Microsoft certification route?

[[GSV]Lemming]

Im in my 40s and looking for a way out of the dead end IT job I have ended up in. I have worked in IT for 20 years one way or another, mainly for small firms where I learnt only what I needed to know, and then spent a lot of time on bespoke applications installing, supporting and training users. Indirectly I used servers, but not in any depth, only so far as configs impacted my apps.

The last 2 years I have ended up in a monitoring job that pays well, has great holidays, that I dont have to think about after work but is turning my mind to mush. I have a lot of spare time at work, an RDP link to home so can work on a machine there for practical purposes and have made a decision to get into server administration formally and regain my self respect jobwise!

Having taken a look at certification paths I have decided on the below which seems to be the recommended route.

70-642 Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuring
then
70-640 Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Configuration
then
70-646 Windows Server 2008, Server Administrator

I have a broad general IT knowledge and very happy in windows generally btu have not specifically supported servers, though know my way around them from the past. Lookign at prerequisites for the course I feel like I may nto know enough to start self study and get through to the exams comfortably. Is there a worthwhile course to do for general admin before starting the microsoft route just to formally cover the basics?

Is there another route to consider?

 

[Raumarik]

Server 2012 courses are already on the go - shouldn't you be considering those instead?

Servers themselves aren't very specific to be honest, look at specialist roles if you're keen to add qualifications that people are likely to request such as Sharepoint, Exchange, System Center etc.

 

[[GSV]Lemming]

I did look at the server 2012 beta exam route, but I imagine a lot of employers wont migrate to this immediately and 2008 is likely to be around for quite a while.

I understand your comment about choosing a specialist route, but anticipated needing general server admin as a core item before pushing an application alone? ie, if I walked into an exchange job wouldn't I be expected to be able to install and configure a server for use before putting exchange on it? I just assumed that would be the case, in which case basic server grounding would seem sensible... Shoot me down if you think I am wrong though

 

[Raumarik]

To be fair most companies will have their servers up and running, but yes having those skills is a bonus but I don't think you'd necessarily need the certification for them. Chances are if you had the 2012 equivalents you'd have a lot of the 2008 stuff in there anyway. I don't know many companies with 2008 ADs, most dragged their feet after going NT > 2003 and are probably only now considering a proper upgrade and they're quite likely to look at 2012 instead.

I know everything I'm considering this year is 2012, not 2008 but then again my boss is in the middle of setting up a new 2008 domain, badly It's always hard to know which one to go for regardless of when you do it, I honestly don't think there's a wrong answer or a wrong set to pick though. Look at the jobs you're likely to apply for and tailor the certs to match?

 

[m4cc45]

You have to think that 2012 is a massive difference. It uses Metro. As you've said a lot of companies haven't upgraded to 2008 yet. What I'm seeing happening is that a lot of companies, ours included, is migrating to 2008 and we will be skipping 2012.

We have already decided to skip Windows 8 due to the massive retraining the staff would have to go through and there being no tangible benefits from Windows 7 to Windows 8 (we certainly won't be moving to touch screen) this is the same on the Server side.

Having 2008 qualifications would be fine and you can always upgrade. I'd personally aim for a end qualification rather than random exams. Something like the MCITP: Server Administrator or MCITP: Enterprise Administrator should be your end goal. This takes into account a client (i.e. Windows 7), Servers and Active Directory which you need to get familiar with if you want to move roles.



M.