Passed 70-646 today

It’s hard to believe, but I’ve been doing the Microsoft exam thing since 1999, when I passed 6 of them to become an MCSE on NT4. Well I’m back at it again, this time in pursuit of Server Admin and Enterprise Admin certs. I decided to start with 646, and I passed it today with an 875. There were 40 questions.

I studied the MS Press Win Server Admin book for 646, did all the practice questions/tests, and did all the labs in a virtual server. I also used the Transcender practice tests, which cost $99, but I can’t enthusiastically recommend them. They delve into a very deep level of detail, bordering on minutiae, but I can’t say they were of any practical value in preparing for the exam. The MeasureUp exam included in the MS Press book was very good, however.

If you’re preparing for 646, make sure you are familiar with all the new tools and technologies, how they are used, and what they can and can’t do. In choosing solutions, you’re sometimes presented with several choices which will work, but only one will be the best based on the scenario presented. So, know the pros and cons of the different ways to do things, such as cost, hardware resources required, effects on users, network bandwidth, etc.

I wouldn’t call the exam difficult, but I did spend about 6 weeks getting thoroughly familiar with Server 2008, not just to pass an exam, but to use it for the next 5 years or so. I think the exam was actually a little easier than some of the blistering ones I had in the 2000 & 2003 tracks. No complaints here!

I have a three day weekend beginning in 10 minutes, so I am going to forget all things Microsoft! Next Monday...I'll start working on 649.

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stupidboy

dfosbenner wrote: »

It’s hard to believe, but I’ve been doing the Microsoft exam thing since 1999, when I passed 6 of them to become an MCSE on NT4. Well I’m back at it again, this time in pursuit of Server Admin and Enterprise Admin certs.

Welcome back! Microsoft should offer hugs to returning NT 4 MCSEs

dfosbenner wrote: »

I decided to start with 646, and I passed it today with an 875. There were 40 questions.

Congratulations, that's a good score

I studied the MS Press Win Server Admin book for 646, did all the practice questions/tests, and did all the labs in a virtual server. I also used the Transcender practice tests, which cost $99, but I can’t enthusiastically recommend them. They delve into a very deep level of detail, bordering on minutiae, but I can’t say they were of any practical value in preparing for the exam. The MeasureUp exam included in the MS Press book was very good, however.

dfosbenner wrote: »

I have a three day weekend beginning in 10 minutes, so I am going to forget all things Microsoft! Next Monday...I'll start working on 649.

Good luck with 649, but don't forget to let us know how you get on

jamesp1983

congrats
!!

techster79

Congrats, enjoy the weekend. I took 646 and 647 just today, squeaked by with a 750 and a 700. If your going for 647, be sure to have the functional levels, ADFS, ADCS, RODC, GC, and site links down cold.

stupidboy

techster79 wrote: »

Congrats, enjoy the weekend. I took 646 and 647 just today, squeaked by with a 750 and a 700. If your going for 647, be sure to have the functional levels, ADFS, ADCS, RODC, GC, and site links down cold.

Congratulations, tough one taking them at the same time. I split them by a week

exx1976

techster79 wrote: »

Congrats, enjoy the weekend. I took 646 and 647 just today, squeaked by with a 750 and a 700. If your going for 647, be sure to have the functional levels, ADFS, ADCS, RODC, GC, and site links down cold.

Two at once? Nice! I haven't done that since my A+. LOL

The best I ever did was 4 in 3 months, and that was during my NT4 days. I think they were like Server Enterprise, Workstation, NetEss, and TCPIP. Those were all easy.

I'm currently chasing Cisco certs, but I do need to go through the 2k8 upgrade path, so I'll pop into this forum from time to time.

OP - congrats on your pass! I don't know if I'm happy or sad to hear that you found that exam easier than the 2k3 exams.... Happy because it'll be easier for me to pass, too, but sad because.. Let's face it, the easier the exams are, the more paper MCSE (oops, ITP's) there will end up being.. *sigh* Just can't win.

dfosbenner

I know what you mean about the paper certs. Interesting stats on the certs however, I was looking at these this morning:

Certification by the numbers:
MCSE – Windows NT – 395,835
MCSE – Win 2000 – 290,501
MCSE – Win 2003 – 155,416
MCITP:EA – 14,825 at present

I remember in the late 90s that people who didn't know a microchip from a potato chip were getting certified. I think that has faded somewhat (along with our salaries). I think things have readjusted somewhat. There are always people trying to get something for nothing, in any field, but I think things are more balanced now than the were in the NT days.