Getting Started with a Cisco Certified Career

from TrainSignal Training by Chris Magietvia Certification
Getting Started with a Cisco Certified Career:
To many of us, computer networking can seem mysterious, strange, difficult to understand, and evoke many questions. In this webinar with CCIE Joe Rinehart, learn how to get started with a Cisco certified career.
While nothing in life is absolutely certain, the truth is that you CAN transform your life and career through Cisco certifications! By entering the exciting field of high-tech, you can realize vast amounts of incredible opportunity, by an industry veteran who has made the same journey and worked for companies such as AT&T. Come find out how you can take the first step into the amazing world of Cisco networking!
During his presentation, Joe will help answer these questions:

• How do I make sense of all this?
• Where do I start?
• How can I pass the exams?
• Where do I find a job?

About Joe Rinehart:

Joe is a seasoned Cisco professional with over 14 years of experience, supporting Fortune 500 Companies in deploying routing, switching, unified communications, security, and data center technologies. Joe is a professional trainer specializing in technology, business and social media. He has developed a line of Cisco networking videos, including Cisco CCNA certification training. Joe is also a successful speaker and published author, and is active in the social media space, managing one of the largest groups on LinkedIn.

Ask Slashdot: How To Prove IT Knowledge Without Expensive Certificates?

from Slashdot by timothyvia Certification
Ask Slashdot: How To Prove IT Knowledge Without Expensive Certificates?:
An anonymous reader writes "I'm starting my Ph.D in psychology this year and plan to finance this period with IT freelance work, mostly building websites with Drupal and setting up Linux networks, servers, etc.. Now I have a little problem: Since I never studied ICT nor followed a course that resulted in a certificate, I can only prove my knowledge by actually doing stuff or showing what I've done so far. Unfortunately that isn't always sufficient to convince potential customers. So I was wondering what other slashdotters do. Are there any free or cheap alternatives to get certificates or other more convincing ways to prove your IT knowledge?"

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Do Cisco Certified Internet Engineers (CCIE) Get Special Privileges From Cisco ?

from EtherealMind by Greg Ferro

via Certification

Do Cisco Certified Internet Engineers (CCIE) Get Special Privileges From Cisco ?: I'm regularly asked the question: What privileges or special access does Cisco give to people when they pass the CCIE™exam ?

Short answer: None. Nada. Nothing. Zip. Zero.

Read on for the "Longer Answer"

Posts Related to this Article

• Blessay: On CCIE Core Knowledge Waivers. The HP Fallout…
• HP MASE – It’s for HP Partners Not Customers…
• Comment: “Worlds Youngest CCIE” Not So All That.
• Why the CCIE Program Is More Useful Than the Certification…
• Has IT Certification Become Nothing More Than a Racket?

CCNA Gamified: Learn Networking through the CCNA Aspire Game

CCNA Gamified: Learn Networking through the CCNA Aspire Game:
from Happy Router.com by David Davis

Mastering networking in preparation for the Cisco CCNA certification is challenging, especially for those new to the field. There’s a lot to learn and any hands-on experience you can get is the best thing you can do to prepare for the CCNA exam.
Earlier this year, Cisco launched the CCNA Aspire Game which allows CCNA candidates to prepare for the exam with scenario-based challenges that are based on real-world examples. The game is a great complement to instructor-led and video based training, like TrainSignal’s Cisco CCNA Training and will help you think on your feet as you sharpen your networking skills.

If your curiosity is piqued and you’re interested in learning more, check out Sean Wilkins’ review of the CCNA Aspire Game and the video trailer below. And give the game a try — you can download it for free here.

Where is the Cisco CCNA 2012 Update?

Where is the Cisco CCNA 2012 Update?:
from Petri IT Knowledgebase by Sean Wilkins

Overview

It has been three years since Cisco updated their CCNA certification track. While Cisco has not formally introduced an update to their CCNA track for 2012, based on their previous schedule of certification revisions, it should not be that much longer before the CCNA 2012 update is announced. For many candidates, this uncertainty is unsettling because they do not want to prepare for an exam that will be changed right before they have to take it. This article addresses these concerns providing advice to aspiring CCNA candidates on whether they should take the current CCNA exam or wait for the new one.

Cisco's Certification Revision Process

One thing that history has taught veteran candidates is that Cisco rarely if ever leaves us in a scenario where test preparation is completed and then not able to be used for future testing. The typical process seems to be that Cisco will give candidates at least 4-6 months of time once a certification update has been announced to shift the focus of test preparation. This typically allows enough time for candidates to figure out which version of the exam is best to prepare for, based on both the test preparation schedule and the anticipated test date. As long as you take the time to learn the specific dates that Cisco is following, you won't run into any major issues.

Preparing for the CCNA in 2012

Another thing you should take into consideration is what is the best plan to follow when getting on the path to CCNA should an update be expected. This is precisely the situation we're in today, the CCNA will likely be updated this year, so how should you prepare?
One thing that every potential CCNA candidate has to understand is that the majority of the material from one version of the CCNA exam to another is the same with very minor changes. Much of the introductory level networking knowledge that is being tested at the CCNA level has been the same for the last 10+ years. What this translates to is that no major amount of study time will be wasted, should an update be announced this month or in December. The vast majority of the content that currently exists on the CCNA will also be tested on the next version of the CCNA exam. Any potential topics that make up the very small percentage of material that may be changed could potentially have just moved onto a next level test. This can be helpful should the candidate keep going up the Cisco certification ladder.
So what is the core message that is being stated here? Keep studying for your CCNA! Very little of your preparation time will be wasted should an update to the CCNA happen. Do not let the expectation of a change halt your progress and advancement of your career.

Summary

Will a new CCNA certification be announced in 2012? Historically the CCNA has been updated every three years, so 2012 looks like a prime candidate for a CCNA update. However, this should not discourage any potential CCNA candidates from not studying and preparing for the exam.
For one thing, Cisco will give you ample time once an update has been announced to figure out if the old or new exam is right for you. Typically, this phase takes 4-6 months, so you'll have plenty of time to either complete the current CCNA exam or study the new CCNA objectives in preparation for the updated CCNA. More importantly, the new exam will likely change only by 15-20% percent, so even if you decide to go with the updated CCNA certification, you won't be wasting time and effort studying for the current CCNA objectives. Cisco's networking fundamentals haven't changed drastically in the last decade and they're not expected to dramatically change now. When a CCNA update is finally announced you will see new content and changes to the objectives, but it won't be an entirely new exam, that's what you have to keep in mind.
Hopefully this article will allow those potential CCNA candidates who are worried about future changes to relax and just focus on the material. Anything that you'll learn about networking will be useful to you, and this is coming from someone who has run thin and thicknet Ethernet cabling.

How to Find the Right SharePoint Training: A Resource Guide for IT Pros

How to Find the Right SharePoint Training: A Resource Guide for IT Pros:
from Petri IT Knowledgebase by Michael Simmons

Overview

One of those things that is always so important is for system engineers to quickly get up to speed on a new technology. If you’re getting ready to implement SharePoint, or you’ve been hearing your CITO talk about needing it and you want to help lead the project, there are a lot of resources available to help you get from “curious” to “awesome.”

Courses and Training Options for SharePoint 2010

You have some great training options that are available. There are both in-person and online classes and training videos that are dedicated to SharePoint 2010.

In-Person Training for SharePoint 2010

SharePoint 2010 Administration from SharePoint 911 – SharePoint 911 has a bunch of Microsoft MVPs working for them, and was founded by SharePoint MVP Shane Young. I’ve taken SharePoint training from Shane and he absolutely knows his stuff!

Online Courses for SharePoint 2010

Official Microsoft Instructor-Led SharePoint course – If you’re looking for something beyond what is available for free, this is one of the really great options. You can choose SharePoint training courses that are piecemeal (pick and choose the topics) or you can buy a collection which includes all of the training courses.
TrainSignal SharePoint Server courses – TrainSignal products are especially nice because they can be viewed online or you can use the DVDs they send to watch when you're offline. If that’s something that’s important because broadband connections aren’t available to you, TrainSignal may be the best option for you.

Online Do-It-Yourself Training for SharePoint 2010

If you are looking for some instructional videos, here are some great options – both free and some subscription-based services.

Free Online Videos

Free SharePoint 2010 courses from Office.com – There’s nothing like free training that you don’t have to leave your desk for. Microsoft is the ultimate source for how to use and implement their products. Most of these videos are from the end-user perspective, but many of the concepts, such as creating a site, are done by both end-users and administrators.

Subscription-Based access

IT Pro collection from Books 24x7: I’ve used the Books 24x7 library and it’s fantastic. Encourage your company to set up access for your IT department, and see which techies actually want to professionally develop. Their SharePoint collection has many more books than you’ll have time to read – and you can pick and choose from as many as you want.
Safari Books Online: Safari Books Online costs a little bit less than Books 24x7, and their collection is not from as many publishers. They do have all of the most important publishers: Microsoft Press, Sams, O’Reilly, and many more – plus they also are getting more videos all the time. A quick search for SharePoint on their site shows over 40 videos already dedicated to SharePoint 2010.

Books

Of course if what you really want is just information, and you just need to know which books are best, here are some recommendations:
Essential SharePoint 2010: Overview, Governance, and Planning

I love this book because it goes into much more detail about how to effectively plan your SharePoint implementation. It gives far less information about “how” to set up your SharePoint site – but there are so many books and trainings that cover that information. This book talks about the “why” for SharePoint. Once you can determine the “why” you’re doing SharePoint, the “how” becomes that much easier.
Managing and Implementing Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Projects

This book from Microsoft Press is used to help guide your project to completion. If you’re newly thrust into the position of getting SharePoint off the ground, and you’re wanting your SharePoint implementation to be a success, this book will really help with the planning and managing of your SharePoint project.
SharePoint 2010: Creating and Implementing Real-World Projects

This book is another one of my favorites because it goes beyond the nuts and bolts of SharePoint and really helps get things done. In some ways, handing somebody SharePoint is like turning them loose with a canvas and paints when they don’t know how to paint! In that same analogy, this book is teaching you how to paint. You can follow along with things that you will actually want to do with SharePoint - things like build a ticket tracking system for the helpdesk, or build a learning center complete with course registrations.
Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Administrator’s Companion

This is your nuts and bolts, standard book that should be on your Kindle. In this book, you’re going to find your basic reference material, and answers for your questions are easy to find. Another great thing about this book is that if you’ve gone digital, you won’t be missing out on the DVD content that comes with the print version; the digital version of this book comes with access to download the extra material.

Blogs

Here are some of the best blogs on SharePoint. Be careful! Reading these blogs may prove dangerously addictive! These are from some absolutely great SharePoint people, and they always have great information. Even when you’re up to speed on SharePoint, you will get great information from these resources.
SharePoint 911 Team Blogs

The SharePoint 911 staff is like a who’s who of SharePoint superstars. They are the authors of many of the SharePoint books we read, and the trainers for many of the classes we take. There are Microsoft MVPs all over their staff, and their blogs are awesome. The link here is to an aggregate of all of their individual blogs.
Official Microsoft SharePoint Team Blog

The latest news, and the first to announce advancements, free training, and best practices is often right at Microsoft’s own SharePoint Team Blog. Add it to your RSS reader, and you’ll be happy you did.

There are many more blogs worth mentioning, and I’ll mention two more that are just great:

• Richard Harbridge: Insights
• Go Digital or Go Home (Shadeed Eleazer)

Conclusion

Being new to SharePoint shouldn’t hold you back for long. Whether you can arrange full training sessions in an instructor-led course, a collection of online courses, or a few books to get you going, you can be up and running very quickly. And to continue your ongoing education, you can always get a few more books, and be sure to add some great SharePoint educators and leaders’ blogs to your RSS reader.

So You Want to Be a Security Expert

So You Want to Be a Security Expert:
I regularly receive e-mail from people who want advice on how to learn more about computer security, either as a course of study in college or as an IT person considering it as a career choice.

First, know that there are many subspecialties in computer security. You can be an expert in keeping systems from being hacked, or in creating unhackable software. You can be an expert in finding security problems in software, or in networks. You can be an expert in viruses, or policies, or cryptography. There are many, many opportunities for many different skill sets. You don't have to be a coder to be a security expert.

In general, though, I have three pieces of advice to anyone who wants to learn computer security.

• Study. Studying can take many forms. It can be classwork, either at universities or at training conferences like SANS and Offensive Security. (These are good self-starter resources.) It can be reading; there are a lot of excellent books out there -- and blogs -- that teach different aspects of computer security out there. Don't limit yourself to computer science, either. You can learn a lot by studying other areas of security, and soft sciences like economics, psychology, and sociology.
  
  
• Do. Computer security is fundamentally a practitioner's art, and that requires practice. This means using what you've learned to configure security systems, design new security systems, and -- yes -- break existing security systems. This is why many courses have strong hands-on components; you won't learn much without it.
  
  
• Show. It doesn't matter what you know or what you can do if you can't demonstrate it to someone who might want to hire you. This doesn't just mean sounding good in an interview. It means sounding good on mailing lists and in blog comments. You can show your expertise by making podcasts and writing your own blog. You can teach seminars at your local user group meetings. You can write papers for conferences, or books.

I am a fan of security certifications, which can often demonstrate all of these things to a potential employer quickly and easily.

I've really said nothing here that isn't also true for a gazillion other areas of study, but security also requires a particular mindset -- one I consider this essential for success in this field. I'm not sure it can be taught, but it certainly can be encouraged. "This kind of thinking is not natural for most people. It's not natural for engineers. Good engineering involves thinking about how things can be made to work; the security mindset involves thinking about how things can be made to fail. It involves thinking like an attacker, an adversary or a criminal. You don't have to exploit the vulnerabilities you find, but if you don't see the world that way, you'll never notice most security problems." This is especially true if you want to design security systems and not just implement them. Remember Schneier's Law: "Any person can invent a security system so clever that she or he can't think of how to break it." The only way your designs are going to be trusted is if you've made a name for yourself breaking other people's designs.

One final word about cryptography. Modern cryptography is particularly hard to learn. In addition to everything above, it requires graduate-level knowledge in mathematics. And, as in computer security in general, your prowess is demonstrated by what you can break. The field has progressed a lot since I wrote this guide and self-study cryptanalysis course a dozen years ago, but they're not bad places to start.

This essay originally appeared on "Krebs on Security," the second in a series of answers to the question. This is the first. There will be more.

Comic for June 10, 2012

Comic for June 10, 2012:

New MCSE - Personal FAQs

New MCSE - Personal FAQs: As most blog readers know Microsoft has brought back the MCSE & MCSA certifications and titles.  For those newer to the field the MCSE was one of Microsoft's most popular certifications and tracks.  I'm on the AD/Server side of the house so for me this goes back to an MCSE in Windows NT, 2000, & 2003.

With the 2008 tracks Microsoft did away with the MCSE & MCSA and introduced the MCITP an MCTS tracks and certifications.

The MCSE and MCSA are back again but this time they stand for

Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert
Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate

The Microsoft Learning team has put together a nice page with a lot of information.

MSCE: Reinvented for the Cloud

There are also some good videos on the site and the Microsoft Learning YouTube Channel

There was a lot of great information on the site, but I still had questions and after asking around I noticed others had the same questions.  MSLearning has a Twitter Account and that is where I learned a lot more about the new certs and the future. I compiled some of my FAQs here:

MK FAQ 1 : What happens if I have the MCITP:SA do I need to start from scratch?

So that was good news, as you can see the MCITP:SA will automatically receive the new MCSA: Windows Server 2008 Certification.

MK FAQ 2 : What happens if I have the MCITP:EA?

This was interesting because the MCITP: EA and MCITP: SA will both have the same MCSA: WS2008 title.   I was hoping for two certs as I have both :)   

Note: It was common for people to get both the MCITP:EA and MCITP:SA certifications.

MK FAQ 3 : When will our transcripts be updated?

According to the twitter conversation above transcripts should change on April 24, 2012.

UPDATE:  Blog reader let me know in the comments that his transcript was updated on 4/17/2012.  Nice job by Microsoft getting ahead of schedule.

MK FAQ 4 : What happens to our old certifications?

This one I really like a lot!   I like that old certs will enter a legacy state and be stated that way on the official Microsoft transcript.

I also like that new exams and certifications will also retire.  It makes people need to stay somewhat current and re-certify.  Other companies already use the model the most famous probably being Cisco.   

I know there are going to be cynics out there that remember MCSE's being referred to as "paper tigers" or MCSEs that got their certs through brain dumps and that made us all look bad but Microsoft is definitely moving in the right direction in my opinion.

I'll take an analogy from the Army.  Every Army soldier goes through bootcamp and has "basic" skills but there is a lot more training and experience needed to become a Ranger or Special forces and deal with the advanced issues/topics.   That is how I look at a lot of these certs (from any company).  They are a good step but getting an MCSA or MCSE doesn't mean someone knows everything....it is an ongoing process.

One of my AD Heroes is Joe Richards and he once rated himself a 6 out of 10 in AD.   Again it is a lifelong learning process...no one knows it all not even a guy like Joe (love how humble and cool he is)

I'd like to hear from the community.  What do you think about the new changes and updates?

MCSE vs. MCITP – Which certification is better?

MCSE vs. MCITP – Which certification is better?:
In my last post I described the new in MCSE in detail. Today we attempt to determine whether the MCSE or MCITP Windows Server certification is more valuable in the 21st century job marketplace.
Consider these scenarios: Karl is a newcomer to the information technology industry, and wants to earn a Microsoft Windows Server certification to give him an advantage in the job marketplace. Michele, by contrast, has worked as a Windows systems administrator for 5 years, but wants to add a Microsoft certification to her resume in order to help her advance in her current position.
The question that both Karl and Michele have for us today is, “Which Microsoft certification is more valuable in the marketplace: the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) or the Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP)? What is the difference between the two titles, anyway?”
In this blog post we will make a formal recommendation for Karl, Michele, and any other 4sysops reader who may be pondering these same questions.

What is the MCSE?

Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE)

I covered the new MCSE program in detail in my last post. What follows is a short summary of the main points.
The Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) was the top-tier IT pro certification for Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP. The credential covered the basic skill set of the Windows systems administrator and enterprise architect:

• Active Directory design, deployment, and support
• Network infrastructure design, deployment, and support
• Desktop support

You might wonder why I said that the MCSE in Windows Server 2003 was the top-tier IT pro credential. This news may come as a shock to you, friends, but the MCSE as we knew and loved it is dead. This is from the Microsoft Learning Web site:
The Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer certifications validate skills on technology that is no longer supported by Microsoft’s mainstream support. We recommend you pursue a certification on current technology.
Because Microsoft understands that the MCSE acronym still carries much weight in the IT marketplace, they have resurrected and rebranded the title. The new name of the MCSE is Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert.
NOTE: Microsoft also rebooted the retired Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) title. This cert is now known as the Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate.
Microsoft avoided the term engineer in the original MCSE acronym because traditional engineers tended to resent having their title co-opted by IT professionals.
The new MCSE is targeted to support Microsoft’s cloud-based IT initiatives. To wit, there exist two new MCSE tracks:

• MCSE for Private Cloud
• MCSE for SQL Server 2012

Because we are concerned with Windows Server credentialing here, we shall move on to discuss the MCITP in Windows Server 2008.

What is the MCITP?

The Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP)

The Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) for Windows Server 2008 is the current-generation top-tier IT pro credential in Windows Server administration. Please read the detailed analysis of the MCITP that I wrote for 4Sysops to get the details of the three tracks:

• MCITP: Server Administrator on Windows Server 2008
• MCITP: Enterprise Administrator on Windows Server 2008
• MCITP: Virtualization Administrator on Windows Server 2008 R2

Advantages: Your cert will be aligned to the latest release of Windows Server and will thus deal with relevant, current technology. The exams are far easier to pass than the old Windows Server 2003 MCSE tests. You have to take fewer exams to earn the MCITP than you did to earn the MCSE.
Disadvantages: Industry recognition of this title is still developing slowly. Because the exams are so easy, some IT pros don’t give the MCITP in Windows Server 2008 the respect given to the MCSE in Windows Server 2003. Microsoft appears to be gradually phasing out the MCITP in Windows Server 2008 in favor of the new MCSA and MCSE titles.
As we can see by studying the Microsoft Learning Web site, Microsoft is trying hard to steer current MCITP Windows Server 2008 candidates to complete one of the new MCSE tracks.

So what is better? MCSE or MCITP?

In my humble opinion, you should pursue the MCITP: Server Administrator credential if you are new to Windows Server certification. To my mind there is no point in spending the additional money and study time required to earn the second MCITP title in Enterprise Administration, much less the one on Windows Virtualization. The bottom line is that many human resources personnel and IT hiring managers who specify a MCITP in a job posting neither know nor care that Microsoft offers multiple versions of the title.
Given how aggressively Microsoft is pushing the new MCSA and MCSE titles, we may see the MCITP in Windows Server 2008 phase out over the next year or so. Get the cert while it’s hot!
As you learned today, the MCSE in Windows Server 2003 has definitely gone the way of the dodo. Because the next-generation MCSE credentials deal with the personal cloud and/or SQL Server 2012, the MCITP is now the only choice to validate our Windows Server 2008 systems administration skill set.
Author: Timothy Warner


Copyright © 2006-2012, 4sysops, Digital fingerprint: 3db371642e7c3f4fe3ee9d5cf7666eb0


Related

• All about the new Microsoft MCSE certification (0)
• Microsoft Exam 70-640 – Operations Masters – Sample question (3)
• Microsoft Exam 70-640 – The Global Catalog – Sample question (0)
• Microsoft Exam 70-640 – The Global Catalog (3)
• Microsoft Exam 70-640 – Active Directory replication – Sample Question (0)

All about the new Microsoft MCSE certification

All about the new Microsoft MCSE certification:
In a recent blog post I mentioned that the traditional Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) certification program has been retired. Because Microsoft understands that the MCSE acronym continues to carry weight in the IT marketplace, they have rebooted the title with a new focus on their "private cloud" strategy.
In this blog post we will learn what “private cloud” means and how relevant Microsoft technologies factor into the new MCSE private cloud certifications. You’ll also learn precisely what is required should you decide to pursue the title.

What is a “Private Cloud”?

Cloud computing refers to delivering applications, services, and disk storage over the Internet. The metaphor of the “cloud” refers to the fact that the end user neither knows nor cares what the service’s back-end infrastructure looks like. Instead, the user simply knows that he or she can get to their data wherever they are in the world, provided that they have an Internet connection and a supported Web browser.
Here is a nice conceptual diagram that shows how various hardware and software components interrelate in a cloud computing architecture (image credit: Wikimedia Commons):

Cloud computing

Public cloud services such as Apple iCloud, Windows SkyDrive, and Dropbox are great for retail users. More robust public cloud products such as Google Apps, Amazon Web Services, or even Microsoft’s own Office 365 bleed over into the enterprise space as well.
In general, however, enterprise organizations need a secure manner to deploy cloud-based services to their constituents. Thus, the “private cloud” refers to the processes of deploying and maintaining a company’s own, well, private cloud infrastructure.
Here is Microsoft’s vision for the private cloud:

The Microsoft private cloud moves beyond the virtual machine to drive real business value through deep insight into the applications that are delivered as services. Microsoft private cloud solutions built with Windows Server Hyper-V and System Center 2012 provide the benefits of cloud computing through the pooling of resources, elasticity, and self-service, while offering deep insights into applications, cross-platform support, and the ability to extend workloads between Private, Public, and Hybrid Cloud environments.

If you cut through the marketing fluff, we can see that Microsoft intends for their Hyper-V, System Center 2012, SQL Server 2012 and Windows Server 2008 R2 to form the core of their customers’ corporate cloud strategy.
Can you see where we are headed here? The new Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) provides a way for enterprise architects or systems administrators to validate their skills with these particular Microsoft products and technologies.
Let’s now delve more deeply into the new MCSE.

MCSE: Private Cloud

The new MCSE is divided into two tracks: the MCSE Private Cloud and the MCSE SQL Server 2012.
The prerequisite to earning the Private Cloud MCSE is to earn the Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) in Windows Server 2008 R2.
NOTE: The new MCSA completely supersedes and replaces the retired Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) in Windows Server 2003).
To earn the MCSA, you must pass the following exams:

• Exam 70-640: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuring
• Exam 70-642: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuring
• Exam 70-646: Windows Server 2008, Server Administrator

We have a comprehensive study guide in development for the 70-640 exam here at 4sysops.
Once you’ve earned your MCSA and demonstrated your competency with Windows Server architecture and administration, you are ready to tackle the cloud-specific subject matter. To earn your MCSE Private Cloud title, you must pass the following exams:

• Exam 70-247: Configuring and Deploying a Private Cloud with System Center 2012
• Exam 70-246: Monitoring and Operating a Private Cloud with System Center 2012

As you can observe by perusing the aforementioned exam blueprints, the Microsoft System Center 2012 suite forms the backbone of Microsoft’s private cloud infrastructure.

MCSE: SQL Server 2012

The MCSE SQL Server 2012 certification program consists of two sub-tracks:

• MCSE Data Platform
• MCSE Business Intelligence

We can loosly define the “Data Platform” cert to be the database administrator (DBA) title, and the “Business Intelligence” cert to be the database developer credential.
The MCSA in SQL Server 2012 is a prerequisite to both MCSE SQL Server 2012 tracks. To earn the SQL Server 2012 MCSA, you must pass the following exams:

• Exam 70-461: Querying Microsoft SQL Server 2012
• Exam 70-462: Administering a Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Database
• Exam 70-463: Implementing Data Warehouses with Microsoft SQL Server 2012

To complete the MCSE in SQL Server 2012 Data Platform, you must complete the following tests:

• Exam 70-464: Developing Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Databases
• Exam 70-465: Designing Database Solutions for SQL Server 2012

To earn the MCSE in SQL Server 2012 Business Intelligence, you must pass the following exams:

• Exam 70-466: Implementing Data Models and Reports with Microsoft SQL Server 2012
• Exam 70-467: Designing Business Intelligence Solutions with Microsoft SQL Server 2012

So how do I get started?

According to the Microsoft Learning Web site, this is the availability of the new MCSE cert exams as of this writing in May 2012:
Exams 246, 247, 461, 462, 463, 464, 465, 466, and 467 are expected to be available in June 2012. Exams 457, 458, 459, and 460 are expected to be available by August 2012. Please check back frequently for updated release information.
You can register for the new MCSE exams by visiting the Microsoft Certifications subsite at Prometric. The Prometric site will also allow you to check the registration fees for these exams as well.
I will leave you with some free learning resources to help you get a leg up on the new MCSE cloud computing subject matter:

• Download trial versions of MS cloud products
• Microsoft Private Cloud Training
• Private Cloud Jump Start
• Microsoft Virtual Academy: Private Cloud

In my next post I will compare the new MCSE with the MCITP (Microsoft Certified IT Professional).
Author: Timothy Warner


Copyright © 2006-2012, 4sysops, Digital fingerprint: 3db371642e7c3f4fe3ee9d5cf7666eb0


Related

• Microsoft Exam 70-640 – Operations Masters – Sample question (3)
• Microsoft Exam 70-640 – The Global Catalog – Sample question (0)
• Microsoft Exam 70-640 – The Global Catalog (3)
• Microsoft Exam 70-640 – Active Directory replication – Sample Question (0)
• Microsoft Exam 70-640 – Active Directory replication (0)

Microsoft Exam 70-640 – Configuring DNS Zones – Overview

Microsoft Exam 70-640 – Configuring DNS Zones – Overview:
In this article we will review subject matter “Configuring DNS Zones” of the Microsoft 70-640 certification exam objective.
In this series, we will move through the content blueprint of the Microsoft Windows Active Directory Configuration (70-640) exam objectives with an eye toward preparing you to pass this Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) exam.

Microsoft Exam 70-640 – Configuring DNS Zones  / Domain 1, Subobjective 1

For each exam domain, I will give you two blog posts. One blog post represents a nutshell summary of the content underlying the first domain in the 70-640 certification exam blueprint: Domain Name System, or DNS. The second blog post presents a representative practice exam question that covers one topic from each content domain.
The screenshot above shows the relevant section from the 70-640 exam blueprint on configuring DNS zones.
What we will do here is cover each of the aforementioned bullet points by providing (a) very brief definitions of each technology; and (b) links to relevant Microsoft resources to foster your certification study.
The first domain in the 70-640 exam is all about Domain Name System, or DNS. Suffice it to say, you should have a pretty comprehensive understanding of how Windows Server 2008 DNS works (from the server and client sides) before you tackle the 70-640 test.
In your exam study, please be sure to focus on every single item listed in each bullet point. In other words, make sure you are comfortable with all of the following aspects of configuring DNS zones:

• Dynamic DNS (DDNS) and traditional DNS
• Secure DNS
• TTL configuration
• GlobalNames, Primary, Secondary, stub, and AD-integrated zones
• SOA record configuration
• Forward and reverse lookups

Dynamic DNS (DDNS)

DDNS is a feature of the Windows Server 2008 DNS Server that enables DNS clients to automatically register and unregister their host names and IP addresses. The convenience is that an administrator doesn’t have to manually tend to the DNS database, which was the case many years ago.
Relevant Links:

• Understanding Dynamic Update
• Dynamic Update

Non-Dynamic DNS (NDDNS)

NDDNS is (potentially) useful in very small and/or high security networks in which the DNS administrator wants to be able to control DNS client registrations by hand.
Relevant Links:

• Eliminate Manual Updates of DNS Records by Configuring Dynamic Update and Secure Dynamic Update
• Step-by-Step Guide for DNS in Small Networks

Secure Dynamic DNS (SDDNS)

SDDNS enables Windows Server 2008 DNS administrators to apply access control lists (ACLs) to their DNS zones, thereby preventing non-domain member computers and other unauthorized devices from registering with DNS. SDDNS should not be confused with DNSSEC, which is a completely different technology that was added in Windows Server 2008 R2. In a nutshell, DNSSEC is a collection of industry-standard protocols that add data integrity and enhanced authentication to DNS.
Relevant Links:

• Secure Dynamic Update
• Dynamic Update and Secure Dynamic Update
• Introduction to DNSSEC

Time to Live (TTL)

The TTL is a value that is attached to every resource record that specifies how long client devices should cache the data contained in the record. In other words, if my client computer receives a resolution request for yahoo.com from the Yahoo DNS server with a 1-hour TTL, then my computer will store that resolved IP address in memory for 1 hour before requesting refreshed data. We configure the DNS zone’s default TTL by modifying the properties of the Start of Authority (SOA) resource record.
Relevant Links:

• Resource Records Reference
• Configuring Caching and Negative Caching

GlobalNames

GlobalNames is a new DNS zone type that helps businesses decommission their WINS servers. GlobalNames allows for what Microsoft calls “single label name resolution.” Thus, “legacy” domain computers can communicate using DNS names that mock their deprecated NetBIOS name counterparts.
Relevant Links:

• Providing Single-Label DNS Name Resolution
• Deploying a GlobalNames Zone

Primary and Secondary Zones

In traditional DNS, primary and secondary zones are considered to be authoritative for a given DNS domain. The difference here is that updates occur on the primary DNS server and are propagated to secondary DNS servers during the zone transfer process. In other words, primary DNS zones are read/write, and secondary DNS zones are read-only.
Relevant Links:

• Understanding Zone Types
• Change the DNS Zone Type

Active Directory-Integrated Zones

AD-integrated zones were a big deal when Microsoft added them to Windows Server. Here we can dynamically replicate DNS zone data to all domain controllers within a domain or even across multiple domains within a forest because the zone data is embedded into the Active Directory database instead of being stored in flat files. Another advantage here is that every DNS server (that is to say, domain controller) can make changes to the DNS zone data. Hence, there is no concept of a read/only secondary zone.

Active Directory-Integrated Zones

Relevant Links:

• Active Directory-Integrated Zones
• Primary and Active Directory-Integrated Zones Differences

Stub Zone

A stub zone is a read-only DNS zone that contains only enough resource records to identify the authoritative DNS servers of another zone. We use stub zones in Windows Server 2008 DNS to speed up name resolution in split-domain networks. For instance, the 4sysops.com domain DNS server might have a stub zone for the 4sysopsbackup.com domain. The first domain having a shortcut method of resolving the remote domain’s DNS servers dramatically cuts down on DNS resolution lookups.
Relevant Links:

• Creating and Managing a Stub Zone
• Add a Stub Zone

Start of Authority (SOA)

The SOA record is the most important record in a DNS zone. SOA records contain the global parameters of the zone, including the aforementioned TTL, zone serial number (used in zone transfers), and other critical DNS metadata.
Relevant Links:

• The Structure of a DNS SOA Record
• Modify the Start of Authority (SOA) Resource Record for a Zone

Zone Scavenging

Zone scavenging refers to the Windows Server 2008 feature whereby the server periodically scours its authoritative DNS zones and purges outdated resource records. This process can also be initiated manually by an administrator.
Relevant Links:

• Understanding Aging and Scavenging
• Enable Aging and Scavenging for DNS

Forward and Reverse Lookup
In DNS, forward lookup pertains to the resolution of a target system’s IP address from its host name. Reverse lookup involves name resolution of a host name from a given IP address.
Relevant Links:

• Managing a Forward Lookup Zone
• Reverse Lookup

Conclusion

I hope that you find this approach to 70-640 exam certification study fruitful. Please feel free to leave your questions and comments;
In the next post I will provide a sample practice question for the Configuring DNS Zones topic.
Author: Timothy Warner


Copyright © 2006-2012, 4sysops, Digital fingerprint: 3db371642e7c3f4fe3ee9d5cf7666eb0


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Microsoft Exam 70-640 – Configuring DNS Zones – Sample practice question

Microsoft Exam 70-640 – Configuring DNS Zones – Sample practice question:
In the last post I summarized the content underlying the first domain “Configuring DNS Zones” in the 70-640 certification exam. Today I will provide a sample practice question.

Sample practice question

You are the administrator for a Windows Server 2008 R2-based Active Directory domain named 4sysopslab.com. The client base of the organization consists of Windows 7, Windows XP, and Windows NT 4.0 computers. You also support an internal line-of-business (LOB) application that employs legacy technologies that has the hostname genappserv01.4sysopslab.com.
Your name resolution infrastructure includes a GlobalNames zone. After creating a CNAME alias record for the LOB server named lob01, you discover that users are unable to connect to the server by using the lob01 name. Connections using the genappserv01 name function correctly.
Which of the following actions should you take in order to resolve this problem?
a. Verify the properties of the GlobalNames zone in WINS Manager.
b. Use the ping command to attempt a connection to genappserv01.
c. Verify the zone data in DNS Manager
d. Use the tracert command to attempt a connection to lob01

The correct answer, explanation, and analysis

The correct answer in this case is C. In order to troubleshoot this name resolution issue, we should open the DNS Manager MMC console (or the dnscmd command-line utility) and investigate the contents of the GlobalNames zone. Perhaps there was a typo in the CNAME record?

DNS Manager – GlobalNames zone

The last sentence of the previous paragraph actually brings up an important test-taker’s tip: Never “read into” a Microsoft exam item. In other words, stick with the words in the item stem and answer choices themselves and go no further. Believe it or not, you can at times hobble yourself by thinking too much from your own practical experience instead of applying “Microsoft thinking” to the problem.
The incorrect answer choices in an IT certification exam items are known as distracters. Choice a is incorrect because this item has nothing to do with WINS, and the GlobalNames zone is a Windows Server 2008 DNS feature.
Choice b and d are both incorrect because the item stem already states that we are unable to connect to the LOB server using the single label name lob1, and are able to connect by using the DNS host name genappserv01.
Now that we have explained the correct and incorrect answer choices, let’s perform a little deeper analysis on the item itself.
The first few sentences of a Microsoft exam item set the stage for the problem and actual question. Back in the Windows Server 2003 days, item writers added a lot of extraneous information to the prologue part of the item stem in order to confuse test takers. However, things are different with the Windows Server 2008 exams inasmuch as the item stems are more terse and to-the-point.
Some clues in the item stem that we have need for single label name resolution are the references to older versions of Windows and the presence of a “legacy” line of business application. Because WINS is not mentioned in the item scenario, we have to assume that WINS is not in use in the network.
The problem section of the item is careful not to mention specific name resolution types. Instead, you are to infer that in the case of lob01 we are using a GlobalNames short name, and in the case of genappserv01 name we are using traditional DNS host names.
Finally, we need to have enough content familiarity with GlobalNames DNS zones to understand which tools are necessary in order to troubleshoot the problem.
As you can see, I created this practice question with the requirement that the test taker not only have the prerequisite content knowledge, but also have some critical thinking skills to apply in answering the question correctly.

Conclusion

I hope that you found this practice question helpful in your study. If you are fuzzy on what the GlobalNames DNS zone is and how it works, then you should hit up the relevant hyperinks I give below in order to clarify your understanding. Please be aware that Microsoft does in point of fact include every single item listed in their exam blueprint in the live exam.

Recommended reading

• Exam 70-640 Home Page
• Understanding GlobalNames Zone in Windows Server 2008
• Using GlobalNames Zone in Windows Server 2008
• Add an Alias (CNAME) Resource Record in the Global Names Zone
• Deploying a GlobalNames Zone

Author: Timothy Warner


Copyright © 2006-2012, 4sysops, Digital fingerprint: 3db371642e7c3f4fe3ee9d5cf7666eb0


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