Put Yourself to the Test

The following series of questions and observations is designed to help you figure out how much work you must do to pursue Microsoft certification and what kinds of resources you should consult on your quest. Be absolutely honest in your answers; otherwise , you'll end up wasting money on exams you're not yet ready to take. There are no right or wrong answers, only steps along the path to certification. Only you can decide where you belong in the broad spectrum of aspiring candidates.

Hands-on experience with Microsoft products and technologies is an essential ingredient to Microsoft certification success.

Educational Background

1. Have you ever taken any computer- related classes? [Yes or No]

   If Yes, proceed to Question 2; if No, you might want to look into some form of study on basic computing.

2. Have you taken any classes on computer operating systems? [Yes or No]

   If Yes, you can probably handle the general information pertaining to planning, implementing, and maintaining the Window Server 2003 operating system. If you're rusty, brush up on basic operating system concepts and general computer security topics.

   If No, consider some basic reading in this area. One of the best places to look up general information is right in the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 help files on any system. They are also available online at http://www.microsoft.com.

3. Have you taken any Microsoft Official Curriculum classes at a Certified Training and Education Center (CTEC) or a community college that sponsors an IT Academy? [Yes or No]

   If Yes, you can probably handle Microsoft terminology, concepts, and technologies (but brace yourself for frequent departures from normal usage and from what you see on the job).

   If No, you might want to read one or two books in this topic area.

4. Have you taken a practice exam on your chosen test subject? [Yes or No]

   If Yes, and you scored 80% or better on the first run through the practice questions, you're probably ready to tackle the real thing. If your score isn't above that threshold, keep at it with different question pools until you break that barrier .

   If No, obtain all the free and low-budget practice tests you can find and get to work. Keep at it until you can break the passing threshold comfortably.

Hands-on Experience

The most important key to success on all Microsoft tests is hands-on experience. If I leave you with only one realization after taking this self-assessment, it should be that there's no substitute for time spent digging in with the product. Your experience can be in a test lab or on the job, and a mix of both is actually best.

Although there is no substitute for on-the-job training, your job and day-to-day responsibilities might not fully expose you to everything you need to know to pass a certification exam, no matter how long you have been working with a product. I know many NT 4 administrators with five years of experience who could not pass all the NT 4 MCSE exams now, even if they were still being offered , simply because the scope of their jobs is not broad enough to expose them to everything they would need to know to pass the exams. This is why a small home lab with a few used systems goes a long way. Many older Pentium II 400MHz systems with 192MB of RAM or more and 8 or 12GB hard drives can be found at depot centers for less than $75.00; I know because I spent that much (each) on six of them, and they all handled Windows Server 2003 just fine. I have two installed as domain controllers.

You can download objectives, practice exams, and other data about Microsoft exams from the Training and Certification page at http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/. Use the Microsoft Certifications link to find specific exam information.

If you have the funds, or your employer will pay your way, consider taking a class at a Certified Training and Education Center (CTEC). In addition to classroom exposure to the topic of your choice, you usually get a copy of the software that is the focus of your course, along with a trial version of whatever operating system it needs, with the training materials for that class.

Not all CTECs are the same. You might assume that there's not much difference in accredited schools , but there is, so be sure to look around at different ones in your area and spend your or your company's money wisely.

Before you even think about taking any Microsoft exam, make sure you've spent enough time with the related software to understand how it is installed, configured, and used. This knowledge will help you in the exam ”and in real life!

Testing Your Exam-Readiness

Whether you attend a formal class on a specific topic to get ready for an exam or use written materials to study on your own, some preparation for the Microsoft certification exams is essential. At $125 a try (whether you pass or fail), you want to do everything you can to pass on your first try. That's where studying comes in.

This book offers a self-assessment section so that you can evaluate your current knowledge of the material and get an indication of where you currently stand. Also, each chapter includes some practice questions, and the accompanying CD offers two 60-question practice exams. You can find a wealth of additional study guides and test preps from different authors and sources at the Exam Cram Web site http://www.informit.com/examcram2/index.asp.

For any subject, consider taking a class if you've tackled self-study materials, taken the test, and failed anyway. The opportunity to interact with an instructor and fellow students can make all the difference in the world, if you can afford the class. For information about Microsoft classes, visit the Training and Certification page at http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/training/default.asp for a link to find training from Microsoft Certified Education Centers.

If you can't afford to take a class, you should still visit the Training page at http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/training/find/default.asp because it offers pointers to free practice exams and to MCP-approved study guides and other self-study tools. Even if you can't afford to spend much, you should still invest in some low-cost practice exams from commercial vendors .

Practice Makes Perfect

When it comes to assessing your test readiness, there is no better way than to take a good-quality practice exam and pass with a score of 80% or better. When I'm preparing, I shoot for 80% or more right from the beginning.

As mentioned, good quality at a fair price is what you should aim for if you are going to spend money. I cannot recommend spending $200 from a "top tier " company for 200 questions when there are adequate exams in the $40 range from some secondary practice exam companies. You could buy an exam from two or three of these secondary companies and still have a pool of 600 or more questions.

I also recommend reviewing all the questions after you complete your practice exam, even the questions you got correct. Make sure you know why an answer is correct and why the other choices for that question are wrong. Read the explanation to get more details. If any URLs and book references are included in the explanation, take the time to investigate them; you never know which tidbit of information you're going to recall at the testing center during the actual exam.