August 19, 2013 at 2:58 pm
I passed 70-457 a week ago. I have just received the Training Guide for 463 and will be using it to study for Part 2, along with the the 462 book which covers some areas in the published exam objectives.
August 19, 2013 at 5:02 pm
Elizabeth.Block (8/19/2013)
Unfortunately I failed the 70-450 exam by one question. I've been taking some time off but am considering taking 70-450 one mroe time. I'm waffling a little because we're now ramping up on 2012 and BI, so I'm not positive what I'm going to do. I'd really like to get my MCITP but I do need to work on BI very soon. Being so close to passing 70-450 makes me want to try it once more. Good luck in your testing!BTW, I've used a couple practice tests and MeasureUp seems closest to the real exam. I've used the practice tests from CBT Nuggets, and those were way too easy. I think if I had had the MeasureUp tests for 70-450 I would have passed. One of the things I like about the MeasureUp tests is in the answer section they give you links to the technet articles, which you really have to read and know to pass the MS test. I like CBT Nuggets for a broad overview of the technical topic but the practice tests were not as helpful as I'd like.
I think 450 is easy because I have the programming experience. I used one week to prepare it. I used video course about it on http://www.cbtnuggets.com/ too. I think training book needs to spend more time to read, but I like the exam tips on the book.
Good luck!
August 19, 2013 at 5:08 pm
dan-572483 (8/19/2013)
I passed 70-457 a week ago. I have just received the Training Guide for 463 and will be using it to study for Part 2, along with the the 462 book which covers some areas in the published exam objectives.
I am also on the way. But till last night I just finished 200 pages on book 463, still have over 1000+pages of 2 books to read.That really makes me headache.
Even the things I know just turn over, but still need 1 week of reading. Those that wrote books never took this exam I think!
August 19, 2013 at 5:16 pm
Correct - the people who develop the exams don't talk to the people who write the training guides. Also, the training guides were publshed shortly after the books were relased, so the people writing the books didn't even take the exams first!! They do it that way on purpose. The Exam developers want you to have actual experience, and the Training Guides are about what to do to get the experience.
August 19, 2013 at 6:28 pm
dan-572483 (8/19/2013)
Correct - the people who develop the exams don't talk to the people who write the training guides. Also, the training guides were publshed shortly after the books were relased, so the people writing the books didn't even take the exams first!! They do it that way on purpose. The Exam developers want you to have actual experience, and the Training Guides are about what to do to get the experience.
you are right. Theory and practice are totally different. Before I just used sql server 2008 bible. When I first time to prepare the exam and started to read training kit 2 months ago, I just thought I didn't know how to create tables even I did in the last 3 years!
Never believe all you read!
July 25, 2014 at 4:48 am
Duncan Pryde (7/19/2013)
Hi ElizabethI know this post is a month old so you may have started taking the tests already, but I've just completed the last of the three upgrade exams, so thought I'd chip in.
As you've said, the three exams you need are 70-457, 70-458 and 70-459. Of the three, I found 70-458 by far the most challenging as it required some quite in-depth studying of SSIS which I had relatively little experience with. The other two were ok, and didn't require much as much study.
You can get most of the information from the Microsoft Learning website, but essentially the exams cover:
70-457 - Admin, Querying
70-458 - Admin, SSIS/Master Data Services/Data Quality Services/Data Warehousing
70-459 - Admin, Development
I used the three Microsoft MCSA books for studying, and went through all the examples for the "Implementing a Data Warehouse" book. For the other two books I read through most of the Querying book (mostly because I found it quite an enjoyable read!) and skim-read the Admin book, focussing on the bits that were new to SQL 2012 - e.g. AlwaysOn. According to the Microsoft Learning website, most of the 70-459 exam content seemed to be covered by the Querying and Admin books, so I just used those plus Books Online for any bits that weren't covered. In any case, if you read the Skills Measured you'll see that exam is more about the application of knowledge than the knowledge itself, so that's where on-the-job experience and general reading around the subject will help enormously.
I must say, I've enjoyed the whole process of studying for these exams, and learned quite a few new things along the way - which is why I force myself to go through this process every few years (roll on SQL 2014!). I thought the study books were all well-written and the exams were very fair in the sorts of questions they asked.
So good luck, and I hope you do well. Any help I can give you without breaking NDAs, I'm happy to give, so ask if you've got any more questions.
Duncan
Thanks for posting this Duncan, good to know. (I have 457 & 458 to complete before end of 2014, under a prometric offer)
Edit: I would have thought 459 would have been the most challenging exam being the "Expert" one.
qh
July 25, 2014 at 1:49 pm
quackhandle1975 (7/25/2014)
Edit: I would have thought 459 would have been the most challenging exam being the "Expert" one.
None of them are 'expert' level. Not even close.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
July 25, 2014 at 2:20 pm
GilaMonster (7/25/2014)
quackhandle1975 (7/25/2014)
Edit: I would have thought 459 would have been the most challenging exam being the "Expert" one.None of them are 'expert' level. Not even close.
Redefine 'expert' level as those exams are to obtain the MS Solutions Expert certification. Of course, I wouldn't trust someone is an expert just because they are certified as a MCSE. 🙂
July 27, 2014 at 1:25 pm
Luis Cazares (7/25/2014)
GilaMonster (7/25/2014)
quackhandle1975 (7/25/2014)
Edit: I would have thought 459 would have been the most challenging exam being the "Expert" one.None of them are 'expert' level. Not even close.
Redefine 'expert' level as those exams are to obtain the MS Solutions Expert certification. Of course, I wouldn't trust someone is an expert just because they are certified as a MCSE. 🙂
Hence where I got the "Expert" from (MCSE).
Gail I would be interested to hear your thoughts on why they are not even close to expert level.
qh
July 27, 2014 at 2:11 pm
quackhandle1975 (7/27/2014)Gail I would be interested to hear your thoughts on why they are not even close to expert level.
No, you don't want to. 😉
Tell me, if someone claims to be an 'expert', what exactly do you expect from that person?
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
July 28, 2014 at 2:45 am
GilaMonster (7/27/2014)
quackhandle1975 (7/27/2014)Gail I would be interested to hear your thoughts on why they are not even close to expert level.
No, you don't want to. 😉
Tell me, if someone claims to be an 'expert', what exactly do you expect from that person?
Fair point. I used to have those sort of discussions with an AI lecturer at university "What defines an expert?"
In answer to your question, possibly an expert has a set level of knowledge? Someone to get the job/task done? A person with more knowledge than yourself? (I am just surmizing here.)
Sounds like a decent topic for an SSC Editorial Gail (if not touched upon in the past) 😀
qh
July 28, 2014 at 3:28 am
quackhandle1975 (7/28/2014)In answer to your question, possibly an expert has a set level of knowledge? Someone to get the job/task done?
If that's your definition of expert (just enough to get the job done), then the exams are 'expert' level (assuming the job is just day-to-day DBA/dev work).
Sounds like a decent topic for an SSC Editorial Gail (if not touched upon in the past) 😀
Hmmm... and I have one due next week.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
July 28, 2014 at 3:40 am
GilaMonster (7/28/2014)
If that's your definition of expert (just enough to get the job done), then the exams are 'expert' level (assuming the job is just day-to-day DBA/dev work).
Not necessarily my definition I was just putting some possible answers out there. As in, "lets get an expert in to solve this problem/task/etc"."
The OED lists an "expert" as:
[font="Arial Black"]A person who is very knowledgeable about or skilful in a particular area (noun)
+
Having or involving a great deal of knowledge or skill in a particular area. (Adjective).[/font]
qh
July 28, 2014 at 11:47 am
quackhandle1975 (7/28/2014)
The OED lists an "expert" as:[font="Arial Black"]A person who is very knowledgeable about or skilful in a particular area (noun)
+
Having or involving a great deal of knowledge or skill in a particular area. (Adjective).[/font]
With that definition, the MCSE exams certainly are not expert level.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
July 28, 2014 at 12:06 pm
I think the beginning phase of becoming an expert is knowing what you don't know. When you're at the junior level you don't even know what you don't know. Reaching intermediate status can mean that you know some stuff, like what you need to pass the exams, but are starting to "grok" the large amount of knowledge you haven't reached yet. When I've talked to real SQL experts, I've been amazed at how humble many of them are. They know they know more than me but they're not too impressed with themselves to answer my questions. Personally, I'm more impressed with those kind of experts than the few that want to beat you up with how much they know. I've met so many wonderful people at PASS and SQL Saturdays and have learned a lot from those events. I am really amazed at how many true experts are willing to give of their time and money to share what they know.
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