Starting my MCITP:EA journey

Iristheangel

My new position requires me to pick up this certification so here I go. After getting my MCSE, I didn't really have a desire to delve deeper into the Microsoft world but I realize this'll be good material to learn if I want to market myself as a dynamic engineer. I already had the MCITP:EA book series for reference so I downloaded Server 2008 R2 180 day trial and I'm going to put it on a few virtual machines to follow along with the practice labs in the book.

I'd like to say it's going to be easy to build upon from my MCSE but I got my MCSE over 2 years ago and I really didn't use the knowledge like I thought I would. My goal is to knock out an exam every two months so I can have the certification completed by the end of the year. Fingers crossed.

kj0

I'm currently (As in right this second) am studying my MCITP - Watching my CBT Nugget videos (3 to go) for 70-640 and I must say, I still don't feel ready to take the exam, yet I've been watching them, taking notes, reading books, for the past 6 months.

Great to hear the Determination to knock them over in 2 months each. i wish I could say the same.

Good Luck with it all. Keep us posted on your Progress.

sohoexam

I'm wondering did you put the Win2008 onto a desktop server or laptop? I was considering purchasing a laptop and at the same time, maybe install the Win2008 and hyper-V onto the laptop to practice. Do you think this is doable?

netsysllc

Good luck to you in the journey. I am doing my MCITP:SA currently and these tests are much harder than the old 2000/2003 MCSA/MCSE tests. I just passed the 70-642 on my third try and will be taking the 70-640 again soon.

Essendon

sohoexam wrote: »

I'm wondering did you put the Win2008 onto a desktop server or laptop? I was considering purchasing a laptop and at the same time, maybe install the Win2008 and hyper-V onto the laptop to practice. Do you think this is doable?

You can, just make sure that the machine support virtualization (usually turned on in the BIOS), is 64bit and has plenty of RAM (8GB and above is good).

sohoexam

Hey thanks! Is downloading the Win2008 Server trial the only best way to go for a free OS or is there somewhere I can download or even purchase a "cheap" Win2008 server OS for practice?

Essendon

sohoexam wrote: »

Hey thanks! Is downloading the Win2008 Server trial the only best way to go for a free OS or is there somewhere I can download or even purchase a "cheap" Win2008 server OS for practice?

Yupp, the trial is the best way to go. It's good for 180 days, and you can rearm it a number of times (I've rearmed mine twice already) without any loss of functionality.

sohoexam

Which version should I download? I think there is the Win2008 standard, Win2008 R2 standard and the Enterprise version. I'm going for the MCITP Win2008 Enterprise admin cert.

Essendon

Go for the full monty, the DataCenter edition. The Enterprise edition isnt much different either (for most lab purposes).

Essendon

I think we have derailed Iristheangel's thread a little! Good luck in your pursuit, but if I may ask - why arent you going for the MCSE: Cloud 2008 or whatever whacky name they have for the new cert? Werent they going to phase out the EA or something?

lantech

Good luck iristheangel. I just passed my CCENT exam not long ago and was going to start studying for the ICND2 exam. Life got in the way a little bit and now it has really gotten in the way. I'm working a job I absolutely hate and to make matters worse all of the executive management at work was just asked to resign last week by the investors. Kind of got me a little scared about what is going to happen with the company.

So I'm going to put off studying for the ICND2 and work on updating my MS certs. Started studying for the 70-642 exam. I got the MCSE on NT 4.0 a long time ago. From what I've read while there have been some changes it shouldn't be to difficult to catch up. I've done some support of Server 2003 and 2008 but nothing hardcore. Though Active Directory will be a whole new experience I must say. And that is one large book to study. I must say, I'm glad I already know subnetting. The MS Books aren't really all that good at explaining it and I might refer to my CCNA books for the IPV6.

Iristheangel

I put Server 2008 on my new i7 laptop with VMWare. It seems to be working just fine so far but I haven't played with it much yet.

I'm not going for the MCSE Cloud because the employer isn't asking for that. He wants me to work on the MCITP:EA before anything else.

YuckTheFankees

Good luck Irishtheangel!, I've heard/read those exams are pretty hard.

kj0

Isn't there an upgrade Exam for MSCE to MCITP? I could be mistaken but I thought I saw something around.

jmritenour

There are a couple exams required to upgrade from MCSE 2003 to MCITP:EA. 70-649 consolidates the content of 70-640, 70-642, and 70-643 into one upgrade exam. Then, the enterprise admin exam itself, 70-647 is required. In addition, a client exam might be required, unless 70-620, 70-621, 70-681 or 70-680, were used as the client exam or an elective for the MCSE track.

That said, I've heard the upgrade exams for 2008 are brutal. Having done 70-680, 70-640, 70-642, and 70-643 (need to retake, it's The Beast of this group as far as I can see), I can say they are not exactly easy as standalone exams, and I'm neck deep in 2008 environments day in and day out.

I had considered trying to bull rush and upgrade my MCSA on 2003 to at least MCITP:SA prior to entering WGU to decrease the number of exams I'd have to take to get to EA, and to transfer more credits in, but ultimately decided it was in my best interest to sit back and let WGU pay for the cert for me, and provide my learning resources.

So that said, if her employer is willing to pay for the certs and study material, I wouldn't even give the upgrade path a second thought.

Iristheangel

There are two tests I could take to upgrade but those tests are pretty brutal. It would be easier study-wise to just go through the four exams. Technically I'm a student still so I get the Microsoft exams at $80 a pop

tprice5

I am in an identical situation as yourself except I am trying to complete the EA by october to have it knocked out before fall classes occupy all of my time.

Goodluck to us!

Hopefully you get as much free time at work as I do to study!

Psoasman

Good luck with this. I agree that it's probably better to take the exams one at a time.

kj0

Can there really be anything more brutal than these tests? I sort of lost interest on Certificates and Federation services so now I have to go back soon and re-watch it.

X10MMX

I am doing my MCITP:EA at the moment. I am working on my 70-642, completed the 70-640 a couple of months ago. Good luck once you get a MCITP:EA you automatically get a MCSA: Server 2008. Then you only sit two more exams and that would earn you a MCSE Private cloud title.
Heres the link: Microsoft Private Cloud Overview

sohoexam

Hey guys, great info here! I'm trying to find out which books or training kit to purchase to pursue the MCITP:EA certifications. I'm planning on buying a laptop with 16gb of RAM, install Win2008 server and have 3 virtual machines running for my certification training.

X10MMX

Hey Sohoexam, The best way I find to learn the material is that I watch the CBT nuggets on the topic then read the Microsoft self paced training books. Follow that up with a labbing then final prep. Its worked for me so far

matt333

Iristheangel wrote: »

There are two tests I could take to upgrade but those tests are pretty brutal. It would be easier study-wise to just go through the four exams. Technically I'm a student still so I get the Microsoft exams at $80 a pop

thanks, I didnt even know about this

tprice5

sohoexam wrote: »

Hey guys, great info here! I'm trying to find out which books or training kit to purchase to pursue the MCITP:EA certifications. I'm planning on buying a laptop with 16gb of RAM, install Win2008 server and have 3 virtual machines running for my certification training.

That is going to be expensive in a laptop. Also, you will likely not be able to upgrade a lot of the components moving forward. Go with a desktop, much cheapers and scalable.

sohoexam

tprice5 wrote: »

That is going to be expensive in a laptop. Also, you will likely not be able to upgrade a lot of the components moving forward. Go with a desktop, much cheapers and scalable.

Depends on what you mean by expensive. I've checked out a few and they are around $1,500 - $2000 for 16GB of memory. I opt for a laptop because I wanted a personal laptop to use as well as use it for my MCITP training. For sure desktop is way cheaper but it is my 2nd option.

onesaint

@Iris: Good luck and study hard. With your determination and track record, you've got this in the bag.

Wilson502

@iristheangel Good luck with your journey, im in the same process of starting my journey to the MCITP:EA, my goal is to at least get the SA designation before i graduate from CSU Fresno in Spring of '13 and start looking for work either down in Orange County where you are or in the Bay Area.

Iristheangel

@Wilson - NICE. Let me know when you're in the area. I might be able to help you with a job in either place. Good luck with your studies until then

Wilson502

Thx Iris, ill prolly shoot you a PM in the meantime to give you a more detailed background on my experience, etc.

pumbaa_g

Some said something about a 16 Gb RAM and Windows 2008 R2 Laptop, any updates? adding RAM is not a concern its simple enough but how to get a Win 2008 license is a question I have. How much do you think it will cost? Is it really feasible, I can install Windows Experience but will it work is my question

kj0

Download the trial from Microsoft. It has 180 days, but you can continue to evaluate it afterwards. It includes Standard, Enterprise and Datacenter versions.