MCTS SQL SERVER 2k8

Bl8ckr0uter

Has anyone here done 70-432? Anybody care to share their experience and how they felt about the overall exam as far as experience level required for the exam, difficult and what they used to study (without breaking NDA of course)?

erpadmin

Bl8ckr0uter wrote: »

Has anyone here done 70-432? Anybody care to share their experience and how they felt about the overall exam as far as experience level required for the exam, difficult and what they used to study (without breaking NDA of course)?

Before you start chasing a cert you may/may not take, you may want to check this book out:

Amazon.com: SQL Server 2005 DBA Street Smarts: A Real World Guide to SQL Server 2005 Certification Skills (9780470083499): Joseph L. Jorden: Books

Yes, it's SQL Server 2005 and not 2008 (hopefully he'll update it), but it's a really good book on getting your feet wet with SQL Server...and from what I've seen on 2008, there is very little difference in how it's administered. It would make a very nice jump start for you before you really get serious on pursuing a SS2K8 cert. (I liked it for 2K5)

Otherwise, you could check these out (when I start getting into 2K8, I'll purchase them myself) [that last book might definitely help you out the best though, coupled with the Pocket Consultant]:

Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: SQL Server 2008 Administration: Real-World Skills for MCITP Certification and Beyond (Exams 70-432 and 70-450)

Amazon.com: Microsoft(R) SQL Server(R) 2008 Administrator's Pocket Consultant (9780735627383): William R. Stanek: Books

Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: SQL Server 2008 Administration in Action

RobertKaucher

If you are considering this I would suggest the MCITP Server Admin exams first.

I took the upgrade - but it has 1/2 of its question base as the 432. I would say it is a decent entry level exam to show that the candidate has at least good Jr. level SQL Server skills. If you work with SQL Server a lot it will be easy to prep. If you do not, it will require at least 3 months of serious study - provided you have the server admin skills.

We will bring you to the darkside, K. Just give up and take the MS track....

Bl8ckr0uter

RobertKaucher wrote: »

If you are considering this I would suggest the MCITP Server Admin exams first.

I took the upgrade - but it has 1/2 of its question base as the 432. I would say it is a decent entry level exam to show that the candidate has at least good Jr. level SQL Server skills. If you work with SQL Server a lot it will be easy to prep. If you do not, it will require at least 3 months of serious study - provided you have the server admin skills.

We will bring you to the darkside, K. Just give up and take the MS track....

All three of them? Are you suggesting that because of some concepts are the same? I am somewhat thinking of doing the MCITP:EA instead of SA. I don't think I'll be able to get it all done next year but I think that the extra test I would have to take (for SA) would be better spent on something like a SQL elective.

I always did want to be a Sith...

erpadmin

Bl8ckr0uter wrote: »

All three of them? Are you suggesting that because of some concepts are the same? I am somewhat thinking of doing the MCITP:EA instead of SA. I don't think I'll be able to get it all done next year but I think that the extra test I would have to take (for SA) would be better spent on something like a SQL elective.

I always did want to be a Sith...

You could do both...assuming you did do the MCITP:EA track, then you'd only need one test (the 646) and you'd have both of them--the 2008 equivalent of the MCSE/MCSA. The 646 and all 2008 SQL exams would be what I'd do in 2011 assuming I do in fact knock out all my required EA.

Assuming you just want to do SQL, the books I posted earlier should get you started...

RobertKaucher

So long as you have the server admin skills, the exams are not required, obviously. I'd just make sure you know your stuff on that side of things. The MCITP EA would be fine, as far as I am concerned.

erpadmin

RobertKaucher wrote: »

So long as you have the server admin skills, the exams are not required, obviously. I'd just make sure you know your stuff on that side of things. The MCITP EA would be fine, as far as I am concerned.

No doubt, but I kinda like that (at least in my case) it'd be one extra test to take for a major cert. If I can swing it, I'll try to knock to knock that out too...and then of course the SQL exams (by then I should be in the full swing of my Emperor Palpatine-like powers.....lmao).

RobertKaucher

erpadmin wrote: »

No doubt, but I kinda like that (at least in my case) it'd be one extra test to take for a major cert. If I can swing it, I'll try to knock to knock that out too...and then of course the SQL exams (by then I should be in the full swing of my Emperor Palpatine-like powers.....lmao).

Change your name to EmpAdmin...

Xcluziv

RobertKaucher wrote: »

If you are considering this I would suggest the MCITP Server Admin exams first.

I took the upgrade - but it has 1/2 of its question base as the 432. I would say it is a decent entry level exam to show that the candidate has at least good Jr. level SQL Server skills. If you work with SQL Server a lot it will be easy to prep. If you do not, it will require at least 3 months of serious study - provided you have the server admin skills.

We will bring you to the darkside, K. Just give up and take the MS track....

So if i haven't persued any SQL Server certs yet, I should start out with MCITP: SA 2K8?

shon541

Xcluziv wrote: »

So if i haven't persued any SQL Server certs yet, I should start out with MCITP: SA 2K8?

That would be best. The 2005 exams are being retired next year.

Retiring SQL Server 2005, Visual Studio 2005, and BizTalk Server 2006 exams - Born to Learn - Born To Learn - Born to Learn

RobertKaucher

Xcluziv wrote: »

So if i haven't persued any SQL Server certs yet, I should start out with MCITP: SA 2K8?

I know you've read my other message to you in the Dev Forum, so I am just including this for others who might read it.

If your intention on learning SQL Server is to manage a SQL Server infrastructure - even if it is just a single machine with a single instance of SQL Server then you should at least have the skills required for the MCITP: Server Admin certification. I believe the MCITP: SA and DBA 2008 certs are complementary in many respects for Production DBAs.

If you have a desire to improve your T-SQL, for whatever reason, then you should look at the 70-433 and the MCITP DB Developer. While there are some administrative objectives on the 70-433 there are far more objectives regarding T-SQL and Relational Database design and implementation. The Production DBA can grow her skills and understanding of SQL Server by doing the MCITP DB Developer exams, but she should first take the MCITP: DBA exams. These exams are probably overkill on management and configuration for developers who wish to get to know SQL Server better. If the developer is trying to expand and take on a DBA role, then the MCITP: DBA exams would be constructive. Otherwise, MCITP: DB Developer is the way to go for devs.

LCA

RobertKaucher wrote: »

If your intention on learning SQL Server is to manage a SQL Server infrastructure - even if it is just a single machine with a single instance of SQL Server then you should at least have the skills required for the MCITP: Server Admin certification. I believe the MCITP: SA and DBA 2008 certs are complementary in many respects for Production DBAs.

As my sig reveals I'm in the very early stages of studying 70-432 and can see the point about having a MCITP:SA or EA level qualification under my belt. As far as that goes I'm only one exam away now (647)........

RobertKaucher

LCA wrote: »

As my sig reveals I'm in the very early stages of studying 70-432 and can see the point about having a MCITP:SA or EA level qualification under my belt. As far as that goes I'm only one exam away now (647)........

Good luck. I could not have passed the SQL Server 2005 exams without having studied for the MCSE and Server+ (never took the Server+).

SteveO86

At the time I had that unlimited training from preplogic and used all their 70-432 material. Fairly long video course, practice tests, audio questions, etc.

I've worked with SQL 05 and 08 at work (created a VM with SQL 08 to bang away on), but I am still by no means going to call myself a master at SQL..

The Exam breakdown sort of helps but it's fairly large of information... When I took my exam, I'd it was more geared to high availability stuff and troubleshooting with SQL commands.

As far my personal experience/opinion it wasn't the easiest material or exam for me.. I'm more content in the world of networking. (hence why I am not going to be pursuing any further SQL certs in the near future.)

I did pick up a lot of useful information though... And if you will be working SQL more and more in the future or will be implementing SQL 08 I'd give the material a run through at least..

Xcluziv

RobertKaucher wrote: »

I know you've read my other message to you in the Dev Forum, so I am just including this for others who might read it.

If your intention on learning SQL Server is to manage a SQL Server infrastructure - even if it is just a single machine with a single instance of SQL Server then you should at least have the skills required for the MCITP: Server Admin certification. I believe the MCITP: SA and DBA 2008 certs are complementary in many respects for Production DBAs.

If you have a desire to improve your T-SQL, for whatever reason, then you should look at the 70-433 and the MCITP DB Developer. While there are some administrative objectives on the 70-433 there are far more objectives regarding T-SQL and Relational Database design and implementation. The Production DBA can grow her skills and understanding of SQL Server by doing the MCITP DB Developer exams, but she should first take the MCITP: DBA exams. These exams are probably overkill on management and configuration for developers who wish to get to know SQL Server better. If the developer is trying to expand and take on a DBA role, then the MCITP: DBA exams would be constructive. Otherwise, MCITP: DB Developer is the way to go for devs.

Thanks for the insight

N2IT

Robert gave you rep but I also wanted to personally thank you for recommending the 70-433 exam.

I ran the practice file script and have been going to town. I am getting better with correlated subqueries and outer joins.

Haven't quite got back to creating views yet, but I am going to get there. Man being in the help desk sucks! You forget all this awesome information.

RobertKaucher

N2IT wrote: »

Robert gave you rep but I also wanted to personally thank you for recommending the 70-433 exam.

I ran the practice file script and have been going to town. I am getting better with correlated subqueries and outer joins.

Haven't quite got back to creating views yet, but I am going to get there. Man being in the help desk sucks! You forget all this awesome information.

I can feel that. What are your objectives as far as learning?

LCA

I'm just starting serious study of 432 now that I've got the MCITP:EA under my belt. I probably will never get into the database dev side of things but I do want to have a good skill level in doing admin and maintenance in SQL Server. By my reckoning it will take 3 months to get my brain around things so I can pass the exam. So it will be lots of reading and lots and lots of labbing.

RobertKaucher

LCA wrote: »

I'm just starting serious study of 432 now that I've got the MCITP:EA under my belt. I probably will never get into the database dev side of things but I do want to have a good skill level in doing admin and maintenance in SQL Server. By my reckoning it will take 3 months to get my brain around things so I can pass the exam. So it will be lots of reading and lots and lots of labbing.

It took me about 6 months to prep for the MCTS on SQL Server 2005. There was just so much stuff to learn and I was a newly minted MCSE/MCITP:EA - I was sooo sick of studying. But I can say it was rewarding. I think all syst admins need some SQL Server. I'm going to send you a PM... Got a question for you.

N2IT

RobertKaucher wrote: »

I can feel that. What are your objectives as far as learning?

More of a business role. Data Analyst and Data Management. So learning how to filter data in Excel, Access, PL/SQL and T-SQL.

Most of my connections are in Business Objects shops. Dealing with universes and large data warehouses. These shops are also Excel heavy.

There are also some other gigs that are titled application analyst, which require moderate SQL T and PL, along with general knowledge of the .Net framework languages.

RobertKaucher

N2IT wrote: »

More of a business role. Data Analyst and Data Management. So learning how to filter data in Excel, Access, PL/SQL and T-SQL.

Most of my connections are in Business Objects shops. Dealing with universes and large data warehouses. These shops are also Excel heavy.

There are also some other gigs that are titled application analyst, which require moderate SQL T and PL, along with general knowledge of the .Net framework languages.

Have you looked at the BI certifications at all? That might be something for you to conider as well. I think having skills with Excel/PowerPivot, T-SQL, and SSAS could earn you some real $$. And that seems to be in the area you are interested in. I really wish I had the time to learn all the things I want to. I am starting to fragment in my learning too much and I'm not making the progress I would like... ADD sucks, I guess.

N2IT

RobertKaucher wrote: »

Have you looked at the BI certifications at all? That might be something for you to conider as well. I think having skills with Excel/PowerPivot, T-SQL, and SSAS could earn you some real $$. And that seems to be in the area you are interested in. I really wish I had the time to learn all the things I want to. I am starting to fragment in my learning too much and I'm not making the progress I would like... ADD sucks, I guess.

HEHE

Fear not Robert I had the samething happen to me. I was scolded by ERPADMIN, just kidding. But he made his point very gently.

All my books are boxed up unless it has to do with Excel, Access, SQL, or .NET.

Of course I have been reviewing business objects web intelligence (SAP). That's the main tool they use.