I’d sing but don’t you have to pay someone to use that birthday song?
This episode of Cert Talk takes a moment to reflect on 20 years of certification and then looks forward. I have Don Field, Sr. Director for Microsoft Learning on to talk about past, present and future certification. Then after a 20th anniversary Chris Avis segment, my good friend and fellow Product Planner for Certification, Jim Clark, stops by to talk about our new Private Cloud certification and what 20 years of certification has meant to him. Plus, look out for this episodes secret passcodes which are a bit easy to spot, to be honest.
You can view episode 3 on TechNet Radio here. Or enjoy it on the privacy of your own computer in a variety of delightful formats: WMV | MP4 | WMV (ZIP) | PSP Though, even when you download it, we are still squished. Hopefully next time we’ll be at least as tall as we are wide!
This year is the 20th Anniversary of the Microsoft Certified program. I’m really happy to announce the launch of 20 Years|20 Ways, a year-long effort to partner with our community of certified IT Pros and Developers throughout 2012. Through social cause and social media, we will encourage you celebrate 20 years with us by sharing your expertise, growing your career, and seeding the next generation. You can read the official announcement in our News Center.
Personally, I’m very excited to have a chance to work with all of you to celebrate this monumental event. I started my Microsoft career more than 21 years ago as part of Microsoft University – developing training and courseware for Windows 3.1 support professionals. I had the pleasure of working with a very scrappy and determined team as we introduced Microsoft Certification, competed against existing industry certifications, and helped to grow Microsoft Certified into the global standard that it is today.
For 20 Years|20 Ways, we hope to grow a whole new generation of certified professionals, who will start careers, create new ideas and industry innovations, and change the world over the next 20 years. We hope you can help us spread the word and seed the next generation by:
1. Telling your story. Inspire others by sharing your career story on our Facebook page and provide hope and a future to those who need it the most.
2. Participate in our exam donation to students. By upgrading your skills with a qualifying exam, Microsoft will donate an entry level exam to an aspiring student in need – and help them kick-start a new career in the IT industry.
3. Check out the NetHope Academy and the great work they are doing to provide technology, resources and training to countries around the world – and rebuild IT infrastructures in countries experiencing a natural disaster.
By working together as a community – I honestly believe we can change the world.
Join us for this two-day virtual event focusing not only on technical knowledge, but also essential career skills. Prepare for your future as an IT professional, or explore the next phase of your career with a wide variety of conference sessions and networking opportunities. REGISTRATION IS OPEN NOW!
Join us for this two-day virtual event focusing not only on technical knowledge, but also essential career skills. Prepare for your future as an IT professional, or explore the next phase of your career with a wide variety of conference sessions and networking opportunities.
REGISTRATION IS OPEN NOW!
I was surfing the interwebs, as J Seymour likes to call it, and came across this interesting blog post that I thought I would share:
http://www.infoworld.com/d/microsoft-windows/earn-more-todays-top-it-certs-184307?page=0,1
It's awesome that the author mentions System Center and Virtualization because there's some great stuff going on right now related to both...
The System Center 2012--the author calls this out as a technology where you can make "big bucks"!--will be in beta soon. If you're skilled in this area and want to participate in the beta, create or update your profile in our SME database as soon as possible. Beta seats are very limited, and we notify people who have experience with the technology in our SME database first. So, get yourself into the database if you're not already.
In terms of Virtualization, we have a great virtualization certification (of course)! Check it out here (by the way, isn't this new web layout AWESOME?!!), and don't miss the special offers we have in place related to this certification--maybe you can take 70-659 for free... yes, I said FREE. Check it out.
This week I also did my second beta exam: 70-323(Administering Office 365). The exam consisted of 70-80 questions and was a bit harder then the exam I did earlier, Deploying Office 365. I expected it to be the other way around, that Deploying was harder than Administering. As I can't go in details what exam subject were, I can tell about my resources I used as a prepartion, which you will see below:
And before my exam I used these resources as a quick exam reminder:
UPDATE (2/3/12): Our survey is now closed. Watch BTL for more opportunities to get involved in the future. Thanks for your help!
UPDATE (2/2/12): Thank you to everyone who has completed our survey so far - the response from the community has been terrific. I will be closing the survey tomorrow at 12pm (Redmond time) - please follow the link if you are still interested in participating.
The Certification Exam User Experience team is making significant changes to the Microsoft Exam user interface. We would like your opinion about our ideas. The following link will direct you to our online survey hosted by Qualtrics:
(Link Removed)
We will use your feedback to improve the test-taking experience.
Thank you in advance for your participation!
The Microsoft Learning Certification Exam User Experience Team
This morning I did the exam 70-321, which is a beta exam for Office 365. As promised earlier here a blogpost about my exam experience.
The exam has 40-60 questions, which is quite short for a beta exam in my opnion.
· ADFS
· DirSync
· Powershell commands
· DNS Records
· Exchange Online
· Lync Online
Resources I used to prepare:
Office 365 Service Descriptions
Microsoft Office 365 for IT Professionals
I’m pleased to announce our second episode of Cert Talk! This month I talk to Mr. Virtualization himself, Edwin Yuen. Edwin gives us a rundown on virtualization from soup to nuts, including how Microsoft offerings compare to VMware. We talk about what virtualization means for IT Pros new to the industry as well as existing Admins. Then we wrap up with a topic you rarely hear when anyone talks about virtualization: Developers. It’s a great conversation that I hope you’ll enjoy watching as much as I enjoyed having. Edwin is a great guy, fun to talk to, and I’m eager to have him back.
Finally, some rapscallions on the second floor have started a game where they challenge me to work in an odd word or phrase during Cert Talk. Score bonus points by identifying this episode’s phrase. I’m not sure what it means, but it makes me laugh.
You can find the latest Cert Talk here. Or, if you prefer, you can download and watch Cert Talk at your convenience in a variety of pleasing video formats: WMV | MP4 | WMV (ZIP) | PSP
Microsoft Learning and the Microsoft System Center 2012 team are partnering to bring provide IT Professionals an exciting opportunity to learn what they need to know to deploy, manage and maintain Microsoft’s private cloud solution. Leveraging the popular Jump Start virtual classroom approach, the industry’s most gifted cloud experts will show attendees why this new private cloud solution, based on System Center 2012 and Windows Server, has garnered so much attention. Here are the details:
REGISTER NOW
COURSE OUTLINE
Day 1: Deployment & ConfigurationPart 1: Understanding the Microsoft Private Cloud Part 2: Deploying the Infrastructure Components Part 3: Deploying the Private Cloud Infrastructure Part 4: Deploying the Service Layer Part 5: Deploying the Applications & VMs
Day 2: Management & OperationsPart 6: Managing the Infrastructure ComponentsPart 7: Managing the Private Cloud InfrastructurePart 8: Managing the Service LayerPart 9: Managing the Applications & VMs
INSTRUCTOR TEAMStudents have the opportunity to learn from and interact with the industry’s best cloud technologists! This high-energy, demo-rich learning experience will help IT Professionals understand why Microsoft private cloud solutions are making a splash in the industry. Here are the instructors for this two-day event!
What’s a “Jump Start” Course? Training specifically designed for experienced technologists whose jobs demand they know how to best leverage new, emerging Microsoft technologies. These advanced courses assume a certain level of expertise and domain knowledge, so they move quickly and cover topics in a fashion that enables teams to effectively map new skills to real-world situations. Check out recordings of the Office 365 Jump Start and the Microsoft Virtualization for VMware Professionals, too!
Register now for the Private Cloud Jump Start
Today in an online broadcast from Microsoft’s headquarters, Server and Tools president Satya Nadella laid out how Microsoft’s private cloud solution will help businesses move faster, save money and better compete in 2012. In alignment with Microsoft’s strategy, we have designed a Private Cloud certification that is built on Windows Server 2008 and System Center 2012. In addition to the Private Cloud certification, we are also announcing the soon to be available System Center 2012 Configuration Manager certification.
Since 3 out of the 5 required exams for the Private Cloud certification are available now, you can get started today. You are required to pass 3 exams on Windows Server 2008 (Exams 640, 642, & 646) If you pass all the Windows Server exams , you will only be two exams away from achieving the Private Cloud certification. Once you have achieved the Private Cloud certification, you will be required to show continued ability to perform on the latest versions of the Private Cloud technology by passing a recertification exam every 3 years. Learn more about the Private Cloud certification here: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/cert-private-cloud.aspx.
If you are more interested in the Administering and Deploying System Center 2012 Configuration Manager certification, you can get your training started now by taking the beta course from a Microsoft partner - http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/Course.aspx?ID=10747AB&Locale=en-us#tab1.
Even more exciting, for the first time, we are going to open up our beta exams for the Private Cloud to the public at the Microsoft Management Summit (MMS).
- Exam 246: Private Cloud Monitoring and Operations with System Center 2012
- Exam 247: Private Cloud Configuration and Deployment with System Center 2012
Beta exams will be limited, but it will be free. Register for MMS today.
Happy Learning!
This question is raised often amongst experienced IT professionals and in the most part their argument is that across the board, current MCTS and MCITP exams have become easier than the older "MCP" exams. I may stand alone here, but I must respectfully disagree :-S
Let me share one point of view (mine), and then invite your comments....
I have taken dozens of exams, both the older MCP and the newer MCTS/ITP exams. I also manage a Prometric testing center and have seen 500+ test takers take Microsoft exams over the last 3 years. Some exams that I have taken, have certainly seemed "easier" than others, I agree, but on the most part I see the exams as requiring a very good level of understanding for a test taker to pass. Often a good candidate just misses out on passing and nearly always comments on how hard the exam was! On the other hand, someone who just manages to pass also makes the same comment! Someone who aces the exam, will comment that the exam was "ok". So who are the people who say the exams are easy?
I believe the people who pass and think the exams are easy are the IT Super Heros, uber geeks, they get gadgets for Christmas and don't need to read the instruction manual, these guys who only have to look at new technology for a couple of hour and "get it". If you find a hero like this, set them a mini test of your own and then hire them! Sure, they may not be competition to Chuck Norris but they rock @IT!Crossing the road for an adult, or driving a car is "easy" for most of us. Picture an eight year old doing the same - it is not so easy for them. (I would not cross the road with an 8 year old driving a car!). I actually think that the test-taker with more experience of the product coupled with his/her exam taking experience finds the exams "easier" than the "newbie" test taker This is great for some of us, but it also prompts the push back statement that they are too easy, which I think is awfully misleading to newbies and employers alike. It is a tricky point to prove. I also would not be surprised if Microsoft continually "tweak" the question content/difficulty levels. Maybe Liberty Munson, from the Microsoft certification team, could offer insight here?
It would be a nice debate to have, especially if it included both newbie and experienced points of view - please share your experiences.
Update on Saturday, January 14, 2012
“If you want to do something big in your life, you must remember that shyness is only the mind." ~ Arfa Karim Randhawa, 1995-2012.
Dear Born to Learn community:
I was sad to learn, via Twitter, earlier this morning that Arfa passed away. While mourning the departure of such a bright young mind, we offer our deepest sympathy to Afra's family, friends, and her country Pakistan for the loss of their pride and joy.
I came across this video of Arfa singing during a TV interview back in April 2011. Hope you find comfort in her song.
Veronica
News Pakistan article on Arfa's passing
Blog post on Geekwire, where Todd Bishop shared Arfa's life philosophy.
Photo of Arfa's funeral in Pakistan, from MSNBC
The Huffington Post wrote about Arfa's passing + a video
ZDNet also published a nice writeup on the 16th
Also on the Business Insider
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On December 30, we got some sad news about 16-year-old Arfa Karim Randhawa, a programming prodigy from Pakistan. Arfa had suffered an epileptic seizure and doctors feared the worst. Her story is especially close to the heart of the Microsoft Learning community. Arfa earned her Microsoft Certified Professional title at the age of 9, and visited our campus in 2005 to meet with Bill Gates. She has been working hard in school toward her dream: to study computer science at MIT. Her exceptional achievements at a young age has been an inspiration to us and young people worldwide. When the news of her critical condition was posted, many of you offered well wishes and prayers via Facebook and Twitter.
Today, we're happy to bring you this update: with the additional assistance of neurogurgeons and experts from other countries, doctors are now hopeful about activating Arfa's brain and she will survive. Thank you for continuing to send good thoughts to Arfa and her family. We wish her a full and speedy recovery.
If you'd like to read about Arfa's visit in July 2005, Microsoft's CVP, S. Somasegar blogged about his interactions with her, and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer wrote a nice article as well.
Photo credit: Tood Bishop of GeekWire