Is 70-431 the most basic of the 2005 SQL exams?

Im looking at taking exam 70-431 exam - TS: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 – Implementation and Maintenance

This will be my first SQL Server exam - is there a more basic/entry level exam out there?

Also, I exam 70-445 - TS: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Business Intelligence – Implementation and Maintenance - sound really interesting, so I assume it would not be wise to take this before 70-431...any thoughts?

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eMeS

lespaulman74 wrote: »

Im looking at taking exam 70-431 exam - TS: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 – Implementation and Maintenance

This will be my first SQL Server exam - is there a more basic/entry level exam out there?

Also, I exam 70-445 - TS: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Business Intelligence – Implementation and Maintenance - sound really interesting, so I assume it would not be wise to take this before 70-431...any thoughts?

Are you talking specifically for Microsoft and SQL Server 2005, or are you looking for a more basic exam that focuses specifically on SQL?

The reason that I ask is that sometimes people come to this exam thinking that it covers SQL in depth, when it does not. In fact, I seem to remember this one being mostly SSMS-oriented.

MS

RobertKaucher

Yes, eMeS, you are correct. SSMS is the heart of the exam.

To the OP - what sort of experience do you have? Are you looking for a generic SQL exam or a specifically MS SQL Server exam? If you have no experience or not much, and you are looking for MS SQL server, I would start with the 2008 exams.

http://www.techexams.net/forums/sql-server-2000-2005-exams/44134-sql-server-database-administrator-2005-2008-cert-guide.html

Turgon

I don't know to what extent the MS SQL exams cover normalisation and Entity Relationship Diagrams and database theory, but if not much you may want to consider training on these techniques assuming you haven't already done so and wish to be a DBA. It was a weekly subject for my Database Design course as part of my Masters in IT back in 1994.

RobertKaucher

The 431 does not cover them at all, to my recollection. Really the 431 is just about being able to install, configure and maintain SQL Server.

The 443 had some discission of it, but again, not much. I would say normalization is more likely to be a topic in the BI and DB Developer certs.

Turgon

I see. So is the MCDBA really about installing and supporting SQL server as opposed to producing databases with good schemas and what have you? I briefly considered MCDBA back in 2001 but never went too near it although I had installed SQL server once or twice for SMS 2.0. Since then a brief flirtation with a SQL 2003 server back in 2003, just some support. Most of my shops have been Oracle or AS400 houses to be fair.

RobertKaucher

Well, yes and no. There is some talk about how normalization can mess with performance, but all of that is considered secondary. Now the 444, which I have not taken, might deal with that a little. It's pretty heavy on the topic of performance, obviously. But the 431 and 443 have not really had anyting about it and it seems to be little more than a foot note in the 444 material.

Turgon

RobertKaucher wrote: »

Well, yes and no. There is some talk about how normalization can mess with performance, but all of that is considered secondary. Now the 444, which I have not taken, might deal with that a little. It's pretty heavy on the topic of performance, obviously. But the 431 and 443 have not really had anyting about it and it seems to be little more than a foot note in the 444 material.

Interesting. So are the SQL certs more concerned with installing and supporting a SQL server estate with clustering, mirroring, reslience and server optimisation and what have you and looking after databases hosted on it as opposed to teaching good database design and detailed database maintenence beyond backup and restore and indexing etc? If I recall a friend of mine did MCDBA back in the day and found these to be the hardest MCP exams. She was MCSE + I but didn't do Exchange as an elective

eMeS

Turgon wrote: »

Interesting. So are the SQL certs more concerned with installing and supporting a SQL server estate with clustering, mirroring, reslience and server optimisation and what have you and looking after databases hosted on it as opposed to teaching good database design and detailed database maintenence beyond backup and restore and indexing etc?

Yes. I remember all three of the exams for MCITP: DBA 2005 being very focused on Microsoft SQL Server stuff, especially 70-431, which goes so far as to expect you to know how to complete certain tasks in SSMS.

I think some of the Oracle and DB2 certs get a little more into the theoretical/best practices aspects of DBs.

MS

RobertKaucher

I was just looking over the data base developer exams it these topics are covered indepth in those exams. MCITP: Database Developer has more to do witht designing at the DB/schema/query levels.

elover_jm

there are various specialization in the SQL Database world.

1. Database administrator:
A: Reponsible for installing\configuring Sql Server and it's many features such as SSRS, SSIS and SSAS.
B: Implement backup and recovery solution.
C: Performance monitoring and tuning (which includes server, database and tsql tuning).

Implementing high availability solutions (ex. database clustering, replication, Mirroring and log shipping.
E: Migrating to newer version of the product.(requires carefull planning)
F: Provide ongoing support for production environments

2. Database Developers:
A: Gathering and modelling business requirements for designing databases.
B: Designing and normalizing databases (ERD diagrams etc).
C: Creating database objects to incoporate business logics (Triggers, Stored procedure, Functions etc)

3. Business Intelligence developers:
A: Designing Multidimensional Databases such as OLAP and Datawarehouse.
B: Designing ETL packages and reports for end users
C: Maintaining perfomance of the above applications.

Just a rough summary guys, there can be a lot more responsibilties depending on the environment. But SQL database certifications are usually persued depending on one's interest of the listed specializations.