Training Suggestion?

pixelperson1

Greetings,

During the past few months I have been reading and studying Windows 7. My work has just upgraded part of our business to Win 7 and we will begin to look at upgrading the rest later this spring. Plus we will probably be moving to Server 2008 sometime in the early summer.

I know there are a couple of good books out there. But during my training for my other Certs I learned that the best method is to set up a lab. (At home or at work)

I have seen adverts for Train Signal, CBT Nuggets, Transcenders, etc. What suggestions would anyone on this forum have for training, labs, videos, or what ever? Also I just recently picked up an email that Prep Logic is offering a "MCITP Cloud Classroom." Any thoughts on which way is best when studying and preparing for the 70-680 and the rest of the MCITP exams?

All suggestions would be welcome.

mezeker

Hello,

I am in the same boat. I am currently reading MCTS Windows 7 Configuring 70-680 study guide and using CBT Nuggets for my video training. It also helped that I upgraded about 400 to 500 computers at my last job just recently from Windows XP SP3 to Windows 7 on new Dell Opx 980 computers.

I would suggest that you know how to performance the actions in each of what is listed on the objective.

If you need a study buddy let me know as I take my exam next week Friday.

RobertKaucher

I agree about the lab setup. And I think the money best spent is on things that you can reuse (like a test PC). Videos are great, especially if work can foot the bill for you. But they are best for learning conceptual things, much less for the gritty details you need to cover once you have some experience. If you know what DNS is and how it works, no CBT Nugget video is going to help you except to review. you have to get into the details via a lab to really get the details worked into your mind.

Books are great as well, but there is nothing in the MS Press books that cannot be found on the Internet (TechNet,etc). So in my opinion, if you are going to spend $700 on some videos, why not put that money to a new PC? I just don't feel I get as much out of videos as I do hardware which can be reused for nearly any cert.

Although work has paid for AppDev subscription for me and I am using that, but I could not manage to spend my own money on that...

pixelperson1

Real good thoughts. I am in the process of building a test PC. Plus I have just completed installing Server 2003 on an Dell Server that I picked up at a auction.

Have you heard about the "MCITP Cloud Classroom?" Prep Logic is promoting it. Just wondering if you have any thoughts about it.

Thanks!

earweed

Good start but you'd be better served to install Server 2008 R2 on that server in order to access all the features you'll be studying.

Louie77

I'm about to order my material for studing my cert. I'm also getting a book, and the cbt video for it. I have one workstation at home that's XP plus my laptop.

Hopefully the lab setup will be easy, and straight forward. I learn better with watching videos plus also hands training.