My Blog

Tag: MCTS

  • New Mountain Bike

    Purchased a new mountain bike. Picked up a Giant Talon 3. Haven’t managed to take it for a good spin yet, as the magpies are swooping like crazy around my area. In addition it rained all weekend. Maybe next weekend it will get a ride.

    Giant Talon 3

    Meanwhile, on the exam/training front. I am trying to get through the ITILv3 Foundations material. Hope to sit this exam in Oct. Probably late this month after holidays. Then it will be back onto the Microsoft material. Hoping to finish up the 2 more possible MCITP’s for Windows 7. Will also want to finish the MCITP Virtualisation Administrator cert, which requires 2 more exams. Got plenty of things to do, so will be busy into next year easy.

  • Microsoft 70-652 completed

    Passed the Microsoft 70-652 exam today. So this is a start on the MCITP: VA certification. Will need to complete 2 more exams to finish that one up. Although this will be sometime next year. Had the book so wanted to get it done.

    Currently starting to read the ITILv3 Foundations certification material. Want to try and attempt this one by the end of Oct at this stage. Followed by Microsoft Windows 7 MCITP certs 70-685 and 70-686. Although I think the exam in December will need to be held over to mid Jan due to Xmas break etc.

    I should publish the track I have taken and what I am expecting to do (or hope to do). Although the order can change depending on my mood.

  • MCTS: 70-640 Test Taking Skills Video

    For anyone who might be considering to take the Microsoft Technology Specialist 70-640 exam, you might want to check out the following video cast here.

  • Microsoft 70-640 Completed

    Sat my Microsoft 70-640 exam today and passed. So this concludes my MCITP: Server Administrator 2008.

    Just need my transcript to update in the next few days, then print out the certificate etc.

  • Disappointing customer service from Microsoft Australia

    Hadn’t posted about this yet, but now is a good as time as any.

    I attempted to use the exam vouchers that came with my MCITP SA 2008 books the other week, unfortunately the first 2 of the 3 vouchers that came with the book failed to work. Third one did, so booked with that. Very next day I open a ticket with Microsoft to have this corrected.

    Skip forward nearly 3 weeks now and it’s still not resolved. I am not kidding, but in nearly 3 weeks they have failed to replace 2 exam vouchers. I’ve probably wasted over an hour of my own time chasing this up by numerous calls.

    As of last Friday I was directed to call publisher in Sydney (that was 2 weeks wasted at that point). Come Tuesday when I called back publisher, I was told they couldn’t help me. So I went back to Microsoft Australia and rang the usual number hit option 4 and attempted to chase things up. Tomorrow will be 3 weeks and problem is still not resolved.

    Extremely annoyed and disappointed. I am told I will get a call back by the team and then that doesn’t happen. In addition I made a complaint to an Australian call taker and was told it takes a day for a call back. Thus far that has lead to no call back either. Repeated attempts to speak with a supervisor result in no one being available and a call back promised.

    Like I said, disappointing customer service by the team in question. If anyone knows anyone who works for Microsoft Australia, then let me know as I’d really love to provide them feedback about this ordeal (and maybe even hopefully get it resolved so I can get the vouchers reissued as required).

    Meanwhile, think I will purchase a few more books that are NOT Microsoft Press ones.

    EDIT:  And still no follow up call to the issue. That’s over 4 weeks on this issue. Seriously annoyed. I would have to say, this is never going to be resolved.

  • Microsoft CertPacks

    Was surfing yesterday and came across the following. It appears BornToLearn published the following post here.

    This offer is available world wide. Purchase 2 or more exams up front to obtain a discount. In addition also get a second chance sitting of each exam purchased at no extra cost.

  • Proposed Technical Training

    Unfortunately it appears for sometime it is very difficult to get any sort of technical training. I ask and ask like anyone else and the technical training seems to be put on the back burner.

    I guess it’s very lucky that I took the initiative of my own to attempt to brush up on some Microsoft skills. The journey so far has been interesting, although I must admit I am not at all looking forward to 70-640 exam. I’ll read the material and then do the usual revision. Hopefully I can pass it on the first attempt, but we will cross that bridge when it comes.

    Meanwhile, as I was saying, technical training is hard to come by. So I have sat down and proposed the following training that I am going to complete off my own back.

    Sept – 70-640 (attempt to complete the MCITP Server 2008 Administrator certification).

    Oct – ITILv3 Foundations certification

    Nov – 70-622 (turn my 70-620 into an MCITP Vista certification)

    Dec – 70-686 (turn my 70-680 into an MCITP Windows 7 certification)

    Jan – Jun 2011 (work through a RHCE book and then attempt to do the exam day to obtain an RHCE, followed by some more Microsoft. Possibly 70-652 and then more Hyper-V stuff).

    Wish me luck, of course so items make get pushed back if I need more prep time for exams, but this is a rough guide on what I am hoping to achieve.

  • Microsoft 70-646 passed

    Should of posted last night. Better late then never right?

    I passed my Microsoft 70-646 yesterday, so now it’s onto the final exam of the 3 that I need to complete my MCITP Server Admin 2008 certification. The last exam in this case will be 70-640 which I haven’t done yet. Hoping to complete this on 20th September. Will depend on completing the reading material and being confident enough to give it a go.

    Stay tuned.

  • 70-646 exam scheduled

    I’ve booked my Microsoft 70-646 exam. This is the 2nd exam on the track to obtaining MCITP: Server Admin 2008.

    If I pass this next week, then I will start on the final 70-640 for which I have yet to read/complete.

    Either be happy news after Monday or sad news. All depends if I pass. But I can assure you I am going in fully prepared. So if I don’t pass it might be a bit of a shock.

  • MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuring

    Passed the 70-642 exam today. It’s hoped that I can complete another one by the end of August. Aiming to undertake the 70-646 probably next, then coming back to complete 70-640 to finish off the MCITP: Server Admin certification track.