Easiest test just to get to become MCTS

[h=1]What's considered the quickest and easiest Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) Cert to take just to get the MCTS title?

Ive been working on Servers and Desktops for about 8 years now and just never sat down to take any exams and get certified. Looking at getting a MeasureUp or Transcender subscription.

Id like to take a simple exam that gets me a cert to begin with so I can get a feel for the MS test/cert process.

Thanks[/h]

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Comments

swild

The quickest/easiest one is the one you already know the most about. Look at 70-680 for desktop if you have ever used deployment solutions. I wouldn't call that test easy, but it may be the easiest if that is what you have experience in. If you have Active Directory experience, look at 70-640.

cyberguypr

It really depends on your experience. One of the most popular starting points is 70-640. If you have lots of experience deploying and administering Win 7 you could also go for the 70-680. I wouldn't call any of these tests easy but again, depends on how well you prepare.

And BTW, welcome to TE. Stay around and you'll learn a thing or two.

Edit: Swild beat me

ptilsen

MCTS is not a standalone title a la MCP. Each MCTS certification is it's own certification, and MCTS is the certification program. It doesn't really matter either way, but I figured I'd clarify.

If you have eight years of experience and even one year's worth of it is with AD, I think you'll find 70-640 easiest. The server technologies don't drastically change conceptually, but the technologies covered on the Windows 7 exam (70-680) are really not aided by past experience in anything but those exact technologies, in my opinion. Given a lack of experience in the exams overall, 70-680 is probably not harder than 70-640, but since you have experience I think 640 is the better starting point.

You might also find 70-642 relatively easy to start with, depending on what specifically your experience has been. It, like 70-640, is mostly on technologies that have only changed slightly over the years.

Do not start with 70-643, under any circumstances.

erpadmin

ptilsen wrote: »

Do not start with 70-643, under any circumstances.

I agree with everything this gentlemen said...especially the above right here....out of all of my MCITP:EA exams, this one was by far the most difficult to pass. (The pro exam (70-647), while not easy, was the only exam I broke 800 with....was actually in shock, but it was the only exam I had more than 50 questions on.)

I found 642 and 680 to be two exams I passed one time on. The 640, was a bit confusing, but after the 642, I was set straight on 640 (and I have AD experience going back to W2K...so we're talking 1999.) 680, while tested on stuff like NAP, DirectAccess and the like, was, for the most part, stuff that one needed to know as far back as NT 4.0 (NTFS permissions). I spent a good amount of time on that exam and was quite pleased that I passed one time.

Krunchi

If your just looking for a MCTS title in anything the 70-620 Vista was a very easy test.

ptilsen

Krunchi wrote: »

If your just looking for a MCTS title in anything the 70-620 Vista was a very easy test.

That's like cheating.

N2IT

LOL

I was thinking about doing it.

In all seriousness if you read the book cover to cover no labbing could it be passed?

(Another way of looking at it)

In your personal opinion what is the bare minimum amount of studying that could be done to obtain this certification?

ATL-TECH

Windows 7

ptilsen

N2IT wrote: »

LOL

I was thinking about doing it.

In all seriousness if you read the book cover to cover no labbing could it be passed?

(Another way of looking at it)

In your personal opinion what is the bare minimum amount of studying that could be done to obtain this certification?

IMO the only Win 7 lab that was needed was ImageX and such. That was my experience. I briefly labbed the deployment stuff, then took the test and passed it. I didn't take Vista but all reports are it's stupid easy and it's material is largely worthless marketing nonsense. I cannot fathom needing to lab for it.

I also did minimal labs on 648 (MCSA upgrade - 640+642), but I had a lot of production hands-on experience with the skills measured. Without the experience you'll need to do a lab a chapter, give or take. I guess that's a difference between the client and server exams -- labs. But YMMV -- I do well with reading. Some prefer audio, hands-on, lectures, etc.

N2IT

PT thanks for the post. I was thinking if you were unambitious and wanted some letters to have your resume pop a little more the Vista exam would meet your expectations and then some

atorven

Krunchi wrote: »

If your just looking for a MCTS title in anything the 70-620 Vista was a very easy test.

Agreed.

MentholMoose

I think the easiest MCTS exam I've taken was 70-403. If you have basic familiarity with SCVMM, you should be able to pass 70-403 without studying. If you haven't use SCVMM but you do have Hyper-V experience, you can probably figure out SCVMM with minimal effort. There are entire books dedicated to SCVMM, but for me the SCVMM coverage in Mastering Microsoft Virtualization (which I used for the MCITP: VA) was enough.

PC509

It was like cheating. EASY!

ptilsen wrote: »

That's like cheating.

4_lom

I haven't taken it yet, but the 70-680 doesn't seem to be too difficult. I've been studying it for the past couple months and the hardest thing is deployment. But if you lab that part you will learn it quickly. Some people say this test is nothing to worry about and others say it's really hard to pass. But it all depends on how you comprehend the material. Most people will tell you the CCNA is soooo difficult. I passed that exam with a 916 and it took me 23 minutes... so it's up to you how hard the test is.

jibbajabba

lol funny. The only exam I ever failed was the Vista one on my way to the MCITP:EA .... That was because of the 'I know everything, no need to study' syndrom

N2IT

@ 4_lom

Good point, it really depends on a lot of factors. Number 1 imo is your exposure to the technology. Even a genius would have a hard time catching up with someone who has done the same type of work using the same technology for 10 years or so. Then of course aptitude comes into play and then motivation and internal and external factors.