Passed 70-272!!!

Mmartin_47

Passed today. Got an 861. I must admit it was about the same difficulty comparing to 271. For both courses the only resource I used was the MS Press book.

Studied too much on Office, and only found 1 question related to it.

Now MCDST!

Slowhand

Congratulations on the pass! What's up next for you?

Mmartin_47

Slowhand wrote:

Congratulations on the pass! What's up next for you?

May take the Vista course. I'm trying to work as a desktop tech for entry level IT. Don't want to overqualift myself by going more in depth into server. Only if there was a way to hide my server courses on my trascript.

jetfan

congrats

mamono

Congrats! 70-290/70-291 or 70-621 next?

Mmartin_47

mamono wrote:

Congrats! 70-290/70-291 or 70-621 next?

290 is done. 291 I was never able to pass. May move to 621, then finish my MCSE up. Problem is I want to work help desk for a few years to build work and IT experience, but having MCSE over-qualifies me, so I've put MCSE on hold for now.

Mmartin_47

I'm kind of confused on the upgrade paths. Which upgrades my MCDST to Vista?

mamono

70-621 is the upgrade from MCDST to MCITP:EST.

This exam encompasses subject material from both 70-620 and 70-622. By passing the upgrade 70-621 exam, you effectively earn MCTS: Vista Configuration and MCITP: Enterprise Support Technician. Two certs for the price of one! Passing 70-621, will satisfy all core OS exam credit as 70-620.

Microsoft wrote:

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exams/70-621.mspx
Note Exam 70-621 can be used as credit for any certification requiring Exam 70-620: TS: Windows Vista, Configuring, as a required or elective exam. In other words, Exam 70-621 satisfies the Exam 70-620 requirement in all cases.

Mmartin_47

mamono wrote:

70-621 is the upgrade from MCDST to MCITP:EST.

This exam encompasses subject material from both 70-620 and 70-622. By passing the upgrade 70-621 exam, you effectively earn MCTS: Vista Configuration and MCITP: Enterprise Support Technician. Two certs for the price of one! Passing 70-621, will satisfy all core OS exam credit as 70-620.

Microsoft wrote:

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exams/70-621.mspx
Note Exam 70-621 can be used as credit for any certification requiring Exam 70-620: TS: Windows Vista, Configuring, as a required or elective exam. In other words, Exam 70-621 satisfies the Exam 70-620 requirement in all cases.

So to take 70-621, I just need the 621 book for the upgrade??

mamono

Mmartin_47 wrote:

So to take 70-621, I just need the 621 book for the upgrade??

I honestly don't remember there being a study guide specifically for the 70-621. I looked for one, but couldn't find one. So, I just ended up using a study guide for both the 70-620 and the 70-622. Those two study guides combined cover the 70-621.

Mmartin_47

mamono wrote:

Mmartin_47 wrote:

So to take 70-621, I just need the 621 book for the upgrade??

I honestly don't remember there being a study guide specifically for the 70-621. I looked for one, but couldn't find one. So, I just ended up using a study guide for both the 70-620 and the 70-622. Those two study guides combined cover the 70-621.

So in your position since you took 620 and 622, what would happen if you took 621?

mamono

Mmartin_47 wrote:

So in your position since you took 620 and 622, what would happen if you took 621?

I did take the 70-621 upgrade and passed. That earned me both MCTS: Vista and MCITP:EST. Its just that the material encompasses more than the standard exam since they combine both 70-620 and 70-622.

Taking the 70-620 and 70-622 separately will have the same result of just passing the 70-621 by itself.

Mmartin_47

mamono wrote:

Mmartin_47 wrote:

So in your position since you took 620 and 622, what would happen if you took 621?

I did take the 70-621 upgrade and passed. That earned me both MCTS: Vista and MCITP:EST. Its just that the material encompasses more than the standard exam since they combine both 70-620 and 70-622.

Taking the 70-620 and 70-622 separately will have the same result of just passing the 70-621 by itself.

Ah ok! Thanks for clearing it up for me. Appreciate. Good, I already have the Vista book on my shelf. Read to go! Probably start Monday or so.

How was the vendor comparing to XP's?

mamono

Mmartin_47 wrote:

How was the vendor comparing to XP's?

How was the 70-621 compared to the MCDST exams??? Structured about the same, IMHO. It was very situational based troubleshooting and analysis. Just understand the specifics to Vista (i.e. secure desktop) when reading through the 70-620/70-622 study guides and make sure to go through all practice questions in the book.

Mmartin_47

mamono wrote:

Mmartin_47 wrote:

How was the vendor comparing to XP's?

How was the 70-621 compared to the MCDST exams??? Structured about the same, IMHO. It was very situational based troubleshooting and analysis. Just understand the specifics to Vista (i.e. secure desktop) when reading through the 70-620/70-622 study guides and make sure to go through all practice questions in the book.

1 more thing wanted to ask you. On your official MS transcript, just curious what does it state?

mamono

Mmartin_47 wrote:

1 more thing wanted to ask you. On your official MS transcript, just curious what does it state?

Here is a screen capture of my MS transcript from the MCP website.

Mmartin_47

mamono wrote:

Mmartin_47 wrote:

1 more thing wanted to ask you. On your official MS transcript, just curious what does it state?

Here is a screen capture of my MS transcript from the MCP website.

Thanks man for going that extra mile. Too bad doesn't state it as MCDST anymore as in the certification column to the right, but it does state it on the left.

mamono

Mmartin_47 wrote:

Thanks man for going that extra mile. Too bad doesn't state it as MCDST anymore.

Sure, np. MCDST is still stated on the transcript and is perfectly fine to continue to state it on the resume even after upgrading. Each cert is OS specific, makes sense to continue to state them individually.

MCDST = XP
MCITP:EST = Vista.

XP is obviously still going to be used in the corporate environment for a while longer, so MCDST will still be in demand. Sad as it may sound, I know of organizations still on NT4 and/or Win2K. Just be sure to upgrade before the opportunity is taken away just because Microsoft retires the upgrade option.

Mmartin_47

mamono wrote:

Mmartin_47 wrote:

Thanks man for going that extra mile. Too bad doesn't state it as MCDST anymore.

Sure, np. MCDST is still stated on the transcript and is perfectly fine to continue to state it on the resume even after upgrading. Each cert is OS specific, makes sense to continue to state them individually.

MCDST = XP
MCITP:EST = Vista.

XP is obviously still going to be used in the corporate environment for a while longer, so MCDST will still be in demand. Sad as it may sound, I know of organizations still on NT4 and/or Win2K. Just be sure to upgrade before the opportunity is taken away just because Microsoft retires the upgrade option.

Ouch for the retirement part. Will begin probably on Monday. Halloween kind of messed me up and made me nervous for 272. Went to a party in LA which is about 8 hours from my place, didnt want to go, but felt that pressure off my friends, went anyways. Studied for 6 hours the day before my vendor. Was nervous about failing but had the highest score I've ever receive in any MS exam.

mamono

Once again, congrats! Its good to get your mind off the subject material once in a while.

BradleyHU

Mmartin_47 wrote:

mamono wrote:

Congrats! 70-290/70-291 or 70-621 next?

290 is done. 291 I was never able to pass. May move to 621, then finish my MCSE up. Problem is I want to work help desk for a few years to build work and IT experience, but having MCSE over-qualifies me, so I've put MCSE on hold for now.

you know, you dont have to put it down on ya resume if you dont want to. and trust me, in this day & age, its better to be overqualified than under...

Mmartin_47

BradleyHU wrote:

Mmartin_47 wrote:

mamono wrote:

Congrats! 70-290/70-291 or 70-621 next?

290 is done. 291 I was never able to pass. May move to 621, then finish my MCSE up. Problem is I want to work help desk for a few years to build work and IT experience, but having MCSE over-qualifies me, so I've put MCSE on hold for now.

you know, you dont have to put it down on ya resume if you dont want to. and trust me, in this day & age, its better to be overqualified than under...

True, but I always show my Microsoft transcript. When they see MCSE and I'm applying for an entry level Help Desk job, they will turn me down.

mamono

There are various levels of help desk. I have a friend that when from IT manager at a small company to tier1/tier2 customer support help desk for a enterprise level software company. Not only did he get a significant boost in pay, he has moved up to tier3/tier4 development support engineer in less than 1.5 years supporting MSDBA, SQL, and Oracle within the same company. Sure, help desk sounds like bottom of the barrel, but it is not always the case in this information technology age. As others have said, its better to be over qualified than to be under. You may lack the experience, but have over qualifications. This is something that hiring managers will look at and consider to work with you because there is a chance that you will need less training due to your qualifications and means saved money and time. Best of luck!

Mmartin_47

mamono wrote:

There are various levels of help desk. I have a friend that when from IT manager at a small company to tier1/tier2 customer support help desk for a enterprise level software company. Not only did he get a significant boost in pay, he has moved up to tier3/tier4 development support engineer in less than 1.5 years supporting MSDBA, SQL, and Oracle within the same company. Sure, help desk sounds like bottom of the barrel, but it is not always the case in this information technology age. As others have said, its better to be over qualified than to be under. You may lack the experience, but have over qualifications. This is something that hiring managers will look at and consider to work with you because there is a chance that you will need less training due to your qualifications and means saved money and time. Best of luck!

Well yeah I guess so, but so far I've been turned down because I'm overqualified. Like you said you can be help desk but for server and client support.

Anyways 70-620 vendor on Monday. 291 on December 31st.

mamono

Best of luck with your studies and the exams.

Mmartin_47

mamono wrote:

Best of luck with your studies and the exams.

Thanks man I appreciate it. Vista on Monday, shouldn't be a problem at all. Only reason I'm taking this course is to keep me busy while I job hunt.

So far not successful. Like I said in my earlier posts, I've had several interviews but were turned down. Surprisingly even Comcast gave me an interview. Not bad for someone that never had a job. But I was lead on since the IT Operations Manager sent me an e-mail saying "we made an internal offer". It's like why post the job online first?

mamono

Well, internal offers usually go along the lines of not needing to retrain, so that's just something that they are willing to do to reduce the downtime for training. But, also sometimes people that step up in the same organization aren't paid as much as those that are hired externally. Have you considered calling your test center to change your test registration from 70-620 to 70-621? Kill two birds with one stone? If you have 70-290 already completed, it should be a piece of case for ya since you are already studying for 70-620.

Mmartin_47

mamono wrote:

Well, internal offers usually go along the lines of not needing to retrain, so that's just something that they are willing to do to reduce the downtime for training. But, also sometimes people that step up in the same organization aren't paid as much as those that are hired externally. Have you considered calling your test center to change your test registration from 70-620 to 70-621? Kill two birds with one stone? If you have 70-290 already completed, it should be a piece of case for ya since you are already studying for 70-620.

That's not good... Please tell me the mateiral in 621 is different than 620. In that case, my god, I've been reading the wrong book! I'm already halfway done! But then again I did learn many new things.

Mmartin_47

Aww, I cant believe I've been reading the wrong book. I'm going to kick myself for that. Too late now, my vendor is on Monday.

I'll probably just take 621 after. Won't take that long to kill I suppose. If the material is different, then good, if not then I'm retarded for this one.

Mmartin_47

Guess I will cancel my vendor. Didn't know I had to read 622, since 621 to upgrade is material from 620 and 622. Can anyone confirm this?

mamono

70-621 covers material from both 70-620 and 70-622. If you've taken 70-290, the material isn't that much different from 70-290, IMHO. Since most of the questions are situational based, I think you would be fine if you read over the 70-622 chapter summaries and then reviewed sections that you are not familiar with.