Question Of The Week – 4 March 2010

Que :  What are my certification options if I want to become a Windows System Administrator?

Ans : Windows System Administrator certifications are very popular and a good choice for both novice as well as experienced IT professional. Here are some options.

1. MCITP (Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Enterprise Support Technician) certification validates your knowledge and skills to support and troubleshoot the latest Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. The MCITP: Enterprise Support Technician credential also certifies that the professional has the knowledge and skills to diagnose and resolve all types of desktop support issues, including mobile and personal devices.

The MCITP certification is also available on Microsoft SQL Server 2005. If you are looking for this certification, please visit the MCITP: Database Administrator certification exam page for more information. Typical job roles are technical support specialists, PC support specialists, help desk technician and customer support representatives.

Related Exams are:

For more information on this certification, please read MCITP page

2. MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator) certifications validate your ability to manage and troubleshoot network environments in the Windows operating system. Typical job roles are Windows Systems administrator, network administrator, information systems administrator, network operations analyst, network technician, and technical support specialist.
An MCSA candidate should have one to twelve months of experience in working with a desktop operating system, a network operating system, and an existing network infrastructure.

To earn the MCSA on Windows Server 2003 certification, you must pass four exams:

  • Two exams on networking systems

70-290 and 70-291

  • One exam on client operating systems

70-270 or  70-620

  • One elective exam
Please visit MCSA page, for more information on this certification.

3. Microsoft’s MCTS: Windows Server 2008, Configuration (Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist) certification has been designed for professionals who have a thorough knowledge in installing, managing and configuring Windows Server 2008 including new features such as security, network and applications. Typical job roles are system administrators, network administrators, or technical support specialists. Please visit the Microsoft page for more information on this certification.

As you can see, there are several options available for those interested in pursing certifications for a Windows System Administrator role. uCertify can help you achieve your certification goals.

With our outstanding pass rate 97.23% and 100% money back guarantee,you have little to lose. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have further questions or wish to place an order. Be sure to check out our free demo versions for each of the products above. This will give you an excellent idea of what to expect by way of our guided learning software, as well as good idea of the exam format itself.

The problem with braindumps

What is a braindump?

Define: Braindump [breyn-duhmp] n. (pl.) Questions and Answers taken from exams or other tests that have been copyrighted for purposes of protecting Confidential or Trade Secret Information and distributed for purposes of cheating or profit. v. To use braindumps in the process of studying for exams or other tests that have been copyrighted for purposes of protecting Confidential or Trade Secret Information.

What’s the problem?
Firstly, braindumps are illegal. All candidates that take an IT certification exam, are required to sign non disclosure agreement (NDA) to not to leak the exam related information. But leaks happen and it is these the leaks have led to dozens of braindumps providers. For example, Microsoft’s NDA states, “You are expressly prohibited from disclosing, publishing, reproducing, or transmitting this exam, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, verbal or written…” Translated, this means a student who takes a Microsoft certification exam cannot share the questions. Other vendors have similar legal, confidentiality agreements on examinees.
If you are a student that uses braindumps to pass a certification, keep in mind that it is not only illegal, but that you haven’t done yourself or your potential employer any favors. Studying for a certification ensures your learning of the subject. The pass in the exam is just proof of your skills. If you do not have the skills to perform on the job, it becomes apparently very quickly. This makes you less valuable to your employer and more improtantly, you lose credibility in the industry.  When the company suffers from substandard work, the employees suffer too.
If you are a legitimate test taker and have passed a certification exam by sheer hard work, don’t encourage braindumps.  It only devalues your hard earned certification. Don’t fall prey to the temptation of getting certified quickly. It just doesn’t work in the long run. It is cheating, pure and simple and you are cheating yourself, most of all.

Why should I avoid Braindumps?
There are several good reasons to avoid braindumps at any cost. The top 5 are:
– Braindumps are a copyright violation in many cases
– You can lose your certification
– You learn little or nothing about the subject – you won’t be able to do the job and will lose credibiliity
– Much of the material is outdated or questionable anyways
– If you need to spend hours memorizing hundreds of questions and answers, wouldn’t that time be better spent towards learning?

How do I know if a product is a braindump?
First, it is important to understand that Practice tests that are simulated are not braindumps. These are completely legal and there are many such vendors. Do remember the following are just guidelines. There are always exceptions to the rule. One way to check the certification standing of a vendor would be to search sites such as http://www.certguard.com/search.asp You can explicitly search for the standing of the vendor you are interested in or simply check the top 20 list of safe sites. – The most obvious way to identify braindumps would be to see if the vendor advertises that they offer braindumps. Stay away.
– If they offer actual exam questions and answers, stay away.
– If a vendor offers very large question banks that seem to be completely out of proportion with more reputed sites, stay away.
– And last, but not the least, if someone claims to have a practice test for every exam, be cautious and check out their claims before purchase. This is a tough one, because some of the best test preparation sites also offer a wide variety of products.

How do certification vendors have to say on the subject?
Braindump Facts:

On August 8, 2006 Microsoft filed a lawsuit against several individuals for copyright infringement. On April 5, 2007, certain braindump sites were barred from producing any content that is protected under Microsoft’s Certification Program and distributing it for any purpose including practice exams. http://news.techworld.com/operating-systems/103147/microsoft-sues-site-selling-answers-to-certification-exam-questions/

Learn more about the CX-310-083 exam

Q. What are the prerequisites for the SCWCD 5 exam?

A. Before taking the SCWCD 5 exam, you must first pass the Sun Certified Java Programmer exam (CX310-025 or CX310-035 or CX310-055 or CX310-065).

Q. How should I prepare for the CX 310-083 exam?

A. To prepare for the CX 310-083 exam, you should use a Web server (for example Tomcat). A step-by-step guide for installing Tomcat can be found here. You must practice well with the code. You can download the Servlet and JSP specifications from the following links: http://jcp.org/aboutJava/communityprocess/final/jsr154/index.html, http://jcp.org/aboutJava/communityprocess/final/jsr152/index.html, and http://jcp.org/aboutJava/communityprocess/final/jsr052/index.html.

Q. What are the exam objectives?

A. The exam objectives can be found at http://www.sun.com/training/catalog/courses/CX-310-083.xml.

Q. What is the exam fee?

A. The fee for the exam is US$200. However, discounts may be available on the exam and you can get the details from your nearest Prometric center. The list of Prometric centers can be found at the Prometric site.

Q. How can I register for my exam?

A. After you purchase your exam voucher, you can contact an authorized Prometric center to schedule your exam date, time, and location. Sun Java certifications can be taken only in authorized Prometric centers, in the country where the exam voucher is purchased. You can book the exam within one year from the date of purchase of vouchers. The exam date may depend on your choice (and availability of slot) in your selected test center.

Q. What are the types of questions asked in the exam?

A. The questions are of three types as follows:

  • Single answer type questions
  • Multiple choice type questions
  • Drag and drop questions

There are instructions to choose the number of correct answers (for example choose 2 or choose 3). You will be asked to click the exhibit button to display the code for drag and drop.

Q. How many questions are asked in the exam?

A. There are 69 questions in the exam. To pass the exam, you need to score at least 70% (i.e. 49 out of 69).

Q. What is the duration of the exam?

A. 180 minutes

Q. What are the other important factors that I should consider while taking the test?

A. On the day of the test, you need to reach the examination center at least 30 minutes before the scheduled time. When you contact the Prometric center in-charge, he will take you to a room with a computer that you will use for the exam. He will also provide you with a pen-paper/white board-marker for rough work. He will guide you on the instructions to take the exam. Once you are ready, you can ask him to start the exam.

You are not allowed to take anything with you in the test center, not even your water bottle or any food. You need to carry two identity proofs of which at least one should have a photo attached.

Once you complete the exam, you can ask the center in-charge for the result.

The center in-charge will give a printed report of your score. The sheet will tell you whether you passed and the percentage of marks in various areas (a graph will indicate your score in different divisions).

Q. What is the exam retake policy?

A. If you fail in the SCWCD 5 exam, you will have to purchase a new exam voucher to retake the exam. You will have to wait for at least 2 weeks before you can retake the exam.

Q. How will I get my certification kit?

A. When you pass the test, you can log on to the Certmanager. Here, you can change your mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address. You will have to wait for around one month to get the certification kit. The certification kit will contain a Sun certificate with your name and certification title, a logo agreement form for successful Java technology certification fulfillment, an ID card with your name and certification title, and a label pin. However, it will not have any report on your score. You can request for your Sun certification logo by logging on to Sun’s site. You may receive the logo within 2-3 days in your mail id. The mail will also contain the instructions on how to use the logo.

Q. How can I correct or change my name if it has been misspelled on my certificate?

A. You can change your address, phone number, e-mail address in the Certmanager database. However, you cannot change your name. To correct your name in the database, you must send an e-mail to suncert@prometric.com. The e-mail must contain your Prometric student ID, your name as it appears, and your correct name.

Q. What credit does the SCWCD 5 exam provide?

A. On successful completion of the exam, you will be a Sun Certified Web Component Developer for the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition 5. You will also be eligible to take the next level of the Sun certification exam, i.e., Sun Certified Enterprise Architect (SCEA).

12 Tips to IT Certification Success – Explore uCertify

1. Choose the Right Certification For You
There’s no surer way to success than picking the certification that is right for you. Many students let the certification choose them, rather than the other way around. Your decision to take one or more certifications should be based on more than just salary surveys or what your someone else is doing. If you decide to take the certification plunge without thinking  through this step you could realize months down the line that the certification you picked is not the right one for you. That could be a very expensive waste of money and time.

Ask the following questions to yourself before choosing a certification:

1. Why do I want this certification?

2. Will the certification exam match my interests and new goals?
3. Will the certification add value to my existing skills and experience?
4. How often will I have to take the certification exam?
5. What certification can I choose to get a high salary and prove my knowledge?Choosing the right certification is half the story. Keep in mind that most people in technology earn good money. Salary surveys may show that a person with certification ‘X’ may be slightly more than a ‘hotter’ certification, but most people also want to enjoy what they are doing. Happier employees are generally more enthusiastic and typically earn more money in the long run.

2. Research the Certification
Once you have decided on the certification you want to earn, dig deeper. Find out what skills are required to pass the certification, if there pre-requisites to be met, the experience required, the format of the exam, the number of questions and so on. All of this information is available on the website of the certification vendor, or from the website of a reputed, certification exam preparation company such as uCertify.

3. Analyze your Skill Inventory
Take the time to clearly identify the gaps in your knowledge as compared to the required exam objectives. Go through each exam objective to determine how much preparation you will need. A quick diagnostic test can give you an idea, although a thorough and honest analysis is more likely to tell you where your strengths and weaknesses in the subject are. This exercise will help provide focus once you begin studying for the exam.
4. Pick a training method that works for you
Not everyone learns the same. Formal classroom training has its advantages, but it’s not an option for many people due to price, availability, and scheduling conflicts. Self-study using books is cheaper and more flexible, but it can be monotonous and very boring. E-learning options can be a good balance. It does require a good sense of discipline and self-motivation. Much less than expensive than traditional classroom training, yet extremely flexible, the better E-learning solutions provide you the best of both worlds. An excellent choice for e-solutions is test preparation software. Many offer guided learning, study tips, pop quizzes, tests that adapt to your level of difficulty, instant feedback in a private, non-competitive setting.
5. Set a Deadline
Set a deadline, but be reasonable. If you are brand new to the subject and have no experience in the area, expecting to learn the subject and pass in one week, may not be the best of ideas. On the other hand, although studying at your own pace and taking the exam “when you are ready” has its merits, it doesn’t work for most people, for whose busy lives are filled with distractions. When you decide to embark on your certification journey, set a deadline for the day you want to take the exam. Again, be sure to set the time based on the amount of time you will have to study and your level of experience. Define a daily or weekly schedule, including a time-line for each exam objective, how much you will read each day, when will you start studying, setting aside time for topic-wise review, lab time, and above all, practice, practice, practice!

6. Understand the Exam – be aware of brain dumps
To discourage memorization of answers, and to make the exams representative of real world environments, certification vendors make sure the test formats don’t encourage ‘brain dumps’. The exam formats are specifically designed to ensure your understanding of real world scenarios. Expect lots of troubleshooting questions, complex scenarios, and interactive questions that require you to execute a specific task on a simulated control panel.
Be particularly aware of brain dumps that give you a false sense of security. More importantly, you are likely learn very little. Even if you do manage to pass the exam, it will quickly become apparent to a prospective employer that you do not understand the subject well enough to apply to a job.
7. Use the best study material you can afford
The vast majority of IT certification seekers need help preparing for exam. Choices abound, but the question is, which provider offers the best product at the best price? Certification exams are expensive – don’t short change yourself. Choose carefully. Use this simple checklist:
– Product quality is key. The best measure of product quality is the vendor’s track record.
– Ask about their pass rate
– What are their customers saying about them?
– Do they stand by their products? Is their guarantee simple and straightforward? Many offer a money back guarantee with too much fine print.
– Does the product cover all exam objectives? Compare against the certification vendor site if possible
– How many practice questions do they offer? Remember, practice is key to passing, no matter how experienced you are.
– Be sure the practice questions cover a variety of questions and question types, typically found in the corresponding exam.
– Detailed Study Notes
Does the software provide a mechanism to learn, in addition to just practice? This guarantees you know the subject, not just enough to pass the exam
– Customizable Tests
How flexible are their tests? Can it be customized to your time and learning levels?
– Feedback mechanism
Does it offer instant feedback? Be sure the feedback mechanism provides both correct and incorrect answers with detailed explanations and reference sources for each answer. Does it offer progress tracking by exam objective?
–  Support
What about after sales service? Do they offer support?
A good way to evaluate a product is to get a free, trial version and check out the features.
8. Learn as much as you can
The idea is to learn as much as possible about the subjects covered under the certification. While there is no substitute for training, Books, blogs, and certified study guides all provide plenty of useful information. Search the internet and read as much as you can by way of articles, blogs, free practice tests and free certification advice. Good study notes are invaluable sources of learning. Articles and blogs may be used as supplementary notes to increase your knowledge of the subject.
Many test preparation software vendors provide detailed study notes along with their product. Be sure to completely familiarize yourself with this material. This is the learning process, which is very important. It differentiates you from those who use a braindump type of preparation tool, which simply does not provide you with the knowledge required on the job.
Go through the review questions and lab scenarios in each chapter taking notes as you go through each objective. It’s hard to memorize an entire book, so focus on fully understanding exam objectives. Many books and test preparation software do a good job of creating review questions for each exam topic. They also offer callouts of “Exam Tips” or “Alerts” for tricky questions. Here’s where test preparation software has a big advantage over books and even classroom training. The feedback mechanism provides for detailed explanations for both correct and incorrect answers. Review all answers to get a good grasp of the subject.

Join forums to get advice on technical questions and/or share your knowledge. Forums can offer useful information by way of current updates or changes to your certification exam. You can share ideas and read posts from other people studying for, or experienced in the certification process. Get answers to technical problems and help others. Working through technical problems will not only help increase your confidence, but also will motivate you to fill you knowledge gaps.

9. Practice, Practice, Practice
This is the single most important step to passing certification exams. IT certifications require a lot of study and practice. Many students spend weeks, if not months preparing for the exam. Once the student has completed all the study material, the focus should be on practice, practice, and still more practice. There is simply no substitute for it. Even for a professional with experience in the subject, getting used to format of the exam and the time constraints is very important. This skill can only be achieved through practice. Do not compromise in this area. It is the crucial difference between passing in the first attempt and failing.

10. Stay motivated
Most people start their certification journey with the best of intentions. But dedicating time every day for days at a stretch can be hard. Procrastination is much easier! If you are having a hard time staying motivated to study, you are not alone. You do have options. Get a certification buddy, a study partner or a study group. Make it as competitive as you wish it to be – maybe you can start a friendly contest to see who passes their exam first, or gets the highest score. Meet on a regular basis, and talk about exam topics and review questions.

If group study is not your thing or you simply do not have the time to find a study partner or group, choosing the right training software becomes all the more important. Pick one that makes learning simple and fun. You want the software to be simple and intuitive to use – after all, who has the time to learn how to use the test preparation software?

11. Scheduling your exam
Increase your chances of success by scheduling the exam at a time of day . For most people, this is between 10am – 2pm. If you are more of an evening person, try scheduling the exam as late in the day as possible. Weekdays are typically less crowded than on Saturdays. This means less distractions during the exam. Try to give yourself a few hours of free time to run through your review questions and study sheets just before you take the test.

12. Be relaxed

Being calm and relaxed is critical to success on the day of the exam. Study and practice constantly the days prior to the exam, but the night before the exam, take it easy. Don’t stay up too late the night of the exam. This can have an adverse impact on performance. Eat a light, healthy meal to keep you fresh and energetic. Keep yourself hydrated well.
On the big day, arrive about 15 minutes early, bring 2 forms of photo ID, and an additional pen if you need one. Take the spare time to clear your head, at the testing center. Some people arrange a “study sheet” of important exam concepts and review it in the parking lot just before they take the exam. Printing out practice test questions and reviewing them just before the exam can be helpful as well.

Everything you want to know about the 70-680 exam?

Q. What is the 70-680: TS: Windows 7, Configuring exam?
A. Microsoft’s 70-680 test validates your skills and knowledge to efficiently install, configure and manage the Microsoft Windows 7 desktop operating system in an enterprise environment. Candidates are expected to have at least one year of experience in the IT field, as well as experience implementing and administering any Windows client operating system in a networked environment. The TS: Windows 7, Configuring (70-680) exam provides credit towards MCTS: Windows 7, Configuration.

Q. What are the prerequisites for the 70-680 exam?
A. There is no prerequisite for appearing the exam.

Q. What are the benefits of the MCTS: Windows 7, Configuration certification?
A. Microsoft’s MCTS: Windows 7, Configuration (Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist) certification is a latest certification on the Windows 7 technology. The MCTS: Windows 7, Configuration certification has been designed for professionals who have a thorough knowledge in installing, managing and configuring Windows 7 including new features such as security, network, and applications. This certification validates a candidates ability to understand the functions and features of Windows 7 and to troubleshoot network-connectivity and applications issues.

Q. What credit does the 70-680 exam provide?
A. Exam 70-680: TS: Windows 7, Configuring: counts as credit toward the following certification(s):

  • MCITP: Enterprise Administrator
  • MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Administrator 7
  • MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician 7

Q. What certificate does it provide?
A. Passing just one mandatory Core test (i.e. <a href="/exams/Microsoft/70-680.html”>70-680) will fetch you MCTS: Windows 7, Configuration certification.

Q. How many questions are asked in the test?
A. Approximately 42

Q. What is the duration of the test?
A. 120 Minutes

Q. Which type of the test is it? (Adaptive/Linear)
A. Linear

Q. What is the passing score?
A. Approximately 700 out of possible 1000.

Q. What is the test retake policy?
A. If you do not pass test 70-680 the first time, you may retake it at any time. If you do not achieve a passing score the second time, you must wait at least 14 days to retake the test a third time. A 14-day waiting period will be imposed for all subsequent exam retakes. If you have passed an exam, you cannot take it again.

Q. Is the 70-680 exam right for me?
A. This exam is intended for candidates that operate in computing environments that use Microsoft Windows 7 as a desktop operating system in an enterprise environment. If you wish to excel as a support technician, or as a network administrator, this exam is right for you. According to Microsoft, candidates should be able to configure pre-installation and post-installation system settings, Windows security features, network connectivity applications included with Windows 7, and mobile computing.

Q. What to expect in the 70-680 exam?
A. Multiple-choice, scenario-based, hot-spot types, and simulation questions are asked on the following topics:

  • Installing, Upgrading, and Migrating to Windows 7
  • Deploying Windows 7
  • Configuring Hardware and Applications
  • Configuring Network Connectivity
  • Configuring Access to Resources
  • Configuring Mobile Computing
  • Monitoring and Maintaining Systems that Run Windows 7

Q. What are the code languages available for the exam?
A. English

Q. Where to take the test?
A. Microsoft certification exams are provided through Prometric.

Q. How to locate a testing center?
A. Visit the Prometric site to locate a testing center.