Starting to prep for 70-640 and MCITP run

mguernsey

A little back-story about me - I have a BS in Education, as well as A+, Network+ and Security+ certifications. I've got 2 years experience doing Helpdesk and 3 years (and counting) experience doing Desktop Support. Naturally I want to continue advancing in IT and view getting my MCITP:EA as the next step in in becoming a Systems Admin.

In preparation for the MCITP I bought the MS Press Self-Paced Training Kit back in March, not realizing that MS was going to be updating the test to include the R2 content. Can I get by with using Edition 1 of the Training Kit without getting hammered by the testing software, or should I just go ahead and bite the bullet and get the Second Edition of the Training Kit?

I already have the Sybex study guide by William Panek that has the R2 content, as well as the 70-640 cert guide by Don Poulton that was recommended here. Anything else I should consider or should I be good for the 70-640 test for right now?

Thanks!

simtech

I read the 2nd edition, but my mentor at school also sent the link below for R2 update.

http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/C/0/5C0BD0AB-040D-4C56-A60B-661001012DDA/Windows_Server_2008_R2_e-book.pdf

Hope this helps. Don't forget to lab, lab, lab......

Krunchi

Microsoft likes to show off their new shinny goodies that they add in a new OS/NOS so they like for you to know what those new shinny things are what they do and how to use them so the R2 version of a study book is a must have because you'll get a good chunk of question's on the new stuff.

ptilsen

It will really depend on your experience. I studied for the 70-648 (which combines 70-640 and 70-642 material) using the first edition book from MS Press. I studied hard for a few weeks, reading through each chapter and taking practice exams. A week or so before my test, I read through the relevant sections of the Introducing Windows Server 2008 R2 PDF linked above. I took a few R2 practice exams, then passed the test on the first try.

However, I have a moderate amount of experience using Server 2008 and a whole lot of experience using Server 2008 R2. What I was really learning was what I missed by skipping from 2003 to 2008 R2. My experience may have been a significant factor. Still, if you study the first edition material hard and then study the relevant Introducing R2 material, you will probably be able to pass. If you do not have much experiencing working with either operating system you will need to lab a lot of it regardless of what book you read.

Overall, I think you will be safe to not spend anymore money and study material. But a good practice exam is a must for MS certs, as the practice questions both show you your strong areas and knowledge gaps and also show you what you might not realized you missed in the study material.

ptilsen

But to repeat myself and others: Lab it up if you don't work with it regularly right now, and study the R2 material. Without violating NDA, I will say there were a lot of answers dependent on the differences between Server 2003, 2008, 2008 R2, and any combination thereof. The Windows 7 test does the same with XP, Vista, and 7, and this is Microsoft standard operating procedure. The tests are often 20-30% knowing what features have changed and how they have changed.