291 pre-prep

Discussion in 'Windows Server 2003 / 2008 / 2012 / 2016' started by Becki, Nov 21, 2008.

  1. Becki

    Becki Byte Poster

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    Hiya,

    Since i have passed my 290 exam, i have had a week off and i looked at my MS Press book on 291 last night for the first time since i bought the set!

    It has been nearly 12 months since i have done anything to do with networks or N+ for the sake of it, as i don't use it at work (I'm a Desktop Support Apprentice).

    Is it worth me reviewing N+ before tackling this beast, or should i get stuck into it, as i think majority of stuff in there will come flooding back?​

    Thanks,
    Becki
     
    Certifications: NVQ IC3 A+ Network+ MCDST MCITP MCTS Vista & 7
  2. Obinna Osobalu

    Obinna Osobalu Banned

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    Wont hurt to review the N+ since you have already studied it before it will not take much of your time so that you can move on to yhe 291 material. Congrats on the pass:D
     
    Certifications: MCITP:SA,MCTS(x5),MCSE2K3;MCSA2K3:M;MCP
    WIP: EDA7,70-652,Project+,MSP(70-632)
  3. iRock

    iRock Nibble Poster

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    Everyone will have different opinions on this but IMO I think you should just go ahead with the 291 book. Refer to the N+ book if you are having difficulty with anything (which is unlikely).

    I've to read that book this week too, hope to take the 291 & 293 this week coming or the week after so the pressure is on for me!

    Good luck!
     
    Certifications: MCP (270,290), MCTS Vista
    WIP: 291,293,297
  4. grim

    grim Gigabyte Poster

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    just review the N+ notes you made and then hit your 70-290 book :)

    GRim
     
    Certifications: Bsc, 70-270, 70-290, 70-291, 70-293, 70-294, 70-298, 70-299, 70-620, 70-649, 70-680
    WIP: 70-646, 70-640
  5. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    If you don't have 6 months of server administration experience, I'd recommend that you don't pursue 70-291 at all. Microsoft recommends 6 months of experience administering servers in a 250+ user, multi-server domain environment before pursuing MCSA exams (particularly the 70-291).

    In truth, if you don't use it at work, what good is the certification going to do you?
     
    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. D6UEH

    D6UEH New Member

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    I understand this but surely you want to stretch yourself with new skills not ones you do day to day. Why get certified in something you know how to do?
     
    Certifications: MCP, MCDST, MCTS
    WIP: MCSA, then maybe CCNA, ITIL
  7. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Because certification isn't designed to show employers what you want to do; certification is designed to show employers what you already know how to do. Certification isn't so you can learn new things; it's so you can impress an employer on a resume.

    So I will counter your question with a question: Why get certified in something that you don't have the real-world experience to back up? Employers don't hire certified people who don't have experience - they hire people who are experienced, and when candidates' experience levels are roughly equal, they hire experienced people who have certifications.

    Don't misunderstand me - the knowledge you get while certifying is extremely useful. But that's not the purpose of certification. That's why people without experience have trouble with 70-291 - because they don't have the required amount of experience to truly understand what they're studying in a real-world context.
     
    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!
  8. D6UEH

    D6UEH New Member

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    Interesting views but if I could compare it to driving. When you look to learn to drive you have to jump in at the deep end and get in a car albeit with an instructor. How else are you meant to get a drivers lisense?

    With certification how else are you supposed to get experience? Unless you are very lucky and have an employer that is willing to take a chance on you and give you tasks from which you can learn these skills. You can learn from people around to an extent but you need to try it out for yourself.

    I personally have found with certification I have learnt vastly more by building a machine with the OS relevant to the certification and trying things out than I have at my employment. I haven't taken 291 myself but I think everyone that passed it would say they had trouble with it not just desktop support people.

    Interesting debate none the less
     
    Certifications: MCP, MCDST, MCTS
    WIP: MCSA, then maybe CCNA, ITIL
  9. derkit

    derkit Gigabyte Poster

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    While I can't help Becki directly as I have yet to reach this point - I'm assuming you have kept the books/notes from the Net+ so it may be worth refreshing yourself on what you learnt a year ago. As an aside, have you really forgotton the main content of the course only after a year?? I know you haven't used it but this concept of forgetting the main content is lost on me?!?

    As for BMs post - not sure about the US, but in the UK, they look at certs as a benchmark of knowledge, irrelevant of whether you know it or not. Don't reach the benchmark, you don't reach the pile for interview. So while what MS says is "ideal" in practical reality (at least in the UK, and generally, there are obviously going to be exceptions) it doesn't work that way.

    And as a final aside, and off topic from Becki's post, if MS want people to only have these certs after having x (normally 6 or 12) months operational experience before taking the exam, why did the 2008 exams appear long before the 6 or 12 month period expired from when they officially released their own products?
     
    Certifications: MBCS, BSc(Hons), Cert(Maths), A+, Net+, MCDST, ITIL-F v3, MCSA
    WIP: 70-293
  10. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    But you cannot compare it to driving. You don't have to interview with an employer to be able to drive; you simply have to pass a test.

    A certification isn't a "license to administer servers".

    And, for the record, I learned how to drive from my father... in a parking lot, off the roads, until I had enough real-world, behind-the-wheel experience to get out on the street on my own. Same with server administration, though it takes quite a bit longer to become experienced in server administration.

    How else are you supposed to get experience? By starting at the bottom and working your way up... just like everyone else. As a desktop support tech, you show interest in server administration, assist and learn from the server admins at your company, and after you build real-world experience, get certified and get you a proper server admin position. Same thing with network administration... you work your way up to it.

    Sure, you learn from people... but you also assist - where you're doing the job with someone watching over your shoulder to provide helpful teaching and advice.

    It absolutely works; I'm living proof.

    That's... not the point. The question isn't whether you can pass the exam or not. People without experience can pass the exam. But what good is it without real-world experience?!? Employers don't hire people with certifications and no experience... not when there are people looking for work who DO have that experience.

    There's no debate... I'm speaking from experience... and you're speaking about what you hope will happen without having experienced it. Not sure how that makes a debate... I just shake my head and let you go about your own plan, since you seem to have it all figured out. :thumbleft
     
    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!
  11. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Sure, certification IS a benchmark, but without the experience, you won't get the job. I'm not sure how much plainer I can be... it absolutely DOES work that way. That's what people from the UK who are on this very forum say, which matches up with my experience.

    Because you don't need 6-12 months of experience working with Server 2008... you need 6-12 months of experience administering servers - big difference. That said, there ARE some people who DID have that much experience with it when the product was released... you're not taking into account those who were working with it in test environments AND in production environments while it was in Beta.
     
    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!
  12. Becki

    Becki Byte Poster

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    And i wonder to my self......
    why do majority of topics i start always go off the rails?!:blink
     
    Certifications: NVQ IC3 A+ Network+ MCDST MCITP MCTS Vista & 7
  13. grim

    grim Gigabyte Poster

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    you're 19 you should be used to going off the rails now and then ? :alc

    GRim
     
    Certifications: Bsc, 70-270, 70-290, 70-291, 70-293, 70-294, 70-298, 70-299, 70-620, 70-649, 70-680
    WIP: 70-646, 70-640

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