601 & 602 (& MCSA Q)- Out of date revision issues..

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Working with the newest technologies in regards to hardware on a daily basis, for the last 2 years (and only 2 years hehe) When revising for the 601&602 exams I'm regularly asking the tech guys here questions about older technologies - often getting giggles from them asking me why the hell I'm learning about that.. I look at it like working with current F1 cars but yet studying car's that are dead and buried.. I appreciate the need to have knowledge on the first computers and how they worked, but for example I struggle with older socket types and remembering the amount of pins for really old connector types which in all honesty just aren't used anymore..

I'm due for my exams next week and it's not looking good, I often disagree with the correct answers when taking practice exams (using the total tester that comes with the all in 1 A+ Mike Meyers book) maybe because I'm fairly new to the IT game and because I'm constantly working with new technology and thats my frame of mind, I struggle to switch my head to older technologies - the fact is I've used Windows 2000 for about 6 months during 6th form at school before they upgraded to XP and i didn't really use the OS in the way a tech would.

Anyone else seem to have these issues? It's to the point where since Advent have gone bust, is it worth me shelling out £114 x2 for these exams when there so out of date? Or switch my attention to something which is more my domain - the newer A+ exams.. I have mentioned this to my boss, his reaction was is would be a shame to lose all the effort and time ive put in so far to then not get the cert..

Theres also been an opportunity to undertake an MCSA course which is tutor led at a school near where i live, it would be night school, 2 times a week for 3 hours. Do you think someone with little experience with a server environment would be able to pick this up reasonably? I'm willing to put in study time of my own - each cert 70-640, 70642 & 70-646 has a time line of 10 weeks... opinions?

Thanks for reading.

 

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First I'd leave the MCSA until you actually have some server experience, you may have no trouble with the studies but the experience is what gives the cert its real power.

As for the 600 series exams and having trouble dealing with the older tech, I understand entirely, I had to really change the way I looked at things when I took my current job (well before I studied the A+) because all my time up until then had been focussed on new tech. A lot of corporate environments haven't caught up with the latest and greatest technology (largely because they have no need to) so the older socket types etc are still heavily in use all over the place.

I'd stick at it and go for the 600 series, let future exams be the ones where your playing with the new and shinies and you'll end up as a really well rounded tech who can deal with almost any client issue no matter the age of the machine.

As for not having used Win 2000 much, I never have, not even for 10 minutes....

 

Thanks for the reply.

Only thing about the MCSA is that I can actually attend 2 sessions to see if the course is right for me.. & still be able to get my money back - so looking at that one as a no brainer? My work have offered to fund that, I don't really want to turn the opportunity away nor take it on and fail.. I feel i should at least try a few sessions and report back if im out my depth then i've gave it a go.

Good to know I'm not alone with the out of date revision issue! Talk about annoying..

 

The problem is its not about whether you can handle the course or not, its about whether the MCSA is a suitable certification for you to be getting with your current experience. If you've not been managing Microsoft servers in a decent sized domain environment then its not the right cert for you.

The other point worth making is that the exams you listed won't get you an MCSA, they'll get you MCITP: Server Administrator. Totally different cert

 

Yeh im a noob sorry for that MCIPT - i actually knew that i was just typing to quick (in the zone).

We got a decent sized domain here at work, but like you say.. no experience. I have spoken to the Tutor who advised me that a couple of other guys without experience are enrolled on the course...

1st i need to pass my 601&602 exams asap... Exam is potentially next week..

2nd think about the MCIPT is more detail, only bad thing here is it starts within the next week or so... kinda hard to pass up the chance to be taught via a tutor and have it paid for.. i appreciate your concern for experience, but maybe i got a chance? maybe not.. so its got to be worth giving it a shot, spesh when i can back out after a couple of sessions if its too much.

As for whats best for me.. you see my company wants me to start to divert into the server side of things, agreed no experience as of yet but surely this could only help - plus i got all the help and support here with my colleges etc who do have experience and can explain and show me the ropes.

 

I wholeheartedly agree with this...

...and this...

Repped.

Doesn't matter if the course is free... you could attend a free course on brain surgery, but it's still not gonna qualify you to be a brain surgeon. Doesn't matter if you can pass the exams or not... you don't have the experience to make the certification worthwhile.

Certification isn't designed to show an employer what you WANT to be doing... it's designed to show an employer what you ALREADY have experience doing.

EDIT: It's entirely your prerogative to dismiss advice that you have been given - no harm, no foul. But is it advice that you are looking for, or are you simply looking for someone to agree with you?

 

You got a point there Boston.

Thanks