Second Chance is here again! (Microsoft Second Shot)

Welcome the return of the Microsoft Second Shot Program!

So – how exactly does this work? Hi-jacked from their site!

You have until June 30, 2009, to register, obtain an exam voucher, complete your first exam and retake your exam (if you did not pass on your first attempt).

There is no limit per person: If you register for this offer, you will receive one free retake for each paid exam that you take and fail.

To take advantage of this offer:

  • Step 1: Register for Second Shot on the Microsoft Web site and receive an exam voucher number.
  • Step 2: Schedule and pay for your initial exam through the Prometric Web site, call center,* or test center.
  • Note You must have the voucher number before you register.

  • Step 3: Take the exam.
  • Step 4: If you do not pass the exam on your first attempt, register for your free retake exam through the Prometric Web site, call center,* or test center by using the same voucher number. Then, take your Second Shot!
  • Note You must wait one day after taking your initial exam before you can register for your retake exam. This time is required to enter test results into the system.

    Which exams qualify for this Second Shot offer?
    Any Microsoft Learning IT professional, developer, or Microsoft Dynamics exam qualifies for this offer.

    So, what does this mean for you?
    If you plan to take an exam and PAY for an exam – It doesn’t pay to not register your exam and get a voucher number first. Don’t think about doing it – Do it.

    That’s it! :)

    Good luck out there!

    Microsoft Beta Exam Blog – It’s a Trikatastrophe!

    Special thanks to Trika! for pointing out the brand new Microsoft Beta Exam Blog!

    I’ve linked this over in my “Microsoft Links” on the side as well, as I’ll reference and check this blog on a regular basis, in addition to checking other blogs, Trika and GerryO’s blog, as well as manual scouring of the Prometric site for new entries which meet “Beta” criteria!

    And for those of you SBS folks in the world, there is whisper of a coming SBS 2008 exam!

    In other news, I expect to have additional post-mortems, completely obfuscated on all the other beta exams which happen out there!

    Keep Posted!

    New NetApp beta exam! (NS1-050) Installation Accredited Professional

    As you can tell from past postings – I keep an eye out for Certification exams.
    I usually check specifically for Microsoft ones, and I also keep my eyes out for NetApp exams.

    So, with that – NS1-050 is available in Beta until August 15th

    It clocks in as a 3:15 minute exam, so normal par for the course of a NetApp Beta Exam
    These type of exams are simply $0.00 cost, no associated Promotion code nor Voucher needed.

    I imagine we’re looking at a fairly straight forward “What is involved in Installation

    Where the exam will play out in the big picture – hard to tell, I cannot find any details on this!

    But nonetheless – you Storage guys out there, interested in taking it, knock it out!
    If I find any details posted about this, I’ll be sure to let you know!

    MCTS: Hyper-V (70-652) [71-652] Study Guide

    *Update – Be sure to check out the free Training Courses for 70-652! *

    5 Free Virtualization Training Courses for the Holidays! (HyperV)

    and

    How much does Free Microsoft Learning Cost? (Hint: Free!)

    Now continue to this old post :)

    You’re signed up, you’re in the beta! with 12 days left to take the test!
    You get out there, study study study… wait, what am I supposed to study?

    Well, first of all you decide to check out that Microsoft E-Learning I mentioned before here:
    https://www.microsoftelearning.com/eLearning/courseDetail.aspx?courseId=92459

    And let me tell you, this E-learning is very useful, if you’ve never touched ESX, XenServer, or Hyper-V.
    If you’ve played with Hyper-V at all, and read the help file you will find it isn’t ALL that useful.
    I’m not saying don’t give it a whirl, give it a try… But do NOT expect that to be your keys to the kingdom. You’ll be lucky if it can be used as a dowsing rod to find the moat!
    (Wait, do castles even have keys?!)

    Okay, so what do I do now?

    Here is the first and most important thing you should do.
    Read this: Test Information and Support

    If ever there was a time in your life to read something like this, read it, look at it, read it again.
    Go line by line, if there is something you do not understand (WTF? winrm?!) Learn about it, read about it, study it. Because that little bit of guidance there is one of the first things you ought to do, as you’ll be on a tough road without it.

    Now it is pertinent that you get face time, hardcore time spent playing with the following:

  • Hyper-V: Load it up, the console up and running, virtualize some machines.
  • Hyper-v on Core: Atleast know how to do it!
  • SCVMM: If you’ve never touched this, looked at it, give up now. Seriously, give up now!
  • SCOM: This isn’t as important, but atleast be familiar with how SCOM plays with Virtualization
  • MAPS: No, not that song from Rockband, The Microsoft Assessment and Planning Solutions
  • 2008 Clusters: Seriously, Seriously Francine, these Clusters, Seriously. Yes, know the clusters!
  • Networking: Know the difference between the different networking types and when they apply.
  • Disks: Know inside and out all of the details of the different type of disk options.
  • Snapshots: Snapshots are your friend, and your enemy if you think you know them and don’t!
  • CPU Requirements: This cannot be stressed enough. This ISN’T VMware – It’s more like Xen.

    Check out Blogs and other things ofcourse.
    Definitely DO check out the SCVMM Videos (Thanks to Jeff Webb for mentioning the link)

    If by trial, jury and virtue – You wholly understand each of these concepts, ideas and have a grasp of Virtualization, you should be fine. Just by installing Hyper-V, you’ll be set for 25% of the questions. The same can be said of the installation of SCVMM as well.

    I’m not at liberty to share explicit details of the exam, which is why I reference back to the ‘study notes’, as these were more or less on the ball – Read each line if you don’t understand it, plan to do poorly on that question(s)!

    Good Luck!

  • Run, don’t walk to sign up for the Hyper-V Beta Exam 71-652! (See Trika’s Blog)

    Yep, that’s right! The Virt Exam (071-652) has been posted on Trika’s Blog, on a pure First-Come-First-Serve basis… which is the type of action of “Act Fast!”

    Trika’s Post on 71-652 Hyper-V Beta Exam

    Seriously, run don’t walk on over to Trika’s blog for this opportunity to partake in the Hyper-V beta!

    I personally am on hook to take it in a few weeks… Already signed up with Prometric! :)


    (Inline are the details copied from Trika’s Blog!)

    *** Update!***

    Special thanks to Priscila Silva in MCS for links to the E-Learning for Virtualization (Trika Comments!)

    https://www.microsoftelearning.com/eLearning/courseDetail.aspx?courseId=84700
    https://www.microsoftelearning.com/eLearning/courseDetail.aspx?courseId=92459

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