Passed 70-656 MS Desktop Optimization Pack

Claymoore

Barely, with a 724, but a pass is a pass. This wasn't a test I would choose to take on my own, but it allows me to deliver proof-of-concept paid services around MDOP deployments. My bosses like my POC work and now that those engagements are leading to some proposals they want me to do even more. Whatever it takes to keep up my billable hours...

I took this last Friday morning before I took the 71-669 Desktop Virtualization beta exam. The App-V sections overlap so it made sense to take them both the same day, but it messed up my studying plan. When I decided to take both, I started studying for 669 and planned on picking up the 656 studying at the end. Last week was busy with an Exchange 2010 pilot and 3 Windows 7 deployment proposals which left me with little time for studying.

This one felt like a beta with 75 questions across 6 sections. They seemed to want to spread the question load evenly even though there are few question-worthy features on some of the MDOP products. There is only so much you can ask about DART, which means you get the same question asked different ways.

I used a mix of resources- My Resource Guide here and the Mastering Microsoft Virtualization book from Sybex. I wish I would have memorized more of the minutiae such as a feature and prerequisite matrixes for all the products, but I passed and I don't care enough to go back and look it over again.

astorrs

Congrats on the pass, I took this one during beta and I know what you mean about stretching some of the sections.

Claymoore wrote: »

...but it allows me to deliver proof-of-concept paid services around MDOP deployments...

Can you share any more about this? I'd love to know more about what partner initiatives there are around this and the requirements, etc.

dynamik

Claymoore wrote: »

but I passed

And I don't think any of us are surprised

Congrats all the same though

Claymoore

astorrs wrote: »

Congrats on the pass, I took this one during beta and I know what you mean about stretching some of the sections.


Can you share any more about this? I'd love to know more about what partner initiatives there are around this and the requirements, etc.

It's a POC packaged service from Microsoft like the Desktop Deployment Planning Services (DDPS), Exchange Deployment Planning Services (EDPS), and Application Compatibility Factory (ACF). The client either uses days from their EA, their own money, or MS pays for it with BIF funding. MDOP information and the POC requirements are over on the MS partner site and the Connect site.

https://partner.microsoft.com/global/40043418
https://connect.microsoft.com/mdop?wa=wsignin1.0

I have delivered several ACF engagements and we are pursuing more MDOP POC opportunities. I am supposed to tag along on a couple of MDOP POCs next month where we have a couple of local ACF/MDOPs scheduled back-to-back, but I may get pulled off those and put in charge of one of the large Windows 7 deployments whose proposals and SOWs I worked on last week instead of studying. 2 of the proposals were for companies where I previously delivered ACFs, which is one of the reasons the bosses are happy with my POC work.

Claymoore

dynamik wrote: »

And I don't think any of us are surprised

Congrats all the same though

Thanks!

I needed a break after taking two exams in a day, so the wife and I headed over to Orlando afterwards. I hope that whomever reads the comment I wrote on the last question of the 669 beta has a little laugh:

"I just took the Desktop Virtualization beta exam - now I'm going to DisneyWorld!"