Hello from West Cumbria, UK

Discussion in 'New Members Introduction' started by AllanWallace, May 18, 2010.

  1. AllanWallace

    AllanWallace Bit Poster

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    Hi i'm Allan, a 33yr old IT & Telecoms engineer for a small computer business in West Cumbria.

    I finally started trying to get Certified just the other week, and have made some progress, passing the following:

    70-270 on 10th May 2010
    70-290 on 12th May 2010
    70-291 on 18th May 2010 (yes! today! - and I found it very difficult with a large number of Sims)

    and thinking about which exam to do next (probably 70-284).

    These exams are not easy - although i've worked in IT since leaving school, living in an area with such a low population density and such a large area as Cumbria, it seems that getting a good enough level of exposure to all the things covered in the exams is pretty difficult.

    Anyway, i have managed to pass these exams first time, with no need to retest (though used my second shot voucher on 70-290 (damn!)) but i have spent a huge amount of time revising and trying out configurations on a few spare systems i setup at work.

    My advice to anybody trying to get by these exams without paying for courses (i have not ever done any courses) is revise, practice test, google things in the practice test you don't understand, check on youtube for the exam number just in case there are any pointers, and then repeat until your head feels like it's going to explode.

    Having completed 70-291, it's left me fully aware my weak areas are DNS (Stub vs conditional forwarder vs secondary just leaves me a bit confused at times - i think i have "forwarder" sussed) and subnetting. I hate netmasks, i just cannot get my head around them. (and i've been trying to for so long now i guess i just haven't found the right guide to subnetting - anyone any suggestions?)

    Anyway, hello everyone, interesting forum with some excellent posts on a wide range of IT certification & job related stuff, good luck to anyone taking exams, but my experience is if i hadn't revised (even after 15 years of IT work experience) I would have failed 70-291. Perhaps it's mainly working with single-server SBS 2003 client's that might explain why.
     
    Certifications: MCSA, MCTS 70-680, MCP 70-291, 70-290, 70-270, NVQ3, NVQ2
    WIP: MCITP, ITIL
  2. greenbrucelee
    Highly Decorated Member Award

    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    Hi Welcome

    I live in Kirkoswald near penrith/Carlisle seems like your doing well on the certs.

    Who do work for if you don't mind me asking?
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, MCDST, Security+, 70-270
    WIP: 70-620 or 70-680?
  3. Theprof

    Theprof Petabyte Poster

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    Hellow and welcome to CF!
     
    Certifications: A+ | CCA | CCAA | Network+ | MCDST | MCSA | MCP (270, 271, 272, 290, 291) | MCTS (70-662, 70-663) | MCITP:EMA | VCA-DCV/Cloud/WM | VTSP | VCP5-DT | VCP5-DCV
    WIP: VCAP5-DCA/DCD | EMCCA
  4. Kopite_21

    Kopite_21 Gigabyte Poster

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    Welcome to CF :D
     
    Certifications: National Diploma IT Advanced ECDL
    WIP: A+
  5. BosonMichael
    Honorary Member Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Welcome!
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  6. AllanWallace

    AllanWallace Bit Poster

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    Thanks for the warm welcome!
     
    Certifications: MCSA, MCTS 70-680, MCP 70-291, 70-290, 70-270, NVQ3, NVQ2
    WIP: MCITP, ITIL
  7. AllanWallace

    AllanWallace Bit Poster

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    Oh, one thing I forgot to mention, after nearly 4 years with my current employer, I decided to pay for the exams myself as funding wasn't forthcoming.

    Hopefully it will prove a good decision, though with more exams planned i'm afraid my plastic is taken a fair bit of strain!..
     
    Certifications: MCSA, MCTS 70-680, MCP 70-291, 70-290, 70-270, NVQ3, NVQ2
    WIP: MCITP, ITIL
  8. greenbrucelee
    Highly Decorated Member Award

    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    Better to pay for them yourself then you don't have to feel obligated to your employer.
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, MCDST, Security+, 70-270
    WIP: 70-620 or 70-680?

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