A+ Guy getting into Server Administration

Hey Guys, this is my first post on this forum. I was referred to this site by a CCNA friend.

I'm A+ Certified, currently studying for Network+.

I have Servers running 2003 and 2008 at my disposal. The 2003s are being phased out.

I've been offered to advance at my work if I get the MCITP 2008 SA. I have made it my goal. I've looked at the 70-640 book and it is written on the assumption the reader has about a year experience in AD SA.

Which I don't.

Is there some prerequisite I need before attempting Server 2008?
Even CompTIA's Server+ wants 18-24 months of experience!

Where do I start? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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Comments

undomiel

Jump in and get your feet wet! It is a whole lot to grasp but it is doable. Use virtual machines to run labs and get as much experience as you can. Go to your local library and check out some of the 2003 books for the 290 and 291. Those should get you going and then get into the 2008 books as you should feel a bit more comfortable by then. But definitely make sure you are getting yourself hands-on experience. Once you've touched it then it will not be so scary.

skrpune

undomiel wrote: »

Jump in and get your feet wet! It is a whole lot to grasp but it is doable. Use virtual machines to run labs and get as much experience as you can. Go to your local library and check out some of the 2003 books for the 290 and 291. Those should get you going and then get into the 2008 books as you should feel a bit more comfortable by then. But definitely make sure you are getting yourself hands-on experience. Once you've touched it then it will not be so scary.

+1

I'm pretty much doing the same with MCSA on Server 2003. I've got a wee bit of experience with SBS 2003, but that's it, and so I have a lot of ramping up to do. And virtualization is the key to getting that hands on experience/practice so you can apply what you read up on in the books.

brad-

VoiderOfWarranties wrote: »

I've looked at the 70-640 book and it is written on the assumption the reader has about a year experience in AD SA.
Which I don't.

Is there some prerequisite I need before attempting Server 2008?
Even CompTIA wants 18-24 months of experience!

Forget that. You have to start somewhere. If I were you and about to tackle so many new concepts, I would get the CBT Nuggets for what you are doing. In addition to that, some books also - preferably not the MS Press books IMHO.

wedge1988

itll probably take you 2 years of heavy study for that cert; but go for it because its all for the better! (im aiming for it also)

I jumped straight in to the MCP tracks right after my A+ cert and found that it was a bit daughnting at first, the problem i had was that as soon as i discovered something new or cool, i would learn it, but then that spurs you off somewhere else. Im learning for the 291 at the moment, but i really want to get sharepoint server knowledge, exchange and sql server knowledge. Pick an exam and stick to it! thats the main key.

If i had done the Network+ it would have really geared me more to setting up the servers for the exam testing, so doing the Network+ now is the right choice.

Personally i would go through videos from a range of exams, like the CBT nuggets for exams 70-620 and 70-640 and then go through the video for 70-642.

Doing this will give you no certs for around 6 months if you spend 2 months on each, but by doing this you'll probably find as i did that doing the exams after the reading will be a lot easier, and the fact that youll gain extra knowledge in areas outside the exam range (as i mentioned above about jumping to another subject) so, its really up to you to decide, but this is what i did and im around a month from my MCSA!

Of course, you could jump right in and do each exam in 2 months, but you wont remember as much, and you'll end up finding the harder exams really hard!

meadIT

wedge1988 wrote: »

itll probably take you 2 years of heavy study for that cert; but go for it because its all for the better! (im aiming for it also)

I jumped straight in to the MCP tracks right after my A+ cert and found that it was a bit daughnting at first, the problem i had was that as soon as i discovered something new or cool, i would learn it, but then that spurs you off somewhere else. Im learning for the 291 at the moment, but i really want to get sharepoint server knowledge, exchange and sql server knowledge. Pick an exam and stick to it! thats the main key.

If i had done the Network+ it would have really geared me more to setting up the servers for the exam testing, so doing the Network+ now is the right choice.

Personally i would go through videos from a range of exams, like the CBT nuggets for exams 70-620 and 70-640 and then go through the video for 70-642.

Doing this will give you no certs for around 6 months if you spend 2 months on each, but by doing this you'll probably find as i did that doing the exams after the reading will be a lot easier, and the fact that youll gain extra knowledge in areas outside the exam range (as i mentioned above about jumping to another subject) so, its really up to you to decide, but this is what i did and im around a month from my MCSA!

Of course, you could jump right in and do each exam in 2 months, but you wont remember as much, and you'll end up finding the harder exams really hard!

That's not necessarily true. It's all about the individual, how they learn, and how much experience they have. 2 years is kind of long I would think. I spent 6 months doing my MCSE from start to finish which is 7 exams and MCITP:EA is only 5 exams.

wedge1988

I spent 6 months doing my MCSE from start to finish

Not that its bad doing all that in 6 months, it depends on how you learn, but i bet you wouldnt know half as much as sombody who took time to practice each part of each exam? also, jumping quickly to another subject will give you more experience, you cant learn everything from exam, they're good to get you off your feet though!

by the way meadit, how long have you been working in IT? just curious?

VoiderOfWarranties

brad- wrote: »

Forget that. You have to start somewhere. If I were you and about to tackle so many new concepts, I would get the CBT Nuggets for what you are doing. In addition to that, some books also - preferably not the MS Press books IMHO.

Yeah I have the MS-Press books for SA 2008. Right now I'm after the three exams to get the SA. Then hopefully if I'm not to burnt out, go for EA.

I'll definitely check out CBT Nuggets. Anybody use TrainSignal?

So the 290 & 291 for 2003, is that really good for one with "NO Server Experience"?

mamono

Think of all precursor studies as foundation to what is to come. A+ and Net+, I believe are good foundational certs for starting off. Server+ material really builds upon A+ and I think its good to know, but not necessary because some of the topics will be covered in the Microsoft studies. i.e. RAID topics. You could study for the MCSA and then take the upgrade to MCITP:SA. You did say that your network is currently WinServer 2003, and will transition into WinServer 2008. Since the WinServer 2003's are being phased out, maybe you can get one as a test rig to practice and run labs on. Then as your company starts to increase the transition into WinServer 2008, you can start hitting the book for that after completing MCSA 2003.

A+ > Net+ > 70-620 Vista > 70-290 > 70-291 = MCSA 2003

Or bite the bullet and just go straight into MCITP:SA. Its doable, but this case you'll need to find some way to get practice/lab time with a sharper learning curve.

meadIT

wedge1988 wrote: »

Not that its bad doing all that in 6 months, it depends on how you learn, but i bet you wouldnt know half as much as sombody who took time to practice each part of each exam? also, jumping quickly to another subject will give you more experience, you cant learn everything from exam, they're good to get you off your feet though!

by the way meadit, how long have you been working in IT? just curious?

Well, now you're just jumping to conclusions. You're assuming that I didn't practice each and every lab in my training materials at least once. Two or three times if I didn't understand a subject thoroughly.

I've been in IT for about 4.5 years now, but started out on the DB side of things and am now doing systems analysis. I've also spent the last 5 years on and off earning two Associate degrees: Networking and Web Technologies.

VoiderOfWarranties

I have a test rig I am setting up. I was hoping to stay directly with WinServer 08 and avoid 03. However I may run into an old machine down the road. The 2003 certs are of no value to my "current employer". But who knows where I'll be next year!

I certainly appreciate everyone's advice, I am finding this forum quite helpful!

Thanks!

TravR1

hahaha i like your name.... VoiderOfWarrenties! Reminds me of a software developer with a screwdriver walking towards my laptop... is what I think of first.

I'm in the same boat as you, thanks for putting up this thread. I have all the 2003 books, but I'm wondering if I should just jump straight in to MCITP:SA

vCole

TravR1 wrote: »

hahaha i like your name.... VoiderOfWarrenties! Reminds me of a software developer with a screwdriver walking towards my laptop... is what I think of first.

I'm in the same boat as you, thanks for putting up this thread. I have all the 2003 books, but I'm wondering if I should just jump straight in to MCITP:SA

Same here

meadIT

When I made this decision last year, it came down to the current (attainable) presitigious MS cert versus the future one. MCSE was going to be 7 exams and MCITP was going to be 5 exams. But doing MCSE then upgrading to MCITP is only 9 exams (MCSE + 1 upgrade + 1 design) if you take 620 as your client. By doing the upgrade path, you get the following 8 certifications:

MCP
MCSA
MCSE
MCTS: Windows Vista Configuration
MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Configuration
MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure Configuration
MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Applications Infrastructure Configuration
MCITP: Enterprise Administrator

I figured it would take at least 2-3 years for MCITP to really catch on, so I decided to go with MCSE first. I guess it really depends on how long you think it'll take to complete one of the tracks. If it's going to be more than 2-3 years, MCITP may be your better choice.

wedge1988

Ive been working in IT for about 2 years, but i dont know anybody else in person who works in the field

so its hard to keep my morale up.

if i did the 620 exam, can i use it towards my MCSE and my MCITP:EA? or can it only count once?

meadIT

You can use it as many times as you want. You just can't use it twice for the same track (example: you can't use it as both a client and elective for MCSA/E).

TravR1

Of course I would have say I want the biggest bang for the buck, in the shortest amount of time - like most people I'm sure.

Jumping straight in to the MCITP:SA beginning with the 620 is probably that route?

dynamik

Why would you go for the SA instead of the EA? 620 is only required for the EA, and they're both four exams besides that one.

TravR1

I thought starting fresh the SA would be 3 exams and the EA would be 5 exams. I'm confused

TravR1

Trying to post on here and work at the same time doesn't work very well obviously. Now that I have my little paper it tells me for the SA I would need

640
642
646

The EA I would need

640
642
643
620
647

That's fresh without any of the 2003 tests. According to my printout from another tread. The SA seemed like a good place to start so I can get my app in to the server ops group here at my work this year.

dynamik

My mistake. I was thinking it was only one less exam than the EA because that's how it works out for my upgrade. Sorry

TravR1

No problems! We were both wrong anyway. MS cert tracks can be confusing.. esp when trying to upgrade.

wedge1988

Good stuff, ill go for that after my 70-293 then! (wont take me long, it looks like i already know the topics)