Apple Certification for beginer ( currently a sys admin )

Hi,

One for the apple cert gurus please...

We are starting to put macbooks into our organization and to be fair I dont know anything about them to the point I could'nt do something basic if you asked me. The boss, of course not thinking about this just assumes we all know about them. By the way we are running bootcamp to run windows on them so it seems a tad pointless IMHO.

Anyway back to topic...

I dont think it will hurt my career any if I learnt all about the mac OS and how to support it ( forget the bootcamp bit ). I'm willing to put the learning in from scratch and have looked at the fairly basic certs and their career level pages. I believe I want to go for Apple Certified Support Professional (ACSP) 10.8 ( is that the current OS? ) but then saw Apple Certified Associate - Mac Integration 10.8. Can someone explain the differences please ( still think I want the ACSP )

Now assuming the ACSP cert is any good can you easily make a VM onto a normal desktop PC ( I dont want to buy a mac that much at present ). Is there any kind of 90-180 free version of the O/S or similar to trial?

Again if there is a trial somewhere is there a recommended training guide for this cert?

As said please forgive if this all sounds rubbish but as said I'm willing to put the time in ( this is how I learnt citrix from scratch ) to get me to the level of a 'apple support person'

Cheers for any advice.

AAA

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Comments

DoubleNNs

I don't know anything about the certifications, but the latest Mac OS is Mavericks 10.9. Mac OS 10.9 is free for all Mac Comps that can support it.

HankBukowski

I'm certainly no Apple guru but I'm slowly self studying towards these qualifications. You can pay for tuition at an AATC but it's top dollar!!!!!! Mavericks 10.9 is the latest OS but I'm 3/4 way through the Mountain Lion 10.8 books so will just have to brush up on changes in Mavericks then take the 10.9 exam when it comes out.

Apple Certification

ACSP - Apple Certified Support Professional (Support Exam Only)
ACTC - Apple Certified Technical Coordinator (Support & Server Exam)
ACMT - Apple Certified Macintosh Technician (Hardware & OS Exam, diagnosing and repairing Mac hardware)
AATC - Apple Authorised Training Centre

Support & Server study books from Peachpit

Peachpit: Publishers of technology books, eBooks, and videos for creative people

OS X Mountain Lion 10.8

OS X Support Essentials Mountain Lion 10.8.

OS X Server Essentials Mountain Lion 10.8

I also bought this as it was in the sale OS X Server Videos Mountain Lion 10.8

http://www.peachpit.com/store/apple-os-x-mountain-lion-server-9780133571295

Here are all the exams you can take online or at a local AATC

http://training.apple.com/certification/osx

Basically do the support & server exams in whatever the latest OS is. I don't think Mavericks 10.9 support and server books and exams are available yet. If you are just starting then there is no point doing the Mountain Lion exams now as it won't be long till the Mavericks 10.9 certifications come out (a couple of months, I've heard)

Support Exam 9L0-412 + Server Exam 9L0 518 = APPLE CERTIFIED TECHNICAL COORDINATOR (ACTC)

APPLE CERTIFIED MACINTOSH TECHNICIAN (ACMT) (Hardware)

9L0-010 - Apple Certified Mac Technician Hardware Exam
9L0-064 - Apple Certified Mac Technician OS Exam

You can buy this to gain access to repair guides from Apple

AppleCare Technician Training - Apple Store (UK)

.....or just use

iFixit: The free repair manual

Associate Certification

Mac Integration Basics 10.8 - Integrating a Windows PC into a Mac Environment
Exam: APPLE CERTIFIED ASSOCIATE - MAC INTEGRATION 10.8
Apple - Mac Integration Basics

Mac Management Basics 10.8 - Deploy, Configure and Manage multiple Macs using Apple Tools

Exam: APPLE CERTIFIED ASSOCIATE - MAC MANAGEMENT 10.8
Apple - Mac Integration Basics

You can download free pdf's to revise for the Associate Certifications then do the exam online. Prices range from approx $50 - $150 per exam, yeah, I know, there's a pattern emerging here!!!

Hope this helps. Anyone feel free to correct any errors

Regards
Hank

stryder144

I, too, have looked into getting an Apple cert or two. So this thread is definitely helpful. Thank you, triplea, for starting it.

The one thing I can comment on is the question about the VM. Technically, it is possible, assuming you are running an Intel processor with hardware virtualization support built-in and a BIOS that supports it. Ethically, it may be another story. I say that since the EULA states that Mac OS X is intended for Apple hardware only. If you have the correct hardware, there are guides online (Hackintosh, for one), that can walk you through the process.

Cheers

Arrmanas

Greetings!
I am interested in getting an APPLE cert or two. How do I go about it?

Can anyone advise on the process?
Thank you!

danny069

My job provided training for the ACMT, we were taught by an Apple instructor for about two weeks (definitely not enough time) I work on macs all day long. The exam is online, open book, but let me tell you, it is NOT easy. Passing is 80% They let you log into Atlas which is an online apple training to learn what is on the exam, the instructor gave us a login username and password (i didn't log into atlas during the first exam, and it was a mistake I should have utilized it) Long story short I failed both parts, before passing on the 2nd attempt. It is Yosemite OS and Hardware, (macbook air, macbook pro, mac pro) they ask you VERY specific questions, that of course I cannot mention here. On the hardware exam, you must get at least 4 out of 5 correct on ESD and 4 out of 5 correct on technician safety, if you don't you fail the entire exam. It was hard but worth it. It never expires and any apple cert is great to have on your resume.

ThePawofRizzo

Arrmanas wrote: »

Greetings!
I am interested in getting an APPLE cert or two. How do I go about it?

Armanas,

The thread is a bit old, but to get started you might try the two "Associate" level courses mentioned earlier in the thread, although I would just go to the Apple site, to the Training links and find out the info for the 10.10 Yosemite version for the current OS. The study material for the two associate certs is available in the links on the Apple site in a PDF, and when I recently took the "Integration" exam for one of the "Associate" certs I found the study material was pretty indicative of what you would find on the exam. I believe both exams are $65.00, so they aren't too bad to get some basic knowledge on the Macs.

There are a couple other Yosemite OS advanced certs, that I will likely try eventually, but those will likely require investment in a book and exposure to a MacBook. If you consider ACMT, I believe there is an online training package available on Apple's site for a few hundred dollars. See danny069's experience with the exams though.

I understand from a recruiter I know that the ACMT is something that this recruiter often seeks on a resume. So having the cert might widen your opportunities.

RickApplecore

Hey Paw... I'm currently studying for the Mac Management Basics exam and am wondering if you used/found/can recommend any other exam prep resources before you took the exam. I'm planning on taking the gamut of the exams, so I'll be taking the ACSP (Yosemite 101) exam next followed by the ACTC (Yosemite 102) exam. Did you end up getting these certifications? Thanks...

zdravko

Hi,

I am ACSP 10.10 and yes all certificates are good assets when you are applying for job. Also you need to know not only have the cert.
I will recommend this application if you want free trial. iLearn: Advance ACSP most of the question are similar from the application.
Also try on your Apple computer and search to find all correct answer so you can understand and have good practise.

I pass ACSP 10.10 with 92% just by answering all question from this application, and also trying on my macbook.
You need 73% to pass the exam and you have 2h for this exam.

GOOD LUCK

You can install the iLearn:Advance ACSP application (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ilearn-advance-acsp/id1028919138?mt=8)
on your iPhone/iPad