MCP

[LA_MERC_eX1|eS' ch1|d]

Well I passed my 70-270 test today so I'm a Microsoft Certified Professional. Doesn't mean a whole lot yet but I'm glad the first test is over so I know what to expect on the rest of my tests. I'll be taking my 70-290 test in roughly 3 weeks and we started on the 70-291 book in class. 270 and 290 are pretty similar and stuff I felt comfortable with, but from 291 on it's all new.

[LA_MERC_LaTech]

congrats Ex!

[LA_MERC_sLingbLade]

congrats man! your on you way...keep going strong.

[LA_MERC_M@lACHi]

Yeah man! Keep it going!

[LA_MERC_johncst]

cool

[LA_MERC_Skitsvelvet]

Congrats!!! Welcome Fellow MCP! :D

What are you taking for your electives?

I have my VMware Certified Professional (VCP) retake on the 2 July. I think I will do well this time around.

[LA_MERC_eX1|eS' ch1|d]

These are the books I'm learning in class 270, 290, 291, 293, 294, 297, and 350.

[LA_MERC_M@lACHi]

Congrats!!! Welcome Fellow MCP! :D

What are you taking for your electives?

I have my VMware Certified Professional (VCP) retake on the 2 July. I think I will do well this time around.

I am interested in this certification as where I work is eat up with VMWare virtual servers. Are you taking a class, or self study?

[LA_MERC_Andyconda]

Well I passed my 70-270 test today so I'm a Microsoft Certified Professional. Doesn't mean a whole lot yet but I'm glad the first test is over so I know what to expect on the rest of my tests. I'll be taking my 70-290 test in roughly 3 weeks and we started on the 70-291 book in class. 270 and 290 are pretty similar and stuff I felt comfortable with, but from 291 on it's all new.

Did I catch a 9'er in there. Congratulations, I think?

[LA_MERC_Wetzny]

Congratulations EX!

[Ab1dab1]

I am interested in this certification as where I work is eat up with VMWare virtual servers. Are you taking a class, or self study?


Malichi,

VMware is a stickler about their tests. You have to take their class before you can even take the test. Also depending on where you are (there are no classes in LA...closest to us is Houston or Atlanta).

Only reason I haven't taken the exam is that I can't get off a week to take the damn class. Rich do you remember how much the class was? I think it is $1500.

If you want to do some self study and don't have any hands on VMWare experience, I'd start with downloading VMWare Server (its free) and familiarize yourself with the interfaces and the Admin Guide. This will give you a leg up when you go to class.

Rich runs a small VMWare network....I think they only have around 10 ESX Servers.

(gets on soapbox)
I run a mid-sized VMWare network with 45 ESX hosts running High Availability Clusters on blade servers. It is cool to walk up and yank a powered on blade and watch 15 Virtual Servers failover to another host and be powered back on in less than 40 seconds with "NO BLUE SCREENS" ;)

Gotta love VMWare!

PS: Skitts...good luck this time around on the test!

Abi

[Ab1dab1]

Gratz Ex.

I think you've got a good approach to those tests. I found the best way to tackle them was to try and take them while the class was still fresh in your mind. If you want extra practice tests let me know. I think we've got a bunch at work. Testking also has a lot of good prep questions for the exams.

Just keep in mind when taking those MS tests that:
- There is the right answer (in the real world)
- The wrong answer
- Then microsoft's answer
--- sometimes even worse....just choose the "least lame answer"

Congrats and keep on climbing that MS mountain!

Abi

[LA_MERC_M@lACHi]

;199734']Malichi,

VMware is a stickler about their tests. You have to take their class before you can even take the test. Also depending on where you are (there are no classes in LA...closest to us is Houston or Atlanta).

Only reason I haven't taken the exam is that I can't get off a week to take the damn class. Rich do you remember how much the class was? I think it is $1500.

If you want to do some self study and don't have any hands on VMWare experience, I'd start with downloading VMWare Server (its free) and familiarize yourself with the interfaces and the Admin Guide. This will give you a leg up when you go to class.

Rich runs a small VMWare network....I think they only have around 10 ESX Servers.

(gets on soapbox)
I run a mid-sized VMWare network with 45 ESX hosts running High Availability Clusters on blade servers. It is cool to walk up and yank a powered on blade and watch 15 Virtual Servers failover to another host and be powered back on in less than 40 seconds with "NO BLUE SCREENS" ;)

Gotta love VMWare!

PS: Skitts...good luck this time around on the test!

Abi

Yeah I know....I think it is stupid to force a class in order to get certified. I am running several ESX server myself at work and vmotion is cool as h3ll. Just to be able to move a live running virtual server from one physical server to the other is without rebooting is just amazing to me. I am running about 80 virtual servers right now and are beginning to move them over to ESX. I would love to have a VMWare cert but 1500-2000 is hard to give up right now.

[Ab1dab1]

I hear ya bro.

One thing you may want to look in to. It is something that they do down here in LA, so I'm sure there are similar programs in other states.

Check with your state's Technology Council (if there is one). The federal government gives education and training grants to each state to be used by residents of that state to obtain IT certifications. There are several flavors of the government funding. The most popular is the H1B Visa funding which was meant to stimulate IT training and certifications in the US rather than having to bring in foreign nationals on work visas for IT work. The grants are great and both individuals and businesses can apply for them. The grant pretty much pays for all of the training and testing provided that you can take it within your home state. The best part is that since it is a grant you don't have to pay the money back, the state sends the money directly to the training organization. LA takes it a step further in that they have even made local laws that require companies that use the grant money have to pay their employees who take the training (so you can train during working hours and your company still pays your salary or hourly wage while you are in training). If the business you work for doesn't want to look in to it, you can make inquiries at local IT Training places (ie: New Horizons, GeoCert, and in some cases even local universities). I know of some people who took advantage of the programs and pretty much just applied for the grant as loan paperwork directly with the training facility so they didn't have to pay for anything and did it all on their own (keep in mind if you go that route your company isn't likely going to pay you for your training time). Training courses are usually available day or night (however, the VMWare stuff seems to be during the day for all the courses I've seen but they are only 1 week long).

Let me know if you need any more info. Anyone intersted in IT certs may want to look in to these programs!

Abi