Would This Be Enough to Pass the MCITP Server Admin Exams?

Hi everyone,

I'm 19 years old and was recently laid off (end of contract) from my job. I was working for one year as a Hardware IT Support at one of the biggest investment banks (over 3,000 users) in the world in New York City.

I don't have any experience with servers or networking at all as my last job was all hardware-related. And now, I've decided to deviate onto the IT server field and go for the MCITP Server Admin certification. I've been preparing the materials I need to study for the exams. So far, I have:

Train Signal's TCP/IP and Networking Fundamentals Training videos, which is a bonus disc (my former colleague gave to me) that came with Train Signal's MCITP Server Admin Training package, and I plan on studying this first before I study for the actual exams (just to give me an idea about the basics of networking)
Bought CBT Nuggets' MCITP Server Administrator 2008 Certification Package
I've installed VMWare Wokstation and Windows Server 2008 (as a VM) in my laptop
I plan on buying Transcender's Windows Server 2008 Practice Exams for 70-640/642/646 once I'm done studying the CBT nuggets

Would these study materials be enough for me to get the bacon (hopefully, by the end of this year)? I'm dedicating myself on studying at least 5 hours a day starting Monday next week. Any comments, suggestions, and advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

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Nobylspoon

I would atleast pickup the MS Press book, I can't imagine going into this exam with just videos and practice tests but different people learn subjects differently.

earweed

Nobylspoon wrote: »

I would atleast pickup the MS Press book, I can't imagine going into this exam with just videos and practice tests but different people learn subjects differently.

+1 You also don't have any other certs posted. Do you have any other certs? Unless you already have extensive server experience you need books to go along with the videos.

EDIT: Welcome to TE!

NvrGvUp

Thanks for the suggestion, Nobylspoon. I'll definitely take a look at the MCITP Self-Paced Training Kit.

earweed, I don't have any certifications at all. I just got into the IT field after graduating from high school almost 2 years ago. And thanks for the welcome.

texasit

I would suggest you get the MS press books too at least for reference.The cbt nuggets are great so I think you made a good choice there.Transcenders tend to be harder than the actual exams so if you can score well on those with out memorizing the answers you should be able to pass the actual tests.Since you don't have any server exposure I would suggest you try and create a bigger lab than just one server.I would suggest at least a few servers. I think earning your MCITP Server administrator cert by the end of the year is doable but it will be tough with no base knowledge.I would suggest you just take your time and learn the material and if you finish before January than great but if not don't sweat it you'll get there when you are ready.Learn the material to know it not just to pass the tests.

NvrGvUp

Thanks for the advice, texasit. Yes, I'm definitely going to setup 2 or 3 VM servers to practice on. I honestly don't have any idea yet about servers or networking, so I know it's gonna be a tough one. But, I know I can do this. I just obviously need to study consistently and understand how everything works. I'll keep you guys posted.

Question: Would it be better to study the MS Press books along with the CBT Nuggets? Or after?

texasit

I would suggest reading the book and then watching the videos.Before anything I would watch the network fundamentals that your coworker gave you.

Nobylspoon

I prefer to read a chapter then watch the video to gain a better understanding of what I read then go back and do the labs in the book followed by the end of chapter questions. If I am happy with my results from the end of chapter questions than I start the process over on the next chapter.

After I have gone through all the chapters I take a practice exam to find the domains that I have the most trouble with and go back over all of that material once again. I also try to find other resources to cover the material that I struggle on as well.

Lunchbocks

The Microsoft Self Paced Training Kit is a great addition. It gives you the information along with labs to help it stick. I watch the corresponding CBT Nugget videos as I go along. When I think I'm close, I always buy Transcender to finalize my preparation.

Sooz123

Like you, I am planning on going after my Server Admin MCITP, the only difference is I AM a web server admin. I got lucky enough to get the job with no prior IT experience 3 years ago; took me 6 months just to be able to do first tier support like a pro (I'm in a medium to large sized IT shop and the environment size had my head reeling in confusion for a while), and since then I've been building and adding onto my skills (with the help of a supportive supervisor who wants me to grow) into 2nd and 3rd tier support. Although my supervisor thinks I'm firmly in the "3rd tier support" arena now, my knowledge is still WAY inadequate to get me through those tests and IMO, to keep my job if it were threatened.

Because I want to LEARN and not just be able to regurgitate info to pass a test (how embarrassing to use the certification to get a job and then get there and not know anything!), I'm starting low. I have our office's CompTIA Network+ book and am reading it front to back. It's giving me a high level understanding of all the network stuff that I kinda know about but don't know how it works; I don't need to know how to physically do it just yet, just what it is and why. That's what a Network+ cert is meant to prove. Many of these more in-depth MS resources will assume you already know this type of thing and talk over your head... which is fine if you're willing to just learn facts to answer test questions with. I'll go for the ComTIA Network+ certification first, and then pursue the MCITP Server Admin resources with the advice from colleagues that the MS exams try to trick you to see if you really know what you're talking about or are just trying to slide by on memorized trivia. And yes, I think I can still do that by the end of the year.

NvrGvUp

Thanks for the input and advice, Sooz123... I might actually go with the Network+ first before the MCITP, since I have no prior networking and server experience.

Has anyone else gone the Network+ -> MCITP route?

earweed

NvrGvUp wrote: »

Thanks for the input and advice, Sooz123... I might actually go with the Network+ first before the MCITP, since I have no prior networking and server experience.

Has anyone else gone the Network+ -> MCITP route?

I had no prior network experience prior to taking the Net+. When you get to the 70-642 you'll get a good review and learn a few new things about networking. I took the Sec+ in between the Net+ and starting the MCITP route but that has had very little bearing in my studies. Thereis actually a little review of Sec+ topics throughout the MCITP studies but you should be OK.
It's going to take a lot of studying and labbing for you to learn the MCITP material since you have no server experience (Like me). I've gotten a little experience through home labbing and I set up a small office and have another small office I'm just starting.
Good luck in your studies! You'll get out what you put in. If you do the work (Reading, studying, and labbing) you'll do fine.

Jander1023

NvrGvUp wrote: »

Thanks for the input and advice, Sooz123... I might actually go with the Network+ first before the MCITP, since I have no prior networking and server experience.

Has anyone else gone the Network+ -> MCITP route?

I believe many people have obtained the Network+ and the A+ certifications prior to starting Microsoft certs. (I have both.) Even if you don't want to take the certification exams, they are both a good read to firm up your basic computer skills. Another good book (or cert) is the Comptia Server+. I don't have that cert, but I read the book.

I would also recommend, after the Network+ certification, to start with the 70-680 certification - Windows 7 OS. (You need it for the MCITP anyway.) This would be a nice start to get acclimated to Microsoft exams, which can be very frustrating until you figure them out.

earweed

Jander1023 wrote: »

I believe many people have obtained the Network+ and the A+ certifications prior to starting Microsoft certs. (I have both.) Even if you don't want to take the certification exams, they are both a good read to firm up your basic computer skills. Another good book (or cert) is the Comptia Server+. I don't have that cert, but I read the book.

I would also recommend, after the Network+ certification, to start with the 70-680 certification - Windows 7 OS. (You need it for the MCITP anyway.) This would be a nice start to get acclimated to Microsoft exams, which can be very frustrating until you figure them out.

You can get the MCITP with the Vista OS exam, too. That being said I'm still going to take 70-680 later.

Jander1023

earweed wrote: »

You can get the MCITP with the Vista OS exam, too. That being said I'm still going to take 70-680 later.

Yeah - I have the Vista OS Cert. Wish I hadn't wasted my time thou. Although I was more familiar with Vista than Win7 at the time.

earweed

I have the Vista cert, too. I wish I had gone ahead and gotten the MCITP: EST Vista so I would have learned a little more. Vista actually has a lot of features people tout as "new" to Windows 7 but we didn't really learn about them while studying for the client exam.