Server 2012 Certification Tracks

Server 2012 is here! And so are a great deal of the exams necessary to earn your certifications. I took them all, either the real stuff or in beta (beta-period is over though, you’ll have to wait). So what’s available and what are they like?

Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate: Server 2012

I did 070-410 (beta) and 070-417 and passed them both. There is not much preparation material available yet, so how did I prepare? Well, first of all, I already started playing around with Server 2012 when the first Technical Preview became available. So I’m already pretty familiar with the interfaces, the “what-is-where-and-how” questions on the exams. Secondly, I am really well grounded in the previous versions of Windows Servers. There is a lot off good old stuff in the exams. And third, I took a very close look at the section “Skills being measured” on the Microsoft Learning website: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/Exam.aspx?ID=70-417&amp -locale=en-us#tab1 (substitute the bold-printed exam number for either which exam). Actually, I did everything mentioned on those pages! Been there, done that, got the Certification (no shirts yet in the eCompany Store though….)

Exam 070-410 was a piece of cake, I took the beta unprepared and for free during Microsoft TechED 2012 in Amsterdam. I was not surprised of the result. I took exam 070-417 playing a game with some co-workers

Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert: Server Infrastructure

Those exams are currently not available, I took the beta’s, no scores so far…). According to the Microsoft Learning website they will be “live” on October 16. You can look at the “Skills being measured” by taking the URL mentioned above and change the exam number. And then you will see…….. wow, this covers a lot more than only Server 2012! There is quite a bit of System Center 2012 in there so you have to be fairly familiar with SCOM, SCCM, SCVMM and you have know about AppController, Orchestrator, SCSM and SCDPM. And of course there is Networking, networking and more networking. And there is all flavors of Storage. BEWARE!

On exam 070-413, the name is not well chosen (IMHO). I think “Design” would fit better on exam 070-414. Then they would be more in line with the former Server 2000/2003 Design Exams. So exam 070-413 is still about “what-is-where-and-how”. Know the Interfaces, know how to fulfill requirements, step by step, complete the tasks. Whereas exam 070-414 is more about deciding which technology should be implemented give the requirements. More thinking and overview is required for the latter. I’m good at that, so I thought the first one was tougher than the second one.

Again, my preparations were about doing it all, building the complex Infrastructures and DOING it ALL. Fortunately there is Microsoft’s Virtual Labs (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/hh968267.aspx so you don’t have to build everything yourself.

Overall, these are really tough exams. The certification will be great asset on your resume.

Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert: Desktop Infrastructure

Same story here, beta’s, no scores yet, live on October 16. And again a lot of System Center 2012 products, networking, storage, performance and optimization. Depending on your line of expertise (mine is more on infrastructures than desktops and applications) this track is at least as tough as the Server Infrastructure track. Lucky for me that Qwise, my employer, does a lot of “Server Based Computing” (Citrix, RDS), VDI and App-V projects so I am well grounded in those matters. And isn’t everything about the App?

The track is very similar to the Server Infrastructure track for the differences between the 2 exams. And also over here, this certification will look great on your resume because markets will soon find out that not many of us will succeed in passing both exams.

Happy studying! Keep you posted!

Update, October 23: no MCSE for me, passed one exam in both tracks.


Tags: MCT, MSLearning, Server 2012

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