Planned to take Microsoft Server 2012 Cerfications - Need advise

arkr16

Dear all,

I have planned to take Microsoft Certification exams - 70-410, 70-411, 70-412, 70-413, 70-414.

1) Is there a necessary to follow any specific order for taking these exams which will make it easier?
2) What are the study materials to read that helps me to become successful in the above mentioned exams?

I have limited experience with Windows Servers and have no access to any servers in my current job. I am working as ICT Support Officer where in I provide every day helpdesk support and manage Kaspersky Antivirus server to around 150 users.

Any suggestions much appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

OctalDump

Without experience of Windows Server, it will be tough. The MCSA is recommended for people with at least 12 months experience in a small to medium enterprise.

So you will need to get experience. I'd suggest getting an old server or workstation or beefy PC, with at least 16GB RAM, and then installing Windows 2012r2. An evaluation ISO is downloadable from Microsoft. Then install Hyper-V, and a couple more instances of Windows Server virtualised. 3 is a good number, since you can then have two AD servers to play with various AD type services and replication between the servers, and 1 member server to play with member server things.

Virtual Labs is also a good option to learn with.

I'd recommend the Microsoft Press books as well, but others will have their own preferred resources. There are also lots of online courses, but I don't know any good ones.

But hands on is a must.

TechGuru80

Well you have to take the 3 MCSA exams first...10, 11, 12...then you can worry about the MCSE exams. Mastering Windows Server 2012 r2 was recommend a lot when I started looking into it, and CBT Nuggets has some good video content.

As already said without hands on experience it will be very hard if not impossible and it won't be worth anything without actually implementing the stuff you learn.

arkr16

Thank you for your suggestion. I agree that having hands on experience will be more advantageous.

OctalDump

The other thing is to search the forums for posts like "passed 70-410" or "70-410 completed". Often people will put details of their study materials in these posts.

arkr16

Sure 'OctalDump' thank you. I have been looking into those posts.

I had sit for classroom training for MCSE - Windows 2003 server 7 years ago. I had very good access to labs and thought I had good hands on experience there. But I understand that its been a while and I want to have very good practical skills prior to taking exams.

I am also thinking about that 4 shot offer finishes by August 2016. Also Microsoft have decided to increase the cert charges after June 2016.

I want to take the exam with having understood the concepts well as well as good practical knowledge.

TechGuru80

2003 and 2012 are very different just so you know.

Louie1277

that is very true they are increasing the charge for it. that's why i'm going to purchase it next week and schedule it for next month or something. I should be ready for it

GSXR750K2

Experience with any prior version of WinServ will be beneficial. True that 2003, 2008, and 2012 all look different, but a lot under the hood works the same. Some things change in their implementation, but on the whole the principles are still there. Active Directory is still Active Directory, Group Policy is still Group Policy, DHCP is still DHCP with the exception that starting in 2012 you can perform DHCP failover, etc.

PowerShell is the big push now...a lot of what MS is doing uses PowerShell behind the scenes so learning that will help you not only administer but build scripts to make administering easier. For example, in the Active Directory Admin Center there's a tab at the bottom for you to see what Active Directory is doing in PowerShell when you create/modify/delete a user. You even have the option of saving the PowerShell config when you create a domain.

Download the 180-day trial ISO and work through a lot of simulations to help build your confidence. As far as the order, stick with the numerical sequence of the exams.

arkr16

Thank you all for your valuable suggestions so far...