MCSA desktop or server for first cert?

Cyberscum

I'm a sys ADM and want to start some Microsoft certs.

I deal with some R2 2008 and a lot of desktop work with windows 7 (soon 10).

Which cert should I start with....

Desktop or server?

I will eventually prob get both, but which is better logically to start with?

Cyberscum

Also, 8 or 10 if you choose desktop?

EnderWiggin

Cyberscum wrote: »

Also, 8 or 10 if you choose desktop?

If you're going to do desktop, definitely go with ten. Enterprises seem to be skipping right over eight, so it will be much less useful.

Pmorgan2

Cyberscum wrote: »

I'm a sys ADM and want to start some Microsoft certs.

I deal with some R2 2008 and a lot of desktop work with windows 7 (soon 10).

Which cert should I start with....

Desktop or server?

I will eventually prob get both, but which is better logically to start with?

Start with the MCSA: Server, for two reasons. 1) Having more Server knowledge should have a greater impact on your organization and 2) you're not using Windows 10 just yet.

From a Supervisory standpoint, I would give you more responsibility on the technology you certify with first. I would also want improvements to the enterprise architecture before the desktop support.

That being said, I would recommend getting both.

PJ_Sneakers

If you have an inkling that you won't have time to finish both up, do Server first for the ROI. But if you have time, funding, and patience, do desktop first.

It will help build up to Server. A lot of server topics are covered in the desktop MCSA, just not as in depth.

anhtran35

Mcsa 2012

OctalDump

There's an alternative path to MCSA: Server 2012 which goes 70-780, 70-786, 70-417. That gets you MCITP Windows 7 with the 780 + 786, and then you do the composite exam 417 to get Server 2012.

If you have a lot of Windows 7 knowledge and experience with integrating Windows 7 with enterprise services, deployment, System Center, then this might be a good path. You can then get MCSA Windows 10 with just the 697.

Personally, I'd go with the desktop certifications first because they will likely be easier for you based on your experience, so you can achieve them more quickly and build up some confidence for Server. But the MCSA Server will probably hold more value, but there is a good niche for skilled desktop deployment/administration engineers. Regrettably, for whatever reason, desktop roles are too often left to juniors without the appropriate skills to do the job well.

MCSA Windows Server 2008 has had its retirement date announced for mid 2017, so it's a toss up whether or not to get it. If you expect to be working (primarily) with Windows Server 2008r2 for a while longer, then it might be worth getting.

Cyberscum

Thanks all for the insight and helpful advice. I have decided to go the server route as I think I enjoy it more than desktop and the ROI seems to be decent.

Now the million doallr question... where do I start?

Should I do UDEMY or any outside sources or just stick with the official material?

thomas_

I've been researching the MCSA 2012 and the only consistent thing I've read is that the prep materials all are equally good/crappy depending on how you look at it. I bought the Official Exam Ref for the 410 exam and at the very beginning it says that you will need more than the Exam Ref to pass the course. Apparently the people who make the prep books have no insight into the exam writing process, so what is on the exam and what is in the prep books can be completely different.

A lot of what I have read suggests using multiple sources, using Microsoft's virtual labs, downloading/installing/using evaluation copies of Microsoft Server OS's, know how to do all of the tasks using Server Manager but also knowing how to do the tasks in Powershell(might be even more important.)

As far as specific books it just seems to be a crap shoot about what people found useful didn't find useful. I would say go with your intuition when picking a book. I have heard Powershell In a Month of Lunches(or something like that) is good. I also read that you should click on every hyper link in Server Manager and after you've done that you should right click everything.

Finally most people seem to be saying to go with Server 2012 since it will be active longer than a Server 2008 cert.

PJ_Sneakers

For video learning I used CBT Nuggets mostly.

For books, I used Group Policy by Moskowitz and Mastering Server 2012 by Minasi. The Microsoft book Windows PowerShell 3.0 First Steps was also helpful. I also went over the exam objectives and printed out stuff from Technet. There are a lot of threads on TE that are helpful too.

The Transcenders were somewhere between meh and OK. I did some MeasureUp too, and they were about the same in my opinion.

Also, don't forget to use Microsoft's Virtual Labs to play around in if you can't set up your own lab.

OctalDump

Cyberscum wrote: »

Thanks all for the insight and helpful advice. I have decided to go the server route as I think I enjoy it more than desktop and the ROI seems to be decent.

Now the million doallr question... where do I start?

Should I do UDEMY or any outside sources or just stick with the official material?

Multiple sources, for sure. I'd use the official MS books, and then something else. And lab everything. You basically need to know three ways to do everything: through the GUI, on a core install, powershell.

Even the official training won't be sufficient. It tends to come in two flavours: people who are learning this stuff and basically just getting an overview before doing some serious study, and people who have heaps of experience and just want to make sure they've covered everything.

If you've never done an MS exam, there's a reasonably good chance that you will be shocked by the first one. Another reason to do something you know first (70-680 is an obvious choice), so you can get used to the level MS exams are at.

PJ_Sneakers

OctalDump wrote: »

If you've never done an MS exam, there's a reasonably good chance that you will be shocked by the first one. Another reason to do something you know first (70-680 is an obvious choice), so you can get used to the level MS exams are at.

That is a really good point. At times I felt like I was part of a science experiment and MS was using me to check out different ways to administer tests. I'd advise to only take MS exams during their "second shot" or "booster pack" promotions.