Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!

Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!

  • Congratulations strongm on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!

Exam 70-270 needed for MCDBA

Status
Not open for further replies.

Carlos82

Technical User
May 7, 2007
65
US
I am currently a student going for a Associate in Science degree in database administration. Im the director of information technology's assistant. Which means I do everything from xp support, to networking and SQL server admin too. Do I need to take exam 70-270 to be a MCDBA. If not should I take it since I also do xp support at work?
 
To be completely honest, I learned a decent amount of stuff that I would have never learned in my support environment, which I found interesting. It was nice to get a decent handle on EFS, and a grasp of the different unattended installs of Windows (no matter how really irrelevant it was to me).. There were a bunch of command line things that you get to run over if using the MSPress book, but you dont really get tested on it to much.

I would say, if you are looking for gaining a more in depth knowledge of WinXP this test is a good path for it. It is however NOT required for the MCDBA... Although with the core exams you can get your mcsa quite easily after getting your MCDBA

 
Hi, I'm currently studying for my MCP 70-270 exam. Since I am starting out trying to gain more knowledge and practical skills. I have done 2 internships to gain hands on IT experience and I am A+ certified. It is still hard for me to find a full-time perm. job. The jobs I was called about are 3 to 6 months perm and that's not guaranteed. I want to make sure I study the right cert in order to land a good full-time job. I was studing the 70-271 and then I will study the 70-272, but it seems like its going to take me a long time to study for those two exams. Will I be okay taking the 70-270 exam?
 
I hear this alot and there really is no easy path to success, no one can tell you if you are going to be able to pass any of these tests. It comes down to your study habits and the material, and you can only buy one of those. Put forth a good effort with the MSPress book, the included practice questions, find some good forums (techexams.net/forums) and stop watching tv, going to the bars, whatever it is that you do for killing time use it to further your skills. Its really ONLY about personal drive, the path is there its just not a flat one. Good luck.
 
HiCstorms

Thanks for letting us know about the techexams.net/forums. You are right, we need to discipline ourselves more (which it is really hard) in studying the materials. Stop watching tv etc. in order to get where we want to be in life
 
I want to make sure I study the right cert in order to land a good full-time job.
I hate to burst your bubble, but having the cert won't get you that good job right off the bat. And if it does, you probably won't keep the job for long.

Having an MCDBA with no practical work experience in the field doesn't mean a while lot, except that you can study the material in a book and remember the information long enough to pass the exam.

If you are trying to break in to the IT field you should look into starting with a lower end position than a DBA position. Look to start out in the help desk or NOC. These positions will get you into the IT field, and you can use these positions to work with the DBAs and learn from them eventually moving into a junior level DBA position at the company.

Getting a cert and then going for the top end jobs does a disservice to you and to the rest of us that have the certs. It will burn the employer on hiring people with certs because they will think that everyone that has the cert has no actual experience. The Microsoft certificate programs are designed to show experience in the field working with production systems for a number of years (usually 1-2 years).

In order to get that good paying job you'll have to pay your dues in lower end positions. After a few years in the lower end positions if you've learned the platforms well enough you can work your way into the higher end positions. Personally it took me about 6-7 years of very hard work to get into the higher end positions. After that did I decide to go and get my certs. Having them doesn't do much for me, but not having them did not hurt me in the prior job searches at all.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000)
MCTS (SQL 2005 / Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0: Configuration / Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007: Configuration)
MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005) / Database Developer (SQL 2005)

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)
[noevil]
 
Hi Denny,

I understand what you are saying and it is true. However, I have gain some IT experience volunteering my time with organizations. However, the jobs I have been called about from employment agencies (Head hunters) these jobs are from 3 to 6 months and some are temp to perm. Unfortunately, I can't quite my full-time right now with less pay about 3 thousand what I'm making know and there is no guarantee that the jobs I be on for 3 to 6 month contract will last to permanent. It seem a bit risky. I would like to find something part time after work doing IT so I can get my feet wet a little more. I know it takes time to get to the top and I'm not really worry about very hi pay I know I will get there. My goal is the find a job in the IT field.
 
Part time IT jobs are fairly hard to find. You might want to check with your local religious organization. They often need assistance.

Smaller companies can often need part time help as they can't afford a full time DBA.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000)
MCTS (SQL 2005 / Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0: Configuration / Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007: Configuration)
MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005) / Database Developer (SQL 2005)

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)
[noevil]
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Part and Inventory Search

Sponsor

Back
Top