MCDST - Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician Certification

Calgar117

Calgar117

Calgar117

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21 Jul 2010
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Hi Guys,

As above i am looking at furthering my IT career in terms of obtaining useful qualifications i came across this particular certification i have a rough idea of what it entales i was wondering if anyone had any useful information for me in regards to whats involved and what obtaining the qualification requires :).

A rough price figure and who can supply would be a great help

Cheers!
 
I did this a few years ago, was around £400.. came with a years tutoring online forums. help etc

Didnt help me in the slightest with a job though.

I found it highly annoying doing things "the microsoft way" which is usually long winded and a little pointless however many other people would say the exact opposite.

Its not a lot of outlay but is an outlay none the less. Will this help you in the future or would you be better off perhaps with an MCSE or similar?
 
MCSE was replacced with the MCITP
MSDST was replced with MCTS i think.

Do the latest win7 set. Most places look for the 2008 cert now.
 
The MCITP has the client and the server part of it.

I upgraded my MCDST to MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician.

The MCDST which was for XP has been replaced with Windows 7 now
 
I've been looking into doing some certs myself recently and it's quite confusing, but there's some useful info here: Microsoft Learning

The MCITP is the one you want for Desktop Support kinda stuff from what I can tell.

Am I right in thinking that you pick the modules that apply to you/you want to learn, obtain the learning materials online and study, then just book yourself in for the exams as and when you think you're ready? I know you can do a whole course etc but that's when things start getting expensive?
 
Big Chris said:
I've been looking into doing some certs myself recently and it's quite confusing, but there's some useful info here: Microsoft Learning

The MCITP is the one you want for Desktop Support kinda stuff from what I can tell.

Am I right in thinking that you pick the modules that apply to you/you want to learn, obtain the learning materials online and study, then just book yourself in for the exams as and when you think you're ready? I know you can do a whole course etc but that's when things start getting expensive?
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yes precisely, self study is the best way forward, if you have a desktop pc spare this will help as the self study books have your pactice various things.

I am currently studying the server side of the MCITP. I managed to get the books online with a 15% discount on the exams until 2015.

They are usally £99 each exam.

Take a look here an certification paths

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/mcitp.aspx#tab2
 
Big Chris said:
Am I right in thinking that you pick the modules that apply to you/you want to learn, obtain the learning materials online and study, then just book yourself in for the exams as and when you think you're ready? I know you can do a whole course etc but that's when things start getting expensive?
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The only requirement for taking the exams are two forms of ID (one with a photograph) and £99 - you simply go onto the prometric site and book yourself in.

Edit: Bah, beaten to it. Anyway, it is possible to teach yourself everything you need to know by looking at the exam objectives, then using Technet and other online resources to learn the material. I've found the Test Labs on the Technet site to be quite useful (http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/1262.test-lab-guides.aspx).
 
phil675 said:
I know someone who works for them, apparently they have a minimum percentage of people that they must pass even if they are hopeless, making Zenos on a CV a bad thing! :)
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Zenos are only a training provider so you dont have to mention it on your CV.

A previous company i worked for allowed Zenos to teach NVQs to its staff. I think Zenos got money from the government so it was free. I spent 6-8 weeks over a year during work hours (got paid for it) at their training facilities. You have to do online MS exams so you have to be good enough to at least pass them. My classes had less than 6 people in from other (helpdesk staff) companies. The lecturers I had were pretty good and so was my personal tutor who came into work to visit me from time to time. I got an NVQ lvl 3 in IT and something else. It sits proudly next to my masters degree :D
 
phil675 said:
I know someone who works for them, apparently they have a minimum percentage of people that they must pass even if they are hopeless, making Zenos on a CV a bad thing! :)
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Quite. Of the people that I've ever interviewed who slap Zenos all over their CV, most of them were utter rubbish.
 
The MCDST Exams (271/272) were retired by Microsoft last year and have been replaced with the new Windows 7 ones.

The core Windows 7 exam is 70-680 and then you can specialise in either 70-685 or 70-686.

As others have mentioned MCP has now also been rebranded to the MCITP.

I delivered the MCDST for many years at my local FE college and now I deliver the MCITP W7 Enterprise Desktop Support Tech.

Having looked at Zenos myself recently they seem to have dropped doing the MCITP in favor of the A+ and some more low level Microsoft quals.
 
Beerbaron said:
Zenos are only a training provider so you dont have to mention it on your CV.
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I went to Zenos as well - about 3-4 years ago now I think about it. :eek:

For me personally, I went there instead of Colleage (was 16 at the time) and also completed the course just as they were changing it (ie taking out a lot of the microsoft exams/city and guilds etc). Off the top of my head we did MCDST, some City & Guilds IT qual, NVQ Level 3 IT, CompTiA A+/N+ and a couple of other quals (ms office etc).

My local academy was alright and the bunch of people in my group were pretty good as were the tutors. I suppose its all relative to whether your local academy is any good. :)
 
groen said:
MSDST, MS certified dumb support technician
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I've always gotten job interviews off the back of my certs.

I'd say it's a good way to prove that you can handle first line support. It's also a good way of getting used to how Microsoft ask questions.

Any Microsoft certification is better than none.




M.
 
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