Sitting the 70-461 tomorrow morning (01/22/2013)

Just thought I'd share my experience.

I have been studying for the past 2 weeks for this exam, using MSDN and the CBT Nugget series, using SQL Server 2012 SP1 Express Edition.

I sit the test tomorrow, and hope I have what it takes to pass! I have no DBA experience, and my only experience with SQL prior to this has been through exposure of creating custom reports for SCCM/SCOM, which mainly consisted of the SELECT, WHERE, ORDER BY, and AS statements, as well as some experience with Subselect queries.

Wish me luck!

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Essendon

You'll do just fine mate. Post back on how you go!

josico

How did it go? I'm going to have my exam this Sunday! I'd like to hear how it is.

Essendon

Sunday really? I've never heard of a center being open on Sunday, where's this? Good luck BTW!

josico

Downtown Vancouver, BC.

EDIT: You had me second guessing myself, but yes I just checked my confirmation email:

Appointment Date: 27 JAN 2013
Appointment Time: 13:00:00

tycoonbob

First exam failure of the year. 625/1000.

Lots of queries, and a few drag and drops that really got me. I need to do a lot more studying on topics such as performance enhancements (indexes, etc) and items such as UDFs, Triggers, and a few other things.

josico

Oh no! I'm sorry to hear that. Did you purchase the exam with the second shot option?

Also, I'm a bit confused by the drag and drop questions you mentioned. Could you elaborate a bit on it?

Thanks in advance!

tycoonbob

To my knowledge, all vouchers are second shot until like March. All I know is that my employer buys my vouchers for me, so I never have to deal with that. Perks of working for a Microsoft Partner, but lets not forget the bonus I get for passing exams and salary increases for getting my MCITPs and MCSEs (and even my CCNA and VCP once I get those).

No big deal, just sucks. I will take it again in a few weeks once I spend some more time with it.

The drag and drop that sticks out in my head had like 9 options, but I only use 5. Each of the 9 options were T-SQL fragments that you had to pick the right ones and order them correctly to find the solution to the problem listed in the question.

josico

I see, thanks for the explanation. I was wondering about one other thing, are there questions which you need to write queries from scratch? Or was all the questions multiple choice and the drag and drop?

Thanks!

tycoonbob

I had 44 questions and they were all either drag and orders, or multiple choice. I may have had 6-10 drag and orders and the rest multiple choice.

josico

Thanks for the info, two more days! Hopefully I'll be able to pass on the first try.

NotHackingYou

So how did you do? I will be taking this exam later this year.

knownhero

Josico... I'm also interested in knowing how you got on with this exam. Mine is set for Feb 22nd though still not sure if I'm fully ready for it.

RobertKaucher

Hope you passed, but even if you didn't we'd love to hear what your advice would be for others.

josico

Hi all,

Been a bit busy at work and with events after work so I haven't been able to post. Regardless, I would like to say that I passed the exam!

My results showed that I was weakest with the performance tuning and I agree with that as I found those questions the hardest.

As for advice for others:
1. I found the topics and MSDN articles covered here to be useful:
exam 70 461 querying microsoft sql server 2012 pdf vce ebook free

2. The drag and drop was difficult in the sense that the choices were essentially the same with minor differences - essentially the options and hints.

3. A general advice is to really take time to read the question and answers. I caught myself several times picking the wrong answer because the requirements were for the start_date and two answers were identical but the first answer in the list returned the end_date. Being lazy, I had just picked the first answer. Luckily, because I completed with time left, I was able to go over the questions one more time. I completed everything with over 1:30 hours (or so) left in the exam.

Just to give you guys an idea of my background. I work as a help desk support but dabble with the SQL Server. I'm not a developer but have had some courses at school regarding SQL, database terminology, and relational theory.

Good luck to everyone else!

I'm starting 70-462 now but so far am having a hard time getting the lab set up as per the MS study kit.

knownhero

Josico,

Well done on the pass! I've got mine end of Feb and really starting to think I am not ready for it. I can read a query okay but when it comes to writing one I am struggling (no idea why). How long is this exam? I'll have to read everything super slow

josico

You've still got time! I'm sure if you spend some more time, you'll be ok! The exam was 2:15 hours long when I started. So I finished it in 45 minutes or so? Approximately a minute a question?

Good luck!

knownhero

I've got the second shot thing if I need it so not a huge loss if I fail the first time. I just need to study some more. Amazon have sold out on the 70-461 exam books so I have to use the CBT nuggets/Teach yourself T-SQL/Fundamentals of T-SQL books.

I also have exposure to SQL in my work place (writing basic queries and looking at Views/SP) I'm panicking about UDF's etc.

RobertKaucher

Congrats! That link does look really interesting. I'm going to let the videos play in the background today, I think.

josico

@knownhero
I didn't have many questions about UDFs in my exam - I think there was only one? I might have just lucked out though.

@RobertKaucher
Yup, there quite a bit of informative information on that site.

knownhero

Josico. Would you say its "easy" if you've had like a years worth of exposure to SQL with Live data. All I really do at the moment are basic queries. Ive seen the views and SP's we have but not really (until now) looked in depth at them.

josico

I wouldn't say that the exam will be "easy" if you have had many years of live experience - unless you were a developer during that time.

Even with that said, unless you have been working with all the different options (some of which are new to 2012), it still won't be "easy".

What I can say is that if you have been working with SQL for many year, it will be easier for you to get up to speed with the details and syntax of different queries and its options.

From my experience working in a live environment, there are certain processes which are done routinely but there are many more features of SQL which are not touched.

NotHackingYou

Thanks for the information! I am planning to take this exam soon!

knownhero

josico wrote: »

I wouldn't say that the exam will be "easy" if you have had many years of live experience - unless you were a developer during that time.

Even with that said, unless you have been working with all the different options (some of which are new to 2012), it still won't be "easy".

What I can say is that if you have been working with SQL for many year, it will be easier for you to get up to speed with the details and syntax of different queries and its options.

From my experience working in a live environment, there are certain processes which are done routinely but there are many more features of SQL which are not touched.

I've been using it now for a year at work. I've not used many of the syntax listed in the books/videos but I know of some of them. I've learnt so much reading the books etc that I now now how/what the SPs we use do. Hope to pass first time. But doubt I will.

Thanks for all the replies.

josico

Don't doubt yourself. Just take your time and read the questions carefully and you'll be fine. Also, remember to skip questions you're not sure off and mark them for review. You can always go back to them when you've got the ones you know for sure. As you answer more questions you'll be more confident and the exam will "be easier".

knownhero

I've pushed it back to the 22nd March now. Just don't feel ready. Give me some more time to study and lab

damsel_in_tha_net

maybe i'm just "different" but i loved this test. i loved the little "gotchas"...i dont remember feeling this way back with older sql tracks!

if there are two answers that are identical , as someone else mentioned, make sure you:

double check keyword order/omission
check column order (firstname, lastname vs lastname, firstname)
check out aliases

play around with the more advanced statements and try out different options, so that you may recognize the output.

if a statement is new to 2012, count on it being testable. and while you're at it, look at items that were new to 2008 as well.

i think the fact that sql server express is widely available gives them license to be more nit-picky with what they ask. everyone has the ability to practice, practice, practice--so do it.

senkcity

Hey Everyone,

I have no SQL experience but it seems like every job I apply for now wants SQL.

I am interested in getting the Microsoft SQL certification, how should I go about studying?

Are there any college courses that align with studying for the course?

Thanks!

Senkcity

senkcity

Also, is the Microsoft the best certification? Is there perhaps an easier one that could just have SQL on my resume?

Zorodzai

I can't really say which is the best to pursue but, in terms of an "easy" SQL certification to pursue, you have the MySQL Certified Associate certification.

Mary Nem

I'm preparing for the exam, does anyone know what the questions look like? are they like writing the queries from scratch or just multiple choices and drag and drops?