MCSA 2012 - upgrade or separate exams?

neathneathneath

For those who have the Mcsa 2008, are you going for the 70-417 exam or the separate exam route.

I've got the ms press 70-417 and the 70-410 books.

Studying the 3 exams is a lot of topics to learn.

Just wondering which route you have chosen.

My current thoughts are to take my time and go for the 417.

alokin123

i am going the 70-417 exam. One exam vs having to sit 3 exams and potentially failing one of those exams is incentive enough to sit one exam. Plus the 417 exam doesn't cover everything from 410, 411 and 412, only certain topics which is mainly the newer features of Server 2012 so if you know your server 2008 stuff you should really only need to brush up on the new and improved features

Asif Dasl

I passed the Server 2008 70-649 upgrade exam with no study at all, it was very easy at the time (it was just out). I hear it got harder as the years went by but when I took it was really easy because you just had to pick out the new technology and chances were it was the right answer.

However, I still had to go over 70-649 material when I took 70-647 (which I failed 4 times). So while I think the upgrade exam may be similar in easiness I don't think it does your long term knowledge any good.

That's why I have decided to go the long way around this time, I have the Exam Ref, the Training Guide and the Sybex book as well as TechNet and I'll be getting CBT Nuggets & Train Signal. I'm probably over-compensating now but I'm going the 410 411 412 route and then I'll decide if I go on to 413+414 and/or 341+342.

MrAgent

I took 417 and I remember it not being too difficult. I also took it when it first came out as well. Apparently if you take an exam after it first comes out then you get a charter member with it. Anyway, from what I have heard from friends who took it recently, its not as easy as when I took it.

If I had to do it over, I'd probably do the 3 exams seperately.

chanakyajupudi

I did the 3 papers serperately. I did the 70-642 Paper and then realized a new version of the cert was on the way. Went and bought myself the MCSA-2012 Voucher with the second shot. Completed in 7 Months. Became a Charter Member !

sratakhin

What exactly is a Charter member?

nosoup4u

Early adopters of a new certification exam. I believe it's within the first 3 months that the exam is available.

Arod95

Took the test recently first week of june. Wasn't really that hard compared to the server 2008 test. Mostly all about the new features, and the new ways to do everything. Some stuff about Powershell commands because you can do just about everything now through that, and very little old info. But if the sybex book would've been out when I took the test I would've bought that to review all the objectives again just to retain memory since I don't use servers that much might buy it anyways so I can play around with Server 2012 some more.

chanakyajupudi

First 1000 people to complete the cert get the charter member.

Asif Dasl

Charter member is the first 6 months...