Glad it was useful!

Interesting editorial.

Most people have a negative view on triggers, often for the reason's Steve's given. I agree they can be problematic when poorly implemented (all too common I'm afraid), but...

I've not taken the MCM exams, but I have had numerous problems at Prometric venues before - and it has never been the venue's fault.

Things were much better when Microsoft...

Hi Steve

Nobody is making you use the function. But to give one quick example where it could be useful. Say you have two string variables, and one of them is...

Hi all

It looks like you need to take three exams for 2012, regardless of whether you're starting from scratch or upgrading:

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/cert-sql-server-business-intelligence.aspx

I think the best option is to take the 2008...

Hi everybody

Thanks for reading the article, and thanks for the kind words.

I definitely did find 70-452 the easier of the exams - I suspect I could have passed it without...

Hi Uwe

I really hope you have passed, especially after the trials you were forced to undertake. I've had a similar experience with Prometric, but that was for the BI MCTS,...

Hi Uwe

Congratulations on passing the 80-970, and thanks for letting us know how you prepared for it.

I'm waiting for the 2012 Master certification before I attempt it sometime in 2013....

Thanks Shailendra,

I'm glad you liked it.

I'm studying for the BI exams at the moment, so hopefully I'll have a guide for those ready before Christmas.

Mike.

Good points MH.

I can definitely confirm that every question involving backup/restore uses T-SQL.

Mike.

SQLServerCentral published my article on this very subject a couple of days back and it will answer most of your questions:

Guide to MCITP: Database Administration[/url]

Good luck!

Mike.

Jim

You can definitely pass any Microsoft SQL Server certification using BOL - indeed, I've done this myself.

Good luck!

Mike.

Whilst it is possible to administer SQL Server without using T-SQL, you will benefit hugely if you do learn it. T-SQL is the foundation of everything that is done in...

Riad

Completely up to you how long you want to study. I took 70-432 on 31st May 2011, and 70-450 on 18th July 2011. I studied most nights between the two...

If you have to write both exams then there is effectively no upgrade path, although you are of course already armed with most of the knowledge required to pass the...