Microsoft Certification Course » Microsoft Certifications

Top 10 IT Certifications

admin — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 23:02:31 +0000

There is no question that attaining IT certifications can be beneficial to your career. They demonstrate proficiency in widely used technologies and can lead to more open doors and higher salaries. But with such a wide array of certifications to choose from, which IT certifications are best? This topic is hotly debated by Information Technology professionals around the world. Some believe that vendor-specific programs are the best measurement of a candidate’s skills, while others think that vendor-independent exams are the only acceptable way of measuring real-world expertise. Still other observers propose that the highest-level of certification—Microsoft’s MCSE or new Architect Series certification, Cisco’s CCIE, etc.—are the only credentials that are truly valuable.

The fact is, choosing a certification comes down to the individual. The best IT certification for you, is likely going to be different from that of another technology professional with different education, career path, skills, and goals. When deciding on which professional certifications to attain, much thought and consideration should be given to your specific goals and career path. Developing a career road map is key to selecting a potential certification path.

While the list below may not include the 10 best certifications for you, it does the top 10 IT certifications that possess significant value for a wide range of IT professionals.

1. MCITP

This is likely to become the next big Microsoft certification. Available for a

variety of fields of expertise—including database developer, database

administrator, enterprise messaging administrator, and server administrator—an

MCITP validates a professional’s knowledge and job-role proficiency. Candidates must

pass several Microsoft exams relating directly to their job role before

earning this certification.

2. MCTS

The Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) helps IT professionals

validate their skills in installing, maintaining, and troubleshooting a specific

Microsoft technology. The MCTS certifications are designed to demonstrate the

skills and expertise a holder possesses on a specific platform.

For example, candidates won’t earn an MCTS on SQL Server 2008. Instead, they’ll

earn an MCTS covering SQL Server business intelligence (MCTS: SQL Server 2008

Business Intelligence) , database creation (MCTS: SQL Server 2008, Database

Development) , or SQL server administration (MCTS: SQL Server 2008,

Implementation and Maintenance) .

These certifications require passing multiple, tightly targeted exams that

focus on specific responsibilities on specific platforms.

3. Security+

The importance of IT Security is only going to increase in the coming years.

CompTIA’s Security+ certification provides a well respected, vendor-neutral

foundation for IT industry staff (with at least two years of experience) seeking to

demonstrate proficiency with security fundamentals. While the Security+

accreditation consists of just a single exam, it could be argued that any IT

employee charged with managing client data or other sensitive information

should, at a minimum, possess this certification. The importance of systems security,

network infrastructure, access control, auditing, and organizational security principles is becoming

more and more important in the data driven age we live in.

4. MCPD

Information technology is more than just administration, support, and

networking. Someone must develop and maintain the applications that

power organizations. That’s where the Microsoft Certified

Professional Developer (MCPD) credential comes in.

The MCPD certification measures a developer’s ability to build and maintain

software solutions using Visual Studio 2008 and Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.

Split into three certification paths (Windows Developer 3.5, ASP.NET Developer

3.5, and Enterprise Applications Developer 3.5), this certification targets IT

professionals tasked with designing, optimizing, and operating those Microsoft

technologies to fulfill business needs.

5. CCNA

The Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification is Cisco’s most popular. But for many, the Cisco Certified Network

Associate (CCNA) might prove more realistic within many organizations.

In a world in which Microsoft and Linux administrators are also expected

to be networking experts, many companies don’t have the necessary budget required to

train (or employ) a CCIE. But even small and midsize corporations can benefit

from having their technology professionals earn basic proficiency administering

Cisco equipment, as can be demonstrated by earning a CCNA accreditation.

With smaller companies become increasingly dependent upon remote access

technologies, basic Cisco systems skills are bound to become more important.

Although many smaller organizations will never have the complexity or workload

necessary to keep a CCIE busy, Cisco’s CCNA is a strong accreditation for

technology professionals with a few years’ experience seeking to grow and

improve their networking skills.

6. CompTIA A+

Technology professionals with solid hardware and support skills are becoming

harder to find. You may not think there is much glory in digging elbow-deep into a dusty desktop box

or troubleshooting Windows boot errors. But those skills are essential to the successful operation of a company.

Adding CompTIA’s A+ certification to a resume tells employers that you have proven support expertise. Whether an organization

requires desktop installation, problem diagnosis, preventive maintenance, or

computer or network error troubleshooting, many organizations have found

A+-certified technicians to be more valuable and productive than their noncertified

counterparts.

Basic prerequisite requirements are followed by testing that covers specific fields of

expertise (such as IT, remote support, or depot technician). The accreditation

is aimed at those working in desktop support, on help desks, and in the field.

While many of these staffers are new to the industry, the importance of an

A+ certification should not be overlooked.

7. PMP

Some certifications give value by targeting specific skills and expertise. The

Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is one such example.

The Project Management Institute (PMI), a nonprofit organization that serves as

a leading membership association for project management practitioners, maintains

the PMP exam. The certification measures a candidate’s project management

expertise by validating skills and knowledge required to plan, execute, budget,

and lead a technology project. Eligible candidates must have five years of

project management experience or three years of project management experience

and 35 hours of related education.

As organizations battle tough economic conditions, having proven project

scheduling, budgeting, and management skills will only grow in importance. The

PMI’s PMP credential is a perfect conduit for demonstrating that expertise on a

resume.

8. MCSE /MCSA

TheMicrosoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) and Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) credentials are still

valuable certification in the IT world.

These certifications demonstrate the holder’s

capacity to complete a long and comprehensive education, training, and

certification program requiring intensive study. Further, these certifications

validate a wide range of relevant expertise (from client and server

administration to security issues) on specific, widely used platforms.

Also important is the fact that these certifications tend to indicate holders

have been working within the technology field for a long time. There’s no

substitute for actual hands-on experience. Many MCSEs and MCSAs hold their

certifications on Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003 platforms, meaning they’ve

been working within the industry for many years. While these certifications will

be replaced by Microsoft’s new-generation credentials, they remain an important

measure of foundational skills on Windows platforms.

9. CISSP

As mentioned with the Security+ accreditation earlier, security is only going to

grow in importance. Whatever an organization’s mission, product, or service,

security is paramount.

(ISC)², which administers the Certified Information Systems Security

Professional (CISSP) accreditation, has built a respected, vendor-neutral

security certification. Designed for industry pros with at least five years of

full-time experience, and accredited by the American National Standards

Institute (ANSI), the CISSP is internationally recognized for validating

candidates’ expertise with operations and network and physical security, as well

as their ability to manage risk and understand legal compliance responsibilities

and other security-related elements.

10. Linux+

IT professionals who have Linux expertise and want to formalize that skill set will do well adding CompTIA’s

Linux+ certification to their resumes.

The vendor-neutral exam, which validates basic Linux client and server skills,

is designed for professionals with at least six to 12 months of hands-on Linux

experience. In addition to being vendor-neutral, the exam is also distribution

neutral (meaning the skills it covers work well whether a candidate is

administering Red Hat, SUSE, or Ubuntu systems).

Technology professionals almost always have strong reactions when debating

certification’s value. Listing the top 10 certifications leaves room, of course,

for only 10 credentials. That means many favorite and popular designations, such

as HIPAA and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) certifications, have been necessarily omitted.

Other important accreditations, including those for VoIP providers and from PC

manufacturers, Red Hat, and even Apple, have also been left out here.

MCITP Certification Info

admin — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:46:40 +0000

The Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) credential shows that you have current skills and proven job-role capabilities to work effectively with a comprehensive set of Microsoft technologies.
There are currently 7 sub-specialties within the MCITP certification:

IT Professional: Business Intelligence Developer
This certification demonstrates that your ability to design analysis solutions, data transformations, and reports. Business intelligence developers design and implement multi-dimensional database models (logical and physical), data marts, data warehousing, data transforms, data analytics, and reporting solutions.

IT Professional: Consumer Support Technician
is the premier certification to highlight and validate your expertise and skill set in a job role supporting a broad range of consumer desktop operating systems, desktop applications, mobile devices, networking, and hardware support issues related to the Windows Vista operating system.

IT Professional: Database Developer
shows your expertise in designing and implementing relational database models (logical and physical) and database storage objects. May also program servers by using user-defined functions, triggers, stored procedures, Transact-SQL, or the CLR.

IT Professional: Database Administrator
Install or configure Microsoft SQL Server and manage or maintain databases or multidimensional databases, user accounts, database availability, recovery, and reporting.

IT Professional: Enterprise Messaging Administrator
Highlights the knowledge and skills associated with performing as the lead engineer for messaging solutions within an enterprise organization, as well as the ability to design and deploy messaging solutions with Microsoft Exchange Server 2007.

IT Professional: Enterprise Project Management
With Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 provides industry recognition to project managers and other professionals who use Microsoft Office Project Professional 2007 and Office Project Server 2007 to manage and support projects in an enterprise project management (EPM) environment.

IT Professional: Enterprise Support Technician
The knowledge and skills required to deploy and support the Windows Vista operating system. Candidates for the MCITP: Enterprise Support Technician credential have expertise in deploying Windows Vista, managing security, and troubleshooting network issues, with at least three years of experience as a tier 2 or lead desktop support technician.

Windows Server 2008 – Active Directory Training

admin — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 18:22:28 +0000

“The most complete Server 2008 training available!”

Over 20 Hours of Server 2008 Training Teaches You Active Directory, Name Resolution, Users and Groups, RODC, and Much More! Plus, Complete 83-640 Exam Coverage!

Get More Info!

Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Training FAQs

“Am I qualified to take this course?”: YES! Whether you’re a total beginner who has no Server 2008 experience or hoping to update and improve your skills, you’ll benefit from this in-depth course
“Do I need any special equipment to complete this training course?”: NO All you need is a computer with Internet Explorer and a media player; however, working hands-on with a Windows Server 2008 computer may enhance your training experience.
“Is this course part of any Microsoft certification track?”: YES! This course will help you prepare for the 83-640 Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Lab Based exam. Although the 83-640 exam has its own MCTS certification, it is also part of the MCITP Server Administrator and MCITP Enterprise Administrator certification tracks.
“Will this course prepare me for the lab based 83-640 Windows Server 2008 Active Directory exam?”: YES! This course will help you prepare for the lab based 83-640 Windows Server 2008 Active Directory exam, which will gradually replace the 70-640 exam. The study objectives are the same for both exams (70-640 and 83-640); the content has not changed, just the format.

Preparing for Microsoft Certification Exams

admin — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 20:00:54 +0000

Preparing for your Microsoft Certification exam, is essential. It is important to use a variety of preparation materials and it is also recommended that you have hands-on experience with the product covered in the exam. Available resources for exam preparation vary depending on the exam, the certification, and the technology. You should first identifying your expertise, your budget, and timeframe in order to select the most appropriate training resources for your needs.

Practice Tests & Exam Simulators

Using practice tests or exam simulators will help you assess your current level of knowledge, and they can be a great learning tool for attaining your certification. Practice tests do not predict your future Microsoft Certification exam score, but the feedback you receive can help you prioritize your areas of study and identify subjects that need additional attention, training, or hands-on work experience.

Instructor-led training

Instructor-led training can take place either in the classroom or online. Training is often delivered by expert Microsoft Certified Trainers (MCTs) located throughout the world. MCTs provide a superior learning experience by drawing on their in-depth knowledge of the course material.

Self-paced training

This certification training is ideal for candidates who already have some experience with Microsoft technologies and for those who are just starting out. This method of training does requires self-discipline and the ability to learn independently. Self-paced training offers you the flexibility to learn at a time and place that is convenient for you.

3 Things You Need To Know About Certification Exam Scoring

admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:37:44 +0000

There are 3 key points you need to know about the scoring of Microsoft certification exams before you take them…

• There is no penalty for guessing. Choosing an incorrect answer, simply means that you do not earn a point for that item. No points are deducted for incorrect answers.

• If a question specifies that you must choose multiple correct answers, you must choose the exact number of correct answers specified in the question in order to earn a point for that item.

• Some questions on the exam may not be included in the calculation of your score. To gather data to update and improve the quality of each exam, Microssoft presents new content to candidates without counting the results toward their score.

Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) and Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) exams

All MCTS and MCITP exams are scaled such that the passing score is 700. The actual cut score (the number of items you need to answer correctly) is determined by a group of subject-matter experts. A common misperception is that you must answer 70 percent of the items correctly in order to pass the exam; however, the actual percentage varies from exam to exam and may be more or less than 70 percent, depending on the input provided by the subject-matter experts who helped us set the cut score. After you complete your exam, the number of items that you got correct is compared with the cut score to determine whether the result is pass or fail. The exam delivery provider’s software generates the scaled score and bars shown on your score report based on scoring information provided by Microsoft. The bars on the score report show your relative performance in the various subject areas covered by the exam–the longer the bar, the stronger your performance in that area. The length of the bars does not correspond to the number of questions you answered correctly on that subject. Additionally, because the subject areas contain varying numbers of items, the length of any bar or combination of bars does not correspond directly to your overall exam score or Pass/Fail status.

MCSD Certification Info

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 05:56:26 +0000

The Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) for Microsoft .NET certification demonstrates your ability to design and develop enterprise solutions by using Microsoft .NET Framework 1.0 and .NET Framework 1.1, as well as Microsoft development tools and technologies. Earning this credential shows that your ability to lead organizations in the successful design, implementation, and administration of business solutions with Microsoft products.

MCSD candidates should be fully capable of analyzing and designing leading-edge enterprise solutions with Microsoft development tools, technologies, and platforms. Candidates should have at least two years of experience in a lead developer role in which they analyze business and technical requirements, and define solution architecture. Related job titles include: software engineer, software development engineer, software architect, and consultant.

In order to earn your MCSD certificate you will need to pass 4 core exams in relation to the following:-

1. Development of Web Applications 2. Developing Windows Applications 3. Developing XML window services and components of a server 4. Developing solution architecture

Along with the 4 core exams you will also need to take 1 from a range of different topics. Within these topics you will find programming an SQL Server 2000 database, deploying as well as managing Commerce Server 2000 and developing and also deploying BizTalk Server 2000 solutions.

MCTS Certification Info

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 04:24:03 +0000

The MCTS or Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist certifications are designed to validate your skills on Microsoft technologies that are very common in the IT industry. MCTS certification allows you to demonstrate your knowledge in one specific technology, earn multiple MCTS certifications to show proficiency across different products, or build on the MCTS to eventually earn a Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) credential.The MCTS candidate should have 1 or more years of IT experience and should be capable of implementing, building, troubleshooting, and debugging a particular Microsoft technology. In order to achieve certification in a particular technology 1 to 3 exams must be passed. Becoming certified demonstrates to customers, peers, and employers that you are committed to advancing your skills, have the capability to take on greater challenges and posses market relevant skills. Certification also provides you with access to exclusive Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) resources and benefits, including opportunities to connect with a vast, global network of MCPs (Microsoft Certified Professionals).

MCSE Certificate Info

admin — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 13:08:46 +0000

The MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) certification is a well recognized in the IT industry and is a key part of building a career within the IT industry. Certification shows clients and employers that you are skilled in designing, implementing, and administering infrastructures for business solutions based on Windows Server 2003 and Microsoft Windows 2000 Server. The exams are primarily meant for engineers and programmers who work in the infrastructure domain. Implementation responsibilities include installing, configuring, and troubleshooting network systems.

MCSE Examination Format:

For most, the MCSE examination is not easy to pass. Before being certified as an MCSE professional, you have to take seven exams in total. These examinations include four networking exams, one client operating system exam, a design exam and an elective. These exams can be taken in any order. The required exams on networking systems include: “Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment, Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure, Planning and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure and Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure”.

Benefits of MCSE Certification:

The MCSE certification is perfect for those who have one to two years of experience in designing, installing, configuring, and troubleshooting network systems. This certification not only gives the stamp of being an expert in the relevant technologies, it will also develop highly relevant professional knowledge. Just by studying for these exams, expertise will be gained in highly popular Microsoft Software.