Few general questions

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I am in the middle of my degree and have finished for the summer, and have one of the free Microsoft exam vouchers.

Now I am not 100% sure what exam to take and if I only take one exam, does that get me a Microsoft Qualification or not?

I have been looking at doing the following:
Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Server Administrator (Server 2008 )

70-640 – Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuring
70-642 – Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuring
70-646 – Pro: Windows Server 2008, Server Administrator

Now does this mean to become a MCIP Server Admin I need to do all 3 exams, or are there some other units I need to do as well? I was looking at doing the 70-646 with my first exam but would it be better doing one of the others first?

Ideally for now I'm just looking to take the one exam, and then maybe do the others a while afterwards if this is possible, but does this mean I am certified in something by passing one exam?

 

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Yes, all 3 will need to be passed to reach the set criteria for MCITP.
Only wanting to sit one exam will limit you to the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) exam route - although these exams (such as 70-640 you've mentioned) will give you MCTS status as soon as you've passed and then it can be put towards MCITP status later once the other courses are passed. It's sort of like the current MCP status for 'one-off' exams then being put towards MCDST or MCSA/E after multiple exam passes.

HTH

 

If you take a look here:

MCTS Certification | MCTS Training | Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist

You will see a list of all the 'single' exams giving MCTS status. 70-646 is not amongst them, so if you want to become Microsoft 'certified' quickly, do 640 or 642 first to get the MCTS.

 

Ok thanks for your help guys, would anyone recommend taking 70-640 or 70-642 first?

 

As a first exam, personally i wouldn't if you don't have experience to go along with it - if you do want to take this path i'd recommend the basics first, start on the 70-680 - if you've never used AD in a corporate/enterprise or mutli domain enviornment before, you'll find yourself struggling - you'll also want to get the material to study for these exams.

Note: the exams are now based on Windows Server 2008 R2 - and have questions about R2 which aren't in the normal material, so if you've studied normal 2008, be prepared to have to learn all of R2's features aswell

 

I appreciate what your saying but I would rather become a MCITP Server Administrator. I do have experience with Windows Server 2008 R2 (mainly labs rather than a actual environment) but reading though and playing with it I should be able to learn what is required. I tried a practise text on 640 and got 600/1000 without any revision.

 

That's fair enough, but you'll find you will struggle in getting a job afterwards with just an MCITP without experience, this is generally a role you work up to. I'm studying now for the MCITP: EA - which is pretty much the same route as the SA - and i've been in IT for coming onto 6 years. I have one IT cert (which i regret not doing more a longer time back) but my experience has counted for loads more than certs ever can.

The IT industry is difficult at the moment, and you can't waltz straight into a position without experience, as much as that sucks - companies have a reason for it. By going straight for an MCITP:SA, then going for a job with this qualification with no experience, you may find you won't get it, and you'll have to start again, from the bottom, but then you also risk being "Over Qualified" because you've gone straight for an advanced role - if i had two applicants applying for an entry level / helpdesk job, one of them was a server admin with no experience, or somebody with an MCTS in windows 7, or an A+/N+ - i'd pick the latter

Most IT folk have started at the bottom, entry level roles, then moved up and specialized in another area, very very very few people can just get a cert and get straight into a job - if they do there's a reason somewhere for it

Please don't feel i'm trying to put you down - but it's the way the industry is, and i'm just saying how i see, and how i know it is

 

what he said ^

Lab work doesn't equate to experience.

Think of it like this just because you can drive a car doesn't mean you will get a job as racing car driver. You need lots of experience before that would ever happen.

If you want to be a server admin then the only way you will do that is to build up to it. Some people get lucky and walk into their dream IT job but this is very rare and as Apexes said being over qualified before you begin can hold you back because employers wont hire you for an entry level job because they will see you have the MCITP:SA and think as soon as this guy has a bit of experience he will jump ship and leave us to find another guy to employ.

 

I appreciate what you guys are saying, I have been at my current part time job since 2006, which my main role is developing websites, however I also maintain there small office network. I am also a managing director for a Server Company that has been running since 2007, which involves maintaining servers (mainly Linux) virtualization, building, racking and upgrading servers, and I have just finished my 2nd year at university which I am studying BSc(Hons) Network Technology, so I do have a a fair amount of experience behind me for a job. A lot of jobs I have been looking at state that an Microsoft Qualifications would be an advantage and since I have the free voucher I thought it would be good to take the 640 and if I don't pass its not the end of the world since I haven't paid for it.

Also just to add, I'm looking to just to the 640 exam now leaving it open so at a later date I can do the other two exams to get me to a SA at a later date.

 

If the exams free and theres a expiry limit on it then might as well go for out, but then again no point in wasting it on something that may be a step too far.

Generally speaking certs are here to validate experience, more so commercially, this is more applicable the higher up you go, hence why we generally recommend doing lower end certs as those dont require experience.

From the sounds of it, you have been involved with IT for a few years so that will stand you in good stead, although obviously we dont know your skill level when it comes to Microsoft products, as in fairness website design, and managing Linux servers are whole different skillsets.

Also I would say only certify yourself in server products you can back it up with experience as an employer (or potential customer) want more proof than the ability to just pass an exam when it comes to looking after some of their more valuable IT assets.

Good luck!

 

With all due respect, a network technology degree doesn't relate whatsoever to AD, nor any of the exam related information, and doesn't count as experience in a work place

Either way, whichever route you take - good luck in it

 

The degree I am taking "Support Study" for Microsoft Exams. A couple of modules so far are apparently similar to Microsofts Modules and in these modules we have been setting up servers with AD and connecting them to client computers, we have been doing DNS, Group Policies, Groups etc etc

 

AD is quite a complicated beast, and there is a lot to learn about it, not putting down the course you are on, I would say if you are serious about passing this exam, get a sybex/mspress book and a practice test or two to reinforce what you have learned on the course, and maybe learn more (especially exam specific information).

 

I have already started looking at practise tests, and got 700/1000 without any revision, from the practise tests I can see that AD is a "complicated beast", but hopefully with a bit of revising I can pass the test.