OK, now that we have a concrete goal, how do we go about accomplishing it? Let's see, a hard deadline, a list of topics that have to learned, an exam that has to be studied for...hey, that sounds like grad school!
With that inspiration, I decided to create a college-level class for exam 70-432. The MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit is available at work, and I have access to SQL Server 2008 Administration: Real-World Skills for MCITP Certification and Beyond and The Real MCTS SQL Server 2008 Exam 70-432 Prep Kit through Books24x7, so there are plenty of resources.
The class is structured around the Skills Measured for 70-432, with each skill taking one to two weeks to cover. Exercises, self-tests and practice tests are assigned and due each week.
I mapped the chapters in the books to the Skill Measured for 70-432 and came up with a syllabus, which is summarized here:
- Core competencies are the Skills Measured
- Textbooks:
- SQL Server 2008 Administration: Real-World Skills for MCITP Certification and Beyond (Exams 70-432 and 70-450) by Tom Carpenter
- The Real MCTS SQL Server 2008 Exam 70-432 Prep Kit: Database Implementation and Maintenance edited by Mark Horninger
- Lab Manual:
- MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-432): Microsoft SQL Server 2008: Implementation and Maintenance by Mike Hotek
- Reference:
- Method of Instruction:
- Each week:
- Read assigned chapters
- Complete assigned Self-Tests
- Do assigned lessons in the Lab Manual
- Take a related Practice Test
- Blog
- Post in online forum(s)
- Last week:
- Take one or more full Practice Tests
- Take the 70-432 Certification Test as the final exam
