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How to be a Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP)

icadem

Hello

I want to be a server administrator so i'm going to study for it.

My path could be 70-642, 70-646, 70-640

MCSA: Windows Server 2008 | Microsoft Learning

The problem is that Microsoft is going to retire the exams en July

Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP)

So, what do you recomend me? I want no to study something that it could be retired soon.

Thank you

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Comments

ajs1976

Take a look at the MS site again. Last I checked, the exams for the MCITP:SA (now MCSA 200

are not retiring, just the title.

<soapbox>

I really hate it when vendors screw around with their certs. Wasted some time when Citrix did it a while ago and now all the confusion again with MS. We just went through it when MS went from MCP/MCSA/MCSE to MCTS/MCITP and now going through it again as they go back to MCSA/MCSE.

</soapbox>

lsud00d

This is still a great path to choose. Server 2008 MCITP's/MCSA's will be more relevant and prudent than Server 2012 certs for another 2-3 years IMHO. Essentially earning the Win2k8 MCITP will get you the Win2k8 MCSA, so you have ~6 months to pass 3 exams...not too difficult.

This is actually the MCITP I'm going for currently (already have MCITP:EDA Win7) and even though I work in a mainly linux shop, it will be good for future interviews because I'll be familiar with and certified in the relevant technologies.

DoubleNNs

I've heard of people doing the 642 before the 640. Is it easier to the it in this order? Is 642, 646, 640 the easiest way to take the test?

Also, say you got this book: MCTS: Windows Server 2008 R2 Complete Study Guide (Exams 70-640, 70-642 and 70-643): William Panek: 9780470948460: Amazon.com: Books It'd assume the chapters would build upon themselves. Would you study 640 then 642, even tho yo're going to take 642 first? Or would you just skip the first section of the book and go to the 642, then come back to the 640 later?

I'm not anywhere near taking this cert but I'm working on my 2013 exam list; I'm asking for few cert books for Xmas so trying to decide which would make the best presents.

ajs1976

Since you have the Net+, 642 may be a good start since it will build on that knowledge.

I would read the entire book and then start studying the part you are taking first. If DNS is in the 640 part, make sure to study it for 642.

icadem

I have just contact with Microsoft and they said me:

Jeffrey: The Windows Server 2008 exams and certification will retire on July 31, 2013
Jeffrey: I will recommend that you start with Windows Server 2012 directly

I am very confused in what to do,
I don't want to start something that it could be retired so soon, and i have not got enough time to get the certification.

Help me please

lsud00d

icadem wrote: »

I don't want to start something that it could be retired so soon, and i have not got enough time to get the certification.

So you have a deadline. Can you complete 3 Microsoft exams in 7.5 months to earn the Server 2008 MCITP & MCSA? If not, then go for 2012.

See, it's not so confusing

sratakhin

Start with something you are experienced in. If you have never seen a Server 2008 before, you will need a lot more time than just 6 months.

icadem

sratakhin wrote: »

Start with something you are experienced in. If you have never seen a Server 2008 before, you will need a lot more time than just 6 months.

I have a little experience in windows server 2008, so it is like i am a new student.
I don't know if it could be easier the 2008, because there is so much information of 2012, exams,... but in the other hand i don't believe that i have enough time to resolve the 3 exams.

Lunchbocks

icadem wrote: »

I have just contact with Microsoft and they said me:

Jeffrey: The Windows Server 2008 exams and certification will retire on July 31, 2013
Jeffrey: I will recommend that you start with Windows Server 2012 directly

Of course they are going to say that, Windows Server 2012 just got released. The problem is that most companies do not upgrade immediately so there are a lot of 2008 and 2003 servers running. Personally I would attempt 2008 and then move on to 2012. That is the course I am taking.

Good Luck!

Lunchbocks

icadem wrote: »

My path could be 70-642, 70-646, 70-640

70-646 covers a lot of both 640 and 642, so I would take that one last. As far as 640 and 642, I don't think it matters. I took 640 first and now I am studying for the 642.

Good Luck!

shakedkoffee

Guys, I'm kinda confused. Anyone knows what happens if I supposedly obtain the 70-640 by June next year and then MS they retires the MCITP?

I have a dead end cert at my hands? C'mon tell me I'm mistaken, I need motivation..

thronetm

shakedkoffee wrote: »

Guys, I'm kinda confused. Anyone knows what happens if I supposedly obtain the 70-640 by June next year and then MS they retires the MCITP?

I have a dead end cert at my hands? C'mon tell me I'm mistaken, I need motivation..

The way I see it is you need to pass your 640, 642 and then 646 by July 2013

I could be wrong though.. ?

Claymoore

Let's be really clear about what, exactly, is retiring in July:

The MCITP certification title is retiring. Henceforth, we will be known throughout the land as MCSA or MCSE
The MCITP:EA title and specific exams are retiring. The 643, 647, and 649 (upgrade from 2003 MCSE) exams will be done
The MCITP:SA title and one exam is retiring. The 648, the upgrade from 2003 MCSA, is retiring.
Retired exams

The MCSA 2008 exams are the same as the the MCITP:SA, there just won't be an upgrade exam from 2003. 640, 642 and 646 are not retiring in July 2013, they will probably be around for a couple more years.
MCSA: Windows Server 2008 | Microsoft Learning

thronetm

What I don't get is what they mean by retiring, does this mean I can't take the exam? Does this mean if I take the exam and pass I won't get the cert?

I see prometric are still allowing you to sit the 70-291 2003, why the heck is 2008 ending so soon?

Slowhand

Once a Microsoft exam retires you can't sit for it, as it is with the Windows 2000 or NT exams for example. As for why Microsoft has decided to pull the plug on many exams and all the MCITP certs, only they could tell you.

Incidentally, I've updated the TE list of new MCSA and MCSE paths, if you want some more info on what's happening with the new certs: MCSA and MCSE on Windows Server 2012 Info

Claymoore

lfcgeorge wrote: »

I see prometric are still allowing you to sit the 70-291 2003, why the heck is 2008 ending so soon?

It's not ending. You can still sit the exam because it has not retired. The 640, 642 and 646 exams will be continuing long into the future. Longer than they should, most likely. 4 years from now people will be asking if they should hurry and finish the 2008 path or just start on Server 2016.

291 is retiring July 2013. You can still sit the exam until it is retired. If you wait long enough to try and book the 291 exam in August, you will see that it is not available, because it has been retired.

DoubleNNs

sratakhin wrote: »

Start with something you are experienced in. If you have never seen a Server 2008 before, you will need a lot more time than just 6 months.

I've never seen Server 2008 before. But I was planning on attempting to get both CCNA and MCIPT: 2008 before this summer. Would that goal really be that difficult to attain?

sratakhin

Why would you want to be certified in something you've never worked with?
MCITP exams are very difficult to pass if you don't have experience. Lab experience is fine, but it's not enough.

shakedkoffee

Claymoore wrote: »

Let's be really clear about what, exactly, is retiring in July:

The MCITP certification title is retiring. Henceforth, we will be known throughout the land as MCSA or MCSE
The MCITP:EA title and specific exams are retiring. The 643, 647, and 649 (upgrade from 2003 MCSE) exams will be done
The MCITP:SA title and one exam is retiring. The 648, the upgrade from 2003 MCSA, is retiring.
Retired exams

The MCSA 2008 exams are the same as the the MCITP:SA, there just won't be an upgrade exam from 2003. 640, 642 and 646 are not retiring in July 2013, they will probably be around for a couple more years.
MCSA: Windows Server 2008 | Microsoft Learning

I was looking for such an answer, thanks.
The company I work in is just switching on to 2008 R2, I guess 70-640 skills will be needed for some time..

Unforg1ven

It is a great server level certification to have, but do you have any certs coming in? Like sratakhin said, these exams are tough without any experience whatsoever, regardless of real-world/lab.

DoubleNNs

What do you mean by any certs coming in?

I planned on getting my CompTIA trio b4 the end of the month. Then work on CCNA. Then go into 70-642. If possible, I'd like to have the full cert finished by summer.

I'm currently taking the year off of school, working part time, trying to gain IT knowledge (and hopefully in 2013 experience). I set the deadline for summer because that's when I plan on resuming my Bachelors degee. Plus the MCITP expires in the summer as well.

Slowhand

If you manage to earn MCITP: Enterprise Administrator or MCITP: Server Administrator before the end of July 2013, you'll earn both the respective MCITP and the MCSA 2008, after that they'll retire 70-643, 70-648, 70-649, and 70-647. As Claymoore already mentioned, you won't be able to take those retired exams, but you'll still be able to take 70-640, 70-642, and 70-646 to earn MCSA: Windows Server 2008.

The thing to keep in mind here is that they're retiring a bunch of certifications and only some of the exams, but Windows Server 2008 and its corresponding technologies aren't going away, they're going to be around for a long, long while. It's just that they're scrapping the MCITP certs and replacing them with MCSA and MCSE certs instead.

icadem

So as i understand...

The MCITP certification will be changed the name (it will be mcsa 200 in 2013 July, but the exams and the materials to prepare it will be continue after 31 July 2013 as we know now.

Only the name of the certification, so we could spend a year studying the 70-640,70-642 and 70-646?

It is all i said right?

Thank you

Slowhand

Yup, you got it.