SQL server exams

Author

228

Pavlov

2002-09-08, 10:15 pm

I'm thinking of wrapping up my MCSE with the 228 exam. Has anyone here taken this test? What were your thoughts? What would you suggest as the recommended study text? Does anyone other than Transcender offer a practice test for this one?

I have used SQL 7 and successfully done a 7 to 2000 upgrade in a production environment, so I do have some practical knowledge of SQL.

Any and all feedback welcome

nobody123

2002-09-15, 3:14 pm

If your target is MCDBA, then stick with 70-228. Otherwise 70-220 is a good alternative.

necrophantasm

2002-09-16, 7:50 am

Pavlov,

If you are planning on doing MCDBA then this test would be worth your while, but if you just want to wrap up MCSE I think it may be a little more work than it is worth for finishing up. The exam covers a lot of concepts that you are familiar with at this point (Backups, security, monitoring, etc..) but it also introduces some T-SQL concepts too which are a bit foreign compared to the other tests. I used the SQL 2000 administrator's companion, BOL, the T-SQL help index, and lots of practice (and time in at work) to prepare for this exam. The book is 1000 pages, and although it doesn't cover exam objectives word for word, it is a great introduction to SQL and does cover enough to pass 228 (just not 229). Take a look at the exam objectives before deciding on this one, and see if they sound like something you want to get into. I worked on SQL for 4 months before taking this exam (I had no prior SQL experience before taking this job) and definitely think that SQL is one of the tougher Microsoft exam tracks out there (it's still no 216, but 229 is pretty close...). So I would recommend taking this one if you plan on going for DBA, but if not I would recommend taking exchange, migration, or designing security/network infrastructure instead. All of those topics (except maybe exchange) you are already familiar with and won't have to learn from scratch so they will probably be easier to pick up, and you will be done faster. Considering this is your last exam, I am assuming that you don't want to spend a couple of months cramming for something totally new. Perhaps I am wrong though. Let me know if you need any more information.

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