. That makes it even easier to decide.

Itrimble

Also.. you could do some searches on YouTube or invest in an account from Plural sight or CBT Nuggets.