Advice on starting out on MCDBA certification

[don9999]

I have some experience of working with Oracle 9i, and have obtained the Oracle Associate certification.

However my company has an opening for an SQL Server database administrator. To show my potential and willing to learn, I want to start working towards the MCDBA certification.

I guess the first step is exam 70-228.
I've read that one of the best books is Microsoft's own book - MCSE Training Kit (Exam 70-228): Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2000 System Administration. However, here in the UK, it appears to be out of print, and not available anywhere (except for second hand where they demand around $200!)

Does anyone have suggestions on any other ways of working towards my MCDBA and/or exam 70-228?

Cheers,
Don

 

[jrbarnett]

I got the 70-229 book from one of the vendors that operate through Amazon for next to nothing. You may find the 228 available from one of them as well. Failing that, google for books that aim towards it as other publishers have their own titles.
Other exams that count towards it are in the Windows 2003 and .NET systems, which are likely to be available now.

Best however is genuine hands on SQL Server experience, although because of your existing relational database knowledge, a lot of it will come as second nature to you (database object types, normalisation, query types etc).

John

 

[Skittle]

I would recommend Sybex.

I am taking 70-229 in two weeks and I have both the Sybex books for 70-229 and 70-228. There is a lot of overlap between the two. The 70-228 has been updated to a second edition in recent years so make sure you get the second edition. Having said that I also have the MS books for both exams. All four were available on Amazon.co.uk in May which is when I bought them.

The 70-228 is the easier of the two. I am doing that one second simply because I knew I'd have a lot of time available for a few months and wanted to do the hard one first. If I pass 70-229 than I will try to get 70-228 done by Christmas.

After Christmas I have managed to manipulate my boss to pay for a 70-290 course ( windows 2003 server ) and that with my existing MCAD should get me the MCDBA.

Sounds easy....but of course it isn't.





Dazed and confused
(N+, MCAD)