Passed Exam 70-411 to Earn MCSA 2012

kengjameskengjames Member Posts: 34 ■■□□□□□□□□
in MCSA / MCSE on Windows 2012 General
I took the exam last Thursday. That was my third try. I'm just glad it's now over.

I'm posting back to also clarify some confusion about the electives. I passed the exams in this order:
  • 70-410 (March 2016)
  • 74-409 (April 2016)
  • 70-411 (July 2017)
So as of today, they are still honoring the exlectives. But you need to manually contact them. If you have not taken the last exam, whether the 74-409 or the 70-411, send them an inquiry about your situation: https://goo.gl/wbEBQi (credits to @crumbs11)

They would probably give you two or three months to pass the exam for them to give you the cert as others previously posted here.

Once you pass the exam, you also need to contact them using the same form, tell them that you passed all three exams and it's not automtically showing up on your certification planner. The change should reflect in 3-5 business days.

Other thoughts:

- 70-411 is a very challenging exam as it covers A LOT of topics
- Learn the material two or three levels deeper. Example: Learn how to accomplish the exam objectives via GUI, Powershell, and legacy command lines
- NPS, NAP, VPN
- Playing around now with Server 2016, I'm glad I started with Server 2012 as there are a lot of concepts that I would have a hard time with Server 2016 if I started with that. Especially with the addition of Docker containers, Nano server, etc.


Do you guys have suggestions on what certification should I pursue next? I was on Helpdesk for three years, one year as a Jr. Sysadmin, one year as a Software/DevOps Engineer.

Thank you!
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Comments

  • AndersonSmithAndersonSmith Member Posts: 471 ■■■□□□□□□□
    That's great, congratulations!
    All the best,
    Anderson

    "Everything that has a beginning has an end"
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  • craig88craig88 Member Posts: 23 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Congrats! I've passed 410 & 409. I have 411 booked but I am finding the Transcender practice exams very difficult.

    Can I ask what study material you used for 411?

    Cheers
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  • djrabesdjrabes Member Posts: 66 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Congratulations! - I passed 70-412 last week and got my MCSA in Windows Server 2012 as well.
    Certifications: CompTIA A+, MCP, MCSA: Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
    Studying: Exam 70-414: Implementing an Advanced Server Infrastructure
    Want: MCSA: Office 365, MCSE: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Exam 70-414: Implementing an Advanced Server Infrastructure), Network+, Security+
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  • Louie1277Louie1277 Member Posts: 505 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Same question... I'm booked my exam in 3 months so I want to make sure I am studying the right material.

    craig88 wrote: »
    Congrats! I've passed 410 & 409. I have 411 booked but I am finding the Transcender practice exams very difficult.

    Can I ask what study material you used for 411?

    Cheers
    2018 Goals: 70-410 [X], 70-411 [],70-412 [] :bow: 410- Passed!!!!!!

    My Goal for the Future
    2012 - *MCSA*(WHO KNOWS WHEN) KEEP FAILING!!!! Not enough time to pass the last 2 exams.
    2021 - *Security+*
    2022 - * Pen Tester*
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  • KyrakKyrak Member Posts: 143 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Congrats!
    Up next: On Break, but then maybe CCNA DC, CCNP DC, CISM, AWS SysOps Administrator
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  • kengjameskengjames Member Posts: 34 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Louie1277 wrote: »
    Same question... I'm booked my exam in 3 months so I want to make sure I am studying the right material.

    I used combinations of the following:
    - Mastering Server 2012 by Mark Minasi
    - Exam Ref and Training Guide for 70-411 from Microsoft
    - Pluralsight
    - CBTNuggtets with James Conrad; I believe there's a new version for the R2 version
    - MCSA Server 2012 book by William Panek

    I did not use measureup/transcender practice exams as I don't have the extra money to spend. But I tried their free trial once and found that it's a lot harder than the actual exam.
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  • nascar_paulnascar_paul Member Posts: 288 ■■■□□□□□□□
    CONGRATS!
    kengjames wrote: »
    Do you guys have suggestions on what certification should I pursue next? I was on Helpdesk for three years, one year as a Jr. Sysadmin, one year as a Software/DevOps Engineer.

    I'm going for the 70-533: Implementing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions. That will actually give you an MCSE: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure and with your experience, you're in a great position to do DevOps work in the cloud.

    What direction is most exciting and interesting to you? Cloud? SCCM? There are A LOT of directions that you can go from where you're at!
    2017 Goals: 70-411 [X], 74-409 [X], 70-533 [X], VCP5-DCV [], LX0-103 [], LX0-104 []
    "I PLAN to fail!" - No One Ever
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  • greg9891greg9891 Member Posts: 1,189 ■■■■■■■□□□
    A little to the party but congrats!
    :
    Upcoming Certs: VCA-DCV 7.0, VCP-DCV 7.0, Oracle Database 1Z0-071, PMP, Server +, CCNP

    Proverbs 6:6-11Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard?
    When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep, So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler And your need like an armed man.
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  • Louie1277Louie1277 Member Posts: 505 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Thanks for sharing the information. I'm half way on the Pluralsight videos. Once i'm done with that I'm going to read some.

    Congrats.

    kengjames wrote: »
    I used combinations of the following:
    - Mastering Server 2012 by Mark Minasi
    - Exam Ref and Training Guide for 70-411 from Microsoft
    - Pluralsight
    - CBTNuggtets with James Conrad; I believe there's a new version for the R2 version
    - MCSA Server 2012 book by William Panek

    I did not use measureup/transcender practice exams as I don't have the extra money to spend. But I tried their free trial once and found that it's a lot harder than the actual exam.
    2018 Goals: 70-410 [X], 70-411 [],70-412 [] :bow: 410- Passed!!!!!!

    My Goal for the Future
    2012 - *MCSA*(WHO KNOWS WHEN) KEEP FAILING!!!! Not enough time to pass the last 2 exams.
    2021 - *Security+*
    2022 - * Pen Tester*
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