SQL 2005 or 2008

I know I can take 2005 then ugrade to 2008. My question is would I be better served just taking SQL 2008?

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Do you currently use SQL Server in your environment or is it something you are doing to expand your skills?

1. If you currently use SQL Server 2008 then go with the 2008 exams.
2. If you currently use 2005 but your company might be upgrading then do both.
3. If you are just getting into SQL and want to expand your skills I would suggest doing the MCTS on 2005 and then just the 2008 exams. You will find a lot of SQL Server 2000 and 2005 around. So having some background in those will be good.

Hyper-Me

What if you are using SQL 2000, 2005 and 2008?

RobertKaucher

Hyper-Me wrote: »

What if you are using SQL 2000, 2005 and 2008?

Well, listen here Mr. Smartypants!

I'd just go for the 2008 certs as they really are quite similar. 2008 was more of an evolutionary update than a revolutionary one. But I might discuss that with the bosses to see what they think. Not sure I could justify starting the 2005 track at this juncture... Perhaps MCITP DBA 2008+the 2005 MCTS...

elover_jm

Yeah, what if i'm also using SQL 7.0?

bertieb

elover_jm wrote: »

Yeah, what if i'm also using SQL 7.0?

You'll be too busy supporting it to have time to worry about certs

aaronchristenson

I would suggest that you go with the SQL 2008 exam. The Training Kits for the 2005 exams were ok but not up to date with the simulation parts of the exams that they have now.

astorrs

I vote for the exams for SQL Server 2008.

bertieb wrote: »

You'll be too busy supporting it to have time to worry about certs

You must be thinking of 6.5 (or god help you 4.2 or 6.0!)

^^^ Enjoy the nightmares this will give you tonight

blargoe

^yiiihck.

Norrlands Turk

Instead of creating a new topic, decided to revamp this one since I am pretty much in the same dilemma.

I have business background and my current job (which I am not happy with) is also not IT related. I have just completed my MCSA and I intend to get into IT world in one way or another. I am hoping that MCSA will help me but actually I am more interested in learning SQL. I don't know anything about SQL other than basic select statements and JOINs, and I just picked up this book for a start.

Amazon.com: Beginning SQL Server 2005 Programming (Programmer to…

Now I have two questions.

1-

RobertKaucher wrote: »

Do you currently use SQL Server in your environment or is it something you are doing to expand your skills?

1. If you currently use SQL Server 2008 then go with the 2008 exams.
2. If you currently use 2005 but your company might be upgrading then do both.
3. If you are just getting into SQL and want to expand your skills I would suggest doing the MCTS on 2005 and then just the 2008 exams. You will find a lot of SQL Server 2000 and 2005 around. So having some background in those will be good.

Would you still make the same suggestions 7 months after this post?

2- I am more interested in Business Intelligence and development side of SQL rather than Server implementation and maintenance. What I am wondering is whether 70-445 or 70-448 would be good first cert to get for a beginner like me? Instead should I study and get 70-431 or 70-432 first in order to understand how things work in SQL world?

RobertKaucher

Norrlands Turk wrote: »

Would you still make the same suggestions 7 months after this post?

2- I am more interested in Business Intelligence and development side of SQL rather than Server implementation and maintenance. What I am wondering is whether 70-445 or 70-448 would be good first cert to get for a beginner like me? Instead should I study and get 70-431 or 70-432 first in order to understand how things work in SQL world?

I believe what I said is still valid. But there is one important thing that I would include here. For someone new to IT, these exams are going to be hard. It took me a long time to really get to the point where I really understood what I was doing. I could kill on the written part because I had a good idea of the syntax of T-SQL, but I nearly failed the hands on for the 2005 MCTS.

I believe that every server admin would find the information taught in the MCTS exams useful. Especially since SQL Server seems to be the backend for everything. But for someone with an MCSA who is not working in IT I would caution you: it will probably take you 3 years before you land a role that would require strong knowledge of SQL Server and it will take 2 more on top of that to move into some sort of "DBA" type position where managing SQL Server is an important part of your job and then another 3 before you might be able to land a true DBA position. Don't start thinking that just because you have the cert means you can land the jobs. Experience is king. It will set you apart and show your willingness to learn, but the full DBA/BI/Dev cert with no experience will not be of much help until you get your hands dirty for a while.

With a business background, though, the BI path is probably very good for you. But you need to find a way to get your foot in the door. I would put a lot of work into the 431 or 432, learning reporting services, integration services and PowerPivot. Then I would start on the BI MCTS for 2008 and then the MCITP. I imagine your best bet is looking at some sort of business analyst role to get started.

Norrlands Turk

Thank you for your input RobertKaucher. I appreciate it.

I actually wrote a couple of paragraph long post but then I accidentally closed my browser window before I submitted it.

I realize that I am in a pretty disadvantageous position by not working in IT and having almost no SQL knowledge to begin with. I also agree that having a cert without work experience greatly depreciates the value of that certification but we also know that certs are great tools to show potential employers that you possess essential knowledge in the subject matter and you are also willing to learn new skills.

I have no doubt that the Career timeline you just described is pretty realistic but I feel like I am already late to learn SQL and I should have learned it during my MBA. So I will show some extra effort to shorten the timeline for myself.

Thanks again.

Bl8ckr0uter

I am now in the same boat. My shop wants me to support a new app that relies on MS SQL heavily and I am thinking about doing MCTS:SQL Server 2k5. I am thinking about doing the exam or at least studying the material. Is the cert even worth anything I mean it seems to basic for a DBA. From what I can tell it seems more Sysadmin-ish than DBA-ish. Is that your opinion as well?

aaronchristenson

It is more Sysadmin-ish, that is by design. The second and third exams are what can make you a DBA. Those are the more challenging exams, that test your experiance as well.

Bl8ckr0uter

aaronchristenson wrote: »

It is more Sysadmin-ish, that is by design. The second and third exams are what can make you a DBA. Those are the more challenging exams, that test your experiance as well.

Ok. I wanted to do this exam a while ago but I changed jobs and never got around to it. Now I am back in a job where SQL = Life. I have some SQL experience and some MYSQL experience as well. I might end up doing this just to round out my security knowledge.

nafsee

cant get it . . . what this exam is actually about ?
em using SQL 2008 . . . !!!
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Bl8ckr0uter

nafsee wrote: »

cant get it . . . what this exam is actually about ?
em using SQL 2008 . . . !!!

Um what?

Which SQL 2k8 exam are you interested in?