Summer Time

donaghs

Is it just me or does anyone else notice that posting has slowed down here?
I know in my own case that I've done 7 exams over the last 4 years, and am taking a break for the forseeable future.

I had to do all my study for these exams after work as well, so I'm looking forward to the long summer evenings this year. I guess others might be thinking the same?

Static M.e.

I think it slows down for all the exam centers across the summer, I think the first & last quarter of every year is the busiest, I would think its got to do with "Brand new Budget lets spend.." and "Oohh sh*t.. better use up the budget.."

I like studying in the sun for some reason, so spring, summer is when I shine.. (cheap I know..)

Ginger

People on holidays.. I have done 9 exams in the past 8 months and I am going to do my last one in July.. I decided i needed a month or two off

_CreeD_

14 exams in 18 months, yes summer nights do make it easier to take a break...

aidan_walsh

What? Does this mean I finally get some time off?

Static M.e.

Out of interest
what exams have you guys gone for in the last 18 months?

Ginger

Mine have been development ones.. in reverse order

70-552 Upgrade MCAD to MCPD Win
70-551 Upgrade MCAD to MCPD Web
70-431 SQL 2005
70-300 MCSD Solution Arch
70-306 .NET Windows
70-310 XML Web services
70-305 .NET Web
70-229 SQL 2000

Failed the 552 exam the first time i did it, passed all the rest.

Static M.e.

Thats quite impressive. How did you find 70-431 SQL 2005 ?

Would you consider it worth doing to learn SQL 2005? We have moved from SQL 2000 to 2005 recently and before this I haven't had much experiance with SQL but I now have to manage a sinqle server with ~10 databases.

So I need to learn the Administration of SQL quick enough

Ginger

It was possibly the easiest of all the exams I have done. Its a mix of simulations and questions similar to the 70-290 (MSCA/E) exams.

I would always say its worthwhile doing it. the 431 exam is the Implementation and Maintenance one.. there is a design one was well. Depends on what you want to do.. design or admin. There is a lot on HTTP endpoints, log shipping and mirroring which may be too much for what your place needs but it would never not help klnowing it if you get me

_CreeD_

Static M.e. wrote:

Out of interest
what exams have you guys gone for in the last 18 months?

Security+
Network+
CCNA (failed the first time, passed it the next)
CCSP (5x exams):
- 642-502: Securing Networks with Routers and Switches
- 642-522: Securing Networks with PIX & ASA Firewalls
- 642-511: Cisco Secure Virtual Private Networks
- 642-532: Implementing Cisco Intrusion Prevention Systems
- 642-551: Securing Cisco Network Devices
MCPs:
- 70-270: Windows XP
- 70-290: Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment
- 70-291: Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure
- 70-293: Planning and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure
- 70-294: Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure

I'm sitting 70-298 next week to finish up the MCSE (fingers crossed), probably do 70-299 the in early June to get the Security specialisation, then it's back to Ciscoville and the CCIE Security (perhaps only in my dreams )

mick.fr

_CreeD_ wrote:

Security+
Network+
CCNA ...

Nice well done buddy :-)

Static M.e.

Thanks Ginger, I think Ill look into those. I love the look and feel of SQL 2005 its all very pretty so I wouldn't mind learning abit more about it

_Creed_ :eek:

I'm sitting 70-298 next week to finish up the MCSE (fingers crossed), probably do 70-299 the in early June to get the Security specialisation, then it's back to Ciscoville and the CCIE Security (perhaps only in my dreams )

Well done and best of luck with 298! I took it about 2 months ago, its not that difficult. I also read recently that they are changing the CCIE exam format in june, its already one tough exam, I hope they dont make it any tougher.

Ginger

Now when i did my exam, I managed to get all the simulations out eventually but I dont know if they were scored. I still got 1000 but I am sure I cocked up somewhere along the lines because it kept saying this is not used in this scenario type stuff

aidan_walsh

Do you guys generally fund these exams yourselves, or how many of you do them through work?

Ginger

Depends on the exams.. Because I am a dev I can generally get the Dev ones for free (as in they pay) and we have a certain number that only cost 70E because we are our own testing centre..

Others such as say the MCSE or ones not directly linked to my line of work I would have to pay for myself. They paid for all the ones I have done, because my manager signed off and justified that it was part of my job spec.

I would have hated to pay for all of them at 170 a pop thats a fair amount of money to be shelling out

Static M.e.

I contract so I have to pay for my own test, software (if needed) & books.

It works out quite expensive as it is, I stopped attending courses simply because because of the costs involved in paying for the course and then losing a weeks pay to attend the course.

The worst thing for me is that alot of the people I work with get sent on the courses but generally just do it for the time off work, they have no interest in the actual course and never take the exams.

Such is life though

BattlingCheese

Can you guys recommend any places to do these course's with?

aidan_walsh

BattlingCheese wrote:

Can you guys recommend any places to do these course's with?

There is a sticky at the top of the forum.

_CreeD_

Static M.e. wrote:

Well done and best of luck with 298! I took it about 2 months ago, its not that difficult. I also read recently that they are changing the CCIE exam format in june, its already one tough exam, I hope they dont make it any tougher.

Thanks. I had a bit of a head start though in that I've been in IT for near 11 years, only started the Certs Nov.2005 but I had some experience to make them easier. It helped too starting a new admin. job last year and taking over a network that was literally falling apart, lots of incentive to read up (or simply panic and read every source you can to fix the sh1te that just got dropped in your lap ).
I've heard 298 isn't too hard but the study materials are a bit vague so it's hard to judge readiness. I booked the exam for next Monday though.
The CCIE is supposed to be extremely hard but I've come to really love Infosec and Cisco stuff and at the worst it'll help me recap the CCSP material on the way. I'm hoping to to do the written before Xmas but the lab's the killer and likely to take close to a year. There's a guy on Techexams.net that has literally every Cisco professional Cert under the sun and a whole lot more from other vendors and he's failed it twice...kinda intimidating .

As for costs my company pays for the exams (which are only $125 in the states for Cisco and Msoft). Other than having access to the servers and network equipment they don't assist with training so it's strictly self study, VMWare and Boson are your friends. I'd definitely recommend using Safari Bookshelf Online too. Besides saving some money it removes the dilemna of whether you should or shouldn't shell out for an extra book or 2 to fill in some gaps, since it's subscription based you just pick what you think you might use and take what you need from each source. 'Course you do need to get used to ebooks....