[Closed] MCSE / MCSA / MCITP training question

Do you need training? When I did MCSE it was a doddle, company bought books and I spent a couple of days on test questions.

I echo BBSB's reply - do you need a course? Unless your employers are paying for it (then jump at the chance).

Have you considered doing a mixture of CCNA / MCITP?

MCSE used to be easy, when I did it for win 2000, I averaged about 25 mins per test, and half of that time was spent wondering what I must have missed in order to complete it so quickly. I think I could have bounced a tennis ball on the keyboard for 10 mins and still passed.

They have got a fair bit more difficult recently, mainly because the technology has spread and advanced over the past 13 years. There is a lot more in the current tests.

However for the op, sorry no recommendations.

I think I could have bounced a tennis ball on the keyboard for 10 mins and still passed.

ha ha quality!

No recommendations either but I was never a fan of the official Microsoft classes, they're too basic and prescriptive and the trainers are often pretty crap (as in have only ever been trainers and haven't got a clue about things if someone asks a question that goes outside their comfort area).
However for the last MCSE I did (2003 :p ) I did go on a course as I'm shite at self-study (I'd rather watch paint dry) so ended up doing one of the Firebrand ones (14-day intense course), best way to do it IMO as long as you already have a decent knowledge in the area and are willing to put the effort in for those couple of weeks.

+ 1 for the dedicated training courses being crap and the exams not 'too' hard. they have toughened up a 'little' for SQL 2012 though

i suggest you just have a go at the exam, ideally with a second shot offer and make notes like crazy when you walk out so if you fail you know what to brush up on.

(im working towards http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/mcse-sql-business-intelligence.aspx)

Obvioulsy that stuff only applies if you already work with the product, if you are using the exam as a way of re-training then you will need the courses. Only provider I have any experiance of is QA and they are just average tbh

I'd suggest doing one of the consolidated 'upgrade' courses such as

Course 20417A: Upgrading Your Skills to MCSA Windows Server 2012

rather than a shed-load of courses starting with the very basics which you clearly don't need.

Regardless of the trainers ability, these at least give you the opportunity to get some hands-on trying out lots of different technologies before hitting the exam. And (for me) it means I'm not having to do that whilst at work or in my own time.

edit: sorry, just re-read the question. No experience of Manchester-based courses. We used to run some in Leeds but now only do them in Southampton or Poole. Combine it with a few New Forest / Purbecks rides 🙂

yeah they're a bit tougher these days - we use QA they have offices in Manchester and all over.

I agree that a course isn't necessary - revision is though, you'd certainly struggle if you went in blind.
MS generally do a self-study book for each exam which i find is good enough along with practice questions.

At least it's not a rip-off like the VMWare exams where you have to have attended at £1k course before you can do the exam!

btw MCITP's are being retired in a few months, back to MCSA/E's although much revamped.

Mailed you, lt me know if it arrives.

I've no experience of training centres in Manchester but have used the prometric testing centre.

I should have my MCITP by now but seem to spend too much time travelling to study and when i do get the time i've been diverted to TOGAF.

The old CBT nuggets videos seem to do just as good a job of explaining the course material as any course i've been on though.

Cheers all.

A bit of background. Work will be paying for this, so as far as I'm concerned it's infinitely better than self study. I find sitting and reading the books tedious as it retreads a lot of stuff I know but I can't skip ahead in case I miss something. Looking at a course purely from a timescale perspective really.

The 'upgrade' course is an option but, truth be told I'd have doubts that my original skills were solid enough. That is to say, I know may way around (say) Server 2003, but not perhaps to the Microsoft way of doing things which would enable me to pass an exam. Given that the upgrade is the same price as the full course (and I'm not paying for it anyway), I don't see any reason not to just to do the full thing.

we use QA they have offices in Manchester and all over.

I'm glad you said that as they're one of the ones I've shortlisted.

The old CBT nuggets videos seem to do just as good a job of explaining the course material as any course i've been on though.

That's a point. I think we have - had? - a subscription to that. How up to date it is though is anyone's guess.

Learning to re-wire your brain to "the Microsoft way" is the hardest part (by a loooooong way).

For someone with zero industry practical experience it's easy to read the books/watch the vids and memorise it.

Amusingly I failed two of the MCSA exams in the morning, then went to work looking after 200+ Microsoft servers in the afternoon.

Does anyone have some recommendations for practice test engines? I used the trancsender ones years ago, which seemed quite a realistic simulation of the exam, but they are a bit expensive these days. Thats the sort of thing I am looking for rather than braindump pdf's of the exam questions people think they can remember

I want to update my qualifications this year as well.