How much time for the 70-643

I just started studying for the 643 and was wondering how much time others who have done this test put in.
I'm using the MS Press Training Kit, TrainSignal, and I'll be using Transcender. Labbing as much as I can so I'll learn the material the right way.
I'm also going to be using Claymoore's sticky thread for extra resources.

So far I'm doing ok with learning deployment and activation. I've barely scratched the surface on the hard stuuf for this exam.

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Essendon

I'd say it could take you from 1-3 months, depending on whether you use 2008 at work, your learning speed and retaining the material. It took me about 3 months because we dont use 2008 at work just yet (we should have it soon hopefully) and study took a bit of a backseat due to work and family reasons.

I'll give you a few tips that I took away from my preparation and two stabs at the exam. You should really lab up everything you possibly can. I didnt have a 64 bit computer so couldnt lab up Hyper-V at all and I couldnt find any vurtual labs either. So I watched Conrad's Hyper-V nugget more than a few times and read Technet and made notes along the way. You should absolutely know Terminal Services Gateway and anything to do with SSL certificates. Lab up IIS extensively too, absolutely know the command line way of configuring IIS. If something in Terminal Services can be done using GPO's, lab it and know it well.

Reading material: I have stopped using the MS books for the exams now, I only read the blueprint and read Technet and lab it up. I watch the Nuggets first for a primer and then read Technet and lab up as I go. I have read the Serve 2008 Unleashed book here and there and it's not a bad resource. The Resource Kit for 2008 is pretty good too.

HTH.

Hyper-Me

2.5 weeks of about 3 hours a day. I did 1.5 weeks initially and failed (underestimated the test) and put in another week and then passed it.

GagHalfrunt

I would advise dumping the TrainSignal one for a start. It's way too shallow for this exam IMO

texasit

I took 6 weeks to study for this exam and every other exam prior to it.I would say make sure you know terminal server and IIS well.Alot of people seem to think this is the "beast" of the MCITP EA track,The beast for me was the 646 I had some difficult questions on that one.The 643 I would say was properly the second hardest.I used the cbt nuggets for this test and I found it too be pretty good.good luck

veritas_libertas

Hyper-Me wrote: »

2.5 weeks of about 3 hours a day. I did 1.5 weeks initially and failed (underestimated the test) and put in another week and then passed it.

You are not typical when it comes to MS exams

netBooger

I did it in a month. I didn't feel ready when I went and took it but wanted to use the second shot before it ran out. I took my test a week before the Second shot was supposed to end.

I ended up passing first try with a 746. I though for sure I failed it, and I would consider one of if not the hardest MS test I have taken.

earweed

I'm probably going to take over 2 months at the rate I'm going so far. My work schedule and family obligations is going to make it hard to do in a short period of time. I'll probably take the exam the first part of September.

earweed

I'm gonna take my time with this test. I'll be at the 50% mark by next week. That's being ready for the Deploying Servers and Configuring Terminal Services sections. I'm reading the MS Press book and the Sybex study guide. I'm also testing with the measure up and examfarce (each domain as I go) and saving my Transcender until review time.
I also have IT Academy which is actually very good for this course, the labs are more challenging than the labs in the MS Press book. I'm doing extra labbing on each objective after finishing it as the labbing helps me to remember better. I actually created a "server farm" for the TS studies (only 3 servers) and practicing with that.
I was using Trainsignal but it was useless, returned it for a refund and even got to keep the Transcender.

beany101

This test is hard. I took it this morning and passed but it was definetly the hardest one I have done on the MCSA 2003 - MCITP:EA track. Take your time - when you think a detail is too intricate for this exam - it might well not be so good luck to you all studying it.

That said, once you've done the studying, the practice questions aren't as bad - so good luck, study hard and you'll get there.

earweed

Congrats on passing this test. I've heard it's the MCITP equivalent of "the beast" and I'm treating it as such. Studying harder and taking more notes than for any previous exam.

Hyper-Me

It's definitely the hardest of the MCITP tests. Then again I think 647 was one of the easiest, lol.

beany101

Thanks earweed, yes, certianly glad to get it out the way - notes were my way of remembering too - keep it up!!!!! Are you going for MCITP:EA too? If so, how much further have you got to go?

texasit

Maybe its just me but I don't think the 643 should be considered the beast of the MCITP track.I took it and I didn't find it easy but it wasn't super hard I personally found the 646 to be the most difficult out of my MCITP SA/EA track.Out of the 5 for the EA cert I think the 642 was the most difficult. As long as you study well you should be able to pass.

earweed

beany101 wrote: »

Thanks earweed, yes, certianly glad to get it out the way - notes were my way of remembering too - keep it up!!!!! Are you going for MCITP:EA too? If so, how much further have you got to go?

Going for the MCITP:EA I have the 643 and the 647 left.
I would have blazed through TS while stuying it but I want to learn the command line for it and I'm setting up my own lab scenarios to test what I've learned. I have a small (3 VMs) server farm set up and I'm gonna use my PC and 2 VM's on my PC as clients

Maybe its just me but I don't think the 643 should be considered the beast of the MCITP track.I took it and I didn't find it easy but it wasn't super hard I personally found the 646 to be the most difficult out of my MCITP SA/EA track.Out of the 5 for the EA cert I think the 642 was the most difficult. As long as you study well you should be able to pass.

I'm really hoping the 70-642 is the hardest and my lowest scoring test. I made a 700 on that test..lol

texasit

hey 700 is passing thats what matters.I got a 700 on 643 and 800 on the 642 which is crazy cause the 642 seemed harder.Good luck on the test.

beany101

Yea, agreed with texasit, a pass is a pass - I got 700 on the 70-680 I think, that one was quite hard too!!

Cant wait for the exams to be over now, I did the MCSA-MCITP:EA track, 8 exams, have one more to go now - 70-647.....and a holiday in one month........!

earweed

The 700 Club is awesome!!

Devilsbane

earweed wrote: »

The 700 Club is awesome!!

I'm sure the 699 club isn't so good.

za3bour

642 wasn't that tough at all for me I'm hearing more that 643 is the toughest.