Hola! Finally getting into gear towards MCITP:EA

IDB

Hi all,

I've been lurking for a short time, and have finally signed up so I just thought I'd introduce myself.

I'm a freelancer, specialising in Microsoft tecnologies - and mainly focusing on Active Directory infrastructures - archtiecting, implementing, migrating, documenting, creating process, handover to BAU, etc... And all of the associated technologies and services that go hand-in-hand with AD and AD projects...

I'm a techie and a geek so can also get by with the various principles of many different technologies and products - and hold my own if I've got to with a bit of Unix, Linux, etc...

I've been in the IT industry for about ten and a half years now - and for a long time have really been focusing on project based work. I've been fortunate enough to have some great contracts that keep my skills up-to-date and the jobs exciting.

I never got round to being certified... Slacker that I am - it's always something I've been meaning to do, but my experience, CV and previous employers have stood me in good ground - and never really had a problem once I've been in the interviewing room. Working on some hefty projects up until now, I've found myself working long and tiresome hours, and doing a lot of travelling for work - and haven't put (or had) the time to getting certified.

I've excused myself through the NT4, 2000 and 2003 MCSEs, but now I have the time and am doing a lot less work travelling the excuses are gone and I want my certs...! I've finally started to get my rear end into gear to sit my exams and get my MCITP:EA cert sorted.

I've started going through the study guides for 70-640 I've found that I'm flying through the material and it all seems pretty down-pat already. I've only spent a couple of hours so far but think I'll be ready for the exam within a week or two, time permitting with work and home commitments. I guess Microsoft's right when they say that it's the real world experience of their technologies/products that count!

Anyway, that's a bit about me and my background... I look forward to chatting and discussing all things certs with you all...

Iain.

earweed

Welcome to TE!
It's nice to have anotherknowledgable professional around to answer my questions. Enjoy your time here.

gateway

Welcome aboard!
Nice introduction. Good luck with your studies

za3bour

Welcome and good luck , exams are easy if you do have a lot of experience only few questions will be tricky but don't underestimate ms exams sometimes they could be really hard.

Two weeks is enough if you do have the experience but make sure to get familiar with Microsoft exams because they don't look like anything else I think.

IDB

Thanks for the welcomes.

Yup - don't get me wrong, I may have a lot of experience but I'm also aware that the textbook objectives are what are tested... As I go through study materials I'll see how I feel about the info - and then sit mocks / Transcenders and the like to see if I am ready before actually going into the exam room.

I have had a little exposure to MS exams... Well, one exam! I did sit an MCP exam a while ago (actually scary though - it's got to be 10 years!). I didn't really do any revision for it, and just sat it because I had planned to do my 2k MCSE and my employer needed to keep their quota of certified staff up for renewal of their MS Gold Partner status. Sat the 2k Pro exam cold, scored 960 (and knew the questions I got wrong - but chose to submit them almost as a protest because of the way the questions were worded).... It was a pretty straightforward exam though and I'm not expecting the current exams to be as straightforward.

Hoping to do the 70-640 sooner rather than later though!

earweed

If you have experience then I might recommend that you do the 70-642 first. A lot of people here have found it beneficial (if experienced) to take the 642 first. If you take the 640 first then look at the DNS in the 642 book while studying for the 640 as that helped me.

IDB

Thanks for the suggestion earweed, I'll take a look...

earweed

I'm from near Birmingham, Alabama, USA so we're kind of in sister cities. I'm constantly getting Birmingham UK results in my job searches.
The 70-640 was until recently the 83-640 which had a performance section where you would log into a server and perform tasks. That type of test may have been even easier for you than just the straightforward multiple choice type.
From what I've heard and seen the MS tests for the Server 2008 are more straightforward than the 2k3tests were. Most of the questions are straightforward and not long and wordy.
I'm taking the 70-643 test in 2 weeks but I'm not experienced like you as my only server experience is with my servers on the home lab. I've got 2K8 R2 with hyper-V to run my labs on now. I'd previously run them all on VMWare workstation but I'm learning a lot more working with Hyper-V. I'm running it on a box I built myself with Corei5 processor and 4 HD's (installed so many HD's so I could practice the storage section for the 643) and recently upgraded from 4GB to 12GB so I have a pretty robust home lab.

texasit

The MCITP is not very difficult but its time consuming. I don't think you will have too much trouble passing the tests but one thing to remember is you need to learn microsoft's way of doing things or you will get some alot of wrong answers.