ERPadmin's MCITP:EA Experiences

erpadmin

Well, after about a month of dealing with some personal issues (my house had caught an electrical fire and it put a damper on studying time...dealing with insurance, getting architects to change structure, dealing with general contractors begging for my business because it's an insurance job, etc) I've jumped back on the horse in continuing my 70-642 studies. While I've been working with LabSims and taking notes, I've also decided to take advantage of uCertify's test preps deals. I should have bought all 5, but in case they don't pan out, I just got two of them (70-642 and the 70-640). What I like about them vs. Transcenders (at this point) is that I have a whole year (not going to take that long) to work through their products and pass. Worst case scenario is that if I fail, I get my money back. I figure it's a no-risk deal and should my friends from Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai (I still like Bombay though...) or wherever my uCertify friends are located decide to get cute with their pass guarantee, my credit card company will get busy with them, as I have their current guarantee printed to a PDF file right now. So assuming I restart tonight and spend each night working on it until December, hopefully I can still get that MCTS before the end of the year. I still have my Labsim and Sybex guides (plus the whole Internet and you guys), so it isn't like I'll be using just one source. But it's very important for me to get the EA out of the way so I can concentrate on killing off the rest of my WGU classes. The EA is my only bottleneck (as I can see) to finishing my degree quickly. Once that's done, everything else is gonna fly. So if I start my first exam next month, I'm shooting for spring to have the 70-680 done.

Well, gonna check the email to see if I got my license code and then I'll get busy.

Excellent1

erpadmin wrote: »

Well, after about a month of dealing with some personal issues (my house had caught an electrical fire and it put a damper on studying time...dealing with insurance, getting architects to change structure, dealing with general contractors begging for my business because it's an insurance job, etc) I've jumped back on the horse in continuing my 70-642 studies. While I've been working with LabSims and taking notes, I've also decided to take advantage of uCertify's test preps deals. I should have bought all 5, but in case they don't pan out, I just got two of them (70-642 and the 70-640). What I like about them vs. Transcenders (at this point) is that I have a whole year (not going to take that long) to work through their products and pass. Worst case scenario is that if I fail, I get my money back. I figure it's a no-risk deal and should my friends from Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai (I still like Bombay though...) or wherever my uCertify friends are located decide to get cute with their pass guarantee, my credit card company will get busy with them, as I have their current guarantee printed to a PDF file right now. So assuming I restart tonight and spend each night working on it until December, hopefully I can still get that MCTS before the end of the year. I still have my Labsim and Sybex guides (plus the whole Internet and you guys), so it isn't like I'll be using just one source. But it's very important for me to get the EA out of the way so I can concentrate on killing off the rest of my WGU classes. The EA is my only bottleneck (as I can see) to finishing my degree quickly. Once that's done, everything else is gonna fly. So if I start my first exam next month, I'm shooting for spring to have the 70-680 done.

Well, gonna check the email to see if I got my license code and then I'll get busy.

Sounds like you've had a rough time of it the last few weeks--sorry to hear that. Hope everything is getting back in order. I've had relatives that have gone through a fire, and that's a huge deal, so I hope you and yours are doing well.

As for the EA, it's on my horizon in the next term, so I understand where you're coming from on finishing that up. Once it's done, the rest really is pretty smooth sailing. Best of luck on knocking it out soon, but I'm sure you'll be fine. You have the background, and, more importantly, the mindset needed to knock it out.

As for me, I may very well end up not making it through it. I don't have the background that many of you do, so I'm looking forward to and dreading the MS certs at the same time. If all else fails, I'll swap to a basic IT degree, but I'm going to try it first.

Either way, I'm looking forward to reading more about your trip through it. Keep us posted.

erpadmin

Excellent1 wrote: »

Sounds like you've had a rough time of it the last few weeks--sorry to hear that. Hope everything is getting back in order. I've had relatives that have gone through a fire, and that's a huge deal, so I hope you and yours are doing well.

As for the EA, it's on my horizon in the next term, so I understand where you're coming from on finishing that up. Once it's done, the rest really is pretty smooth sailing. Best of luck on knocking it out soon, but I'm sure you'll be fine. You have the background, and, more importantly, the mindset needed to knock it out.

As for me, I may very well end up not making it through it. I don't have the background that many of you do, so I'm looking forward to and dreading the MS certs at the same time. If all else fails, I'll swap to a basic IT degree, but I'm going to try it first.

Either way, I'm looking forward to reading more about your trip through it. Keep us posted.

Glad to hear that your relatives are ok. Did the fire consume the house, or can they go back in? Good thing is no one died (on their end and mine). Now it's just the process of rebuilding and dealing with the headache that is insurance.

I considered dealing with the regular IT track, the Business degree with the IT focus and of course the track I'm in now. The regular track would have had me go through a similar experience as Alif's, but of course I'd have had to do a major MS cert like the EA on my own. I wouldn't have felt motivated to get that done if I didn't have a mental gun to my head. (That's how I was able to do Security+ before the end of the year...lol). The Business degree would have been (IMO) a waste of time. I am better of getting an Masters in that which just looks better. The NDM has the word "Management" in it...plus I was supposed to have had a MCSE a long time ago...we're talking the NT 4.0 days. But I was too chicken and drunk to bother with it. I cared more about partying than I did in advancing my career or studies...I was happy that I had a job that could afford me that crazy lifestyle.

Now of course, I grew up. I'm at a stable point in my life where I'm able to finish a degree...plus get that MCSE-like certification. I bought a server to lab on (which I will use as a tax deduction... ), and I have a bunch of (non-braindump) materials at my disposal to earn that certification (which are mentioned in this thread).

I am working on the 70-642 now, but if you need something to start, go with the 70-640...AD is the easiest to learn. I have a networking background, that's why I'm starting with the 642 then jumping back to the 640 before I go sequentially (643, 647 and then the 680 with the 646 thrown in the mix so I can have the SA too... ).

If you need help, give a shout. We're all here to help, brother. This major can be done.

earweed

Yeah if you don't have sever experience you need to start with the 640 and learn it really well. You'll see a lot of certificate services and Group Policy later so the better you learn them for the 640 the better off you'll be. If you're worried about not having a server background I don't either. It makes it hard but not impossible. You just need to lab a lot more.

za3bour

I'm sorry about your house incident and I wish you good luck with your exam. I've had some problems as well lately which might prevent me from finishing the damn 70-647 in 2010 but I hope I just have enough time to.

Excellent1

erpadmin wrote: »

I am working on the 70-642 now, but if you need something to start, go with the 70-640...AD is the easiest to learn. I have a networking background, that's why I'm starting with the 642 then jumping back to the 640 before I go sequentially (643, 647 and then the 680 with the 646 thrown in the mix so I can have the SA too... ).

If you need help, give a shout. We're all here to help, brother. This major can be done.

I appreciate the advice and the encouragement. Regarding your situation, you may have had the party lifestyle at one point, but you're certainly on track now. From your posts it is obvious that you are disciplined and capable, so I'm sure you'll be successful.

As for the MS exams, as earweed advised, I'll be labbing a lot to try to truly understand what I'm doing. I will have several different resources that I will use to prepare, but like you, that doesn't include ****.

The way I look at it, if I can't do it without doing it legitimately, I don't deserve it. I know that's cliched, but I just feel really strongly about it. I know and accept that there are those that take those shortcuts, just as I know there are people I work with now that spend 90% of their time surfing the internet or otherwise being lazy and essentially defrauding our employer of their money. I refuse to be one of those people, even though I certainly have the opportunity to be one of them at work. Not trying to sound like I'm on some kind of moral highhorse, but I've been blessed (or cursed) with a fairly strict conscience and I hate knowing I've taken the easy way out of anything.

Anyway, it's all good. If I can't hack it, that's a good thing. I'd rather find out now than to be put in a position where other people are depending on me and not being able to carry my weight.

To kind of get this back on topic, if you get a chance, I'd appreciate it if you would post whatever lab setups you're using and what vm software, etc, that you're using. As WGU students, I think we have pretty much all the major vm software available (MS, vmware, etc) along with free options like virtualbox, so I think it'd be interesting to see exactly how you're structuring your labs for the exams.

Good luck on your preparations!

earweed

Thought I'd bump this up so you can find it easier as I found it while searching for something else I remebered from a while back that I wanted to look at.
Hopefully you'll be starting on these studies soon once the math and science are out of the way. I don't see this set of exams being a real bootleneck for you since you already have a lot of server experience. Most people with experience sail through these with ease.

erpadmin

Well, I have gotten smacked back into reality.


After getting rid of the general education requirements for WGU, plus the CIW Javascript exam, I can now fully devote my study efforts on the MCITP:EA (and SA, thanks to both my free Dreamspark voucher, I can take the 646 for free.)

I had to switch gears though, and devote study time to the 70-640. I feel very confident in taking the exam I plan on scheduling it for May 20 @ 9AM. My WGU gave me my voucher. There seems to be some problem with the Prometric site though, or more likely my user ID. I can't seem to sign in to schedule the exam, so I'll give them a call first thing tomorrow before I go to work.

I have spent time prepping for the 70-640 as I wanted to read the new Sybex guide. I have also used uCertify lightly (never went past the diagnostic exams.

I've also been reading Claymoore's sticky:

http://www.techexams.net/forums/mcts-mcitp-windows-2008-general/42880-70-640-resources.html

Finally, decided to up the ante, and get me Transcenders to really get comfortable. (BTW, I use RTEK2000 to buy my Transcenders...they are an official reseller for the Transcenders and I've never had a problem with them. The only thing is that you have to wait hours before getting your download. If I order at night, I usually get it before noon the next day.

I am starting to get good at ignoring the fluff in the questions and get to the damn point. The Sybex book is really good as an overview, but I'm not seeing it as comprehensive. That's why we have Technet and Mastering 2008 R2 (which I do own, but I'm using that more as a reference guide than cert-prep).

Wish me luck guys....this will be my first MS exam....ever! (Was too chicken for NT 4, and didn't want to **** like so many folks did.) To be honest, I'm still a bit scared of MS exams, but I'm hoping that goes away after I take (and pass) my first one.

Essendon

You'll do fine man. How I prep - watch the CBT Nuggets on a topic, read TechNet and lab. Rinse and repeat. In the days leading up to the test I go over my notes and any topics I think I need brushing up. This has served me well. TechNet is your friend! Wish you lots of luck!

EDIT : Are you taking the 83-640 or has this format been suspended for now?

erpadmin

Essendon wrote: »

You'll do fine man. How I prep - watch the CBT Nuggets on a topic, read TechNet and lab. Rinse and repeat. In the days leading up to the test I go over my notes and any topics I think I need brushing up. This has served me well. TechNet is your friend! Wish you lots of luck!

EDIT : Are you taking the 83-640 or has this format been suspended for now?

It appears that it's the 70-640 (in my case the 73-640, because it's an educational voucher). The 83-640 has been suspended for quite sometime as the P-II through P4 machines that are still in use at many Prometric sites cannot handle the simulations.

And thank you, I will be invoking Labsim for your suggestion (comes with my WGU tuition, and I feel I've spent enough....)

MickQ

Erp, I'm looking forward to welcoming you to the world of MCITPs. Don't let me down

earweed

Erp,
I'm sure you'll do fine. I used the 83-640 Labsim (I took the 83-640 version of the exam) and found it really useful. WGU didn't provide it back then so it was out of my pocket. Be sure to read over the objectives and do some studying on the new technologies MS is testing on.

erpadmin

Well, my TE sabbatical is over...I passed the 640 with a 740!!!


This was my second attempt and Labsim (testout), Technet, uCertify and Transcenders helped me out. From the score report, I blew DNS out of the water, and my weakest area was Certificate Services.

I didn't blow it out of the park, but with everything else going with work and personal life, I was just happy that this exam is out of the way. This is what helped me out:


1) Putting on those ear plugs. I got to really concentrate.

2) READING every word in every sentence...looking for those clues as to what MS wanted.

3) Skipping a question I wasn't sure of and then going back to it when I went through the last question. If I was sure I knew the answer, I answered it rightfully.

Technet really did help me out...especially with the commands like repadmin and dnscmd. I look forward to knocking out the other 4 MCITP:EA exams now. I feel this experience will best prepare me for the SQL Server exams when I take those "for fun".

At some point tonight, I'm getting a beer.

Webmaster

Congratulations and welcome back!

Essendon

Well done buddy!! You onto the 642 next?

Hypntick

Woo hoo! Grats sir!

Welcome back, had a feeling you were studying pretty intently for this one.

erpadmin

Webmaster wrote: »

Congratulations and welcome back!

Thanks !

Essendon wrote: »

Well done buddy!! You onto the 642 next?

Yup, going straight down the line. 642, 643, 647 and 680..I will definitely leave the 680 for dead last. The adventure continues.....

Essendon

That's the "right", most logical path. Wish you luck! Try not to have too much of a gap between exams, you know how they all tie in with each other. Knock 'em out while it's all fresh in your brain cells.

erpadmin

Essendon wrote: »

That's the "right", most logical path. Wish you luck! Try not to have too much of a gap between exams, you know how they all tie in with each other. Knock 'em out while it's all fresh in your brain cells.

Shooting for end of August for the 642. Looking forward to it since DNS was my strongest suit in the 640 exam. I have no choice anyway since I get vouchers through WGU.

N2IT

erpadmin wrote: »

Shooting for end of August for the 642. Looking forward to it since DNS was my strongest suit in the 640 exam. I have no choice anyway since I get vouchers through WGU.

ERP

I totally missed this thread. Awesome job with those MCTS!

Way to make TechExam proud.

Good luck on your future exams!

erpadmin

N2IT wrote: »

ERP

I totally missed this thread. Awesome job with those MCTS!

Way to make TechExam proud.

Good luck on your future exams!

So far it's just one, but thanks brother. I'm just glad I got at least one out of the way...working on the next one as I type this.

MentholMoose

erpadmin wrote: »

Well, my TE sabbatical is over...I passed the 640 with a 740!!!

Congrats! Good luck on 642, as someone else mentioned don't wait too long since they build on each other.

N2IT

erpadmin wrote: »

So far it's just one, but thanks brother. I'm just glad I got at least one out of the way...working on the next one as I type this.

I can see into the future!

Either way I am sure you will do just fine. Keep us posted I'm excited about all that you have accomplished!

N2IT

MentholMoose wrote: »

Congrats! Good luck on 642, as someone else mentioned don't wait too long since they build on each other.

I don't think we have to worry about ERP. He will bang them all out rather quickly if I had to guess.

With that said I know what you mean. If they build off each other might as well bang them out!

Which reminds me I have an ITIL exam to schedule. I failed the first go around lol

erpadmin

I just ordered the 70-642 MS Press Second Edition that mentions R2. I had two B&N gift cards so this book will be free. Hitting LabSim in the meantime.

N2IT

erpadmin wrote: »

I just ordered the 70-642 MS Press Second Edition that mentions R2. I had two B&N gift cards so this book will be free. Hitting LabSim in the meantime.

The machine!

earweed

Congrats on the pass!

rogue2shadow

Keep that eye on the prize! Congrats on the MCTS. I was also wondering what happened to this thread lol.

simtech

Congrats on the pass!

erpadmin

Posting this from the phone...PASSED 70-642! A good lot of RRAS, Radius, DFS, command line tools. The longest wait ever, but I got a 780 for my trouble. Now I can finish up my Capstone and start on the 643. We're on track. Will do the update to my list and sig when I get home. What helped me pass was technet and the MS Press book, 2nd edition. Now I will use Books 24x7 for the remainder.