Tag Archives: MCDBA

Received my MCAD Welcome Kit

Published Jun 20, 2005 | In Certifications

I just received my MCAD Welcome Kit from Microsoft. It was nice to see my name printed in it as it was signed by Bill Gates.

But this time there only the usual contents (like tie pin, MCP card etc..) were there and no discount or special offer coupons as with my MCDBA Welcome kit 😉

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Received My MCDBA Welcome Kit

Published May 26, 2005 | In Certifications

I just received my MCDBA Welcome Kit. It was quite thrilling to see my name in the certificate which is signed by Bill Gates. I thought of uploading the scanned copy of my certificate. But then the thought of connecting my scanner, dusting it off and switching it on delayed that (ya it’s been a while since I used it last). Probably I will upload it this weekend. But I am not sure whether this violates Microsoft’s Certification Agreement. Can any one more throw light on it?

In addition to the usual contents (like tie pin, MCP card etc..) the welcome kit also contained gift and discount coupons. As an MCDBA I get 1 year free subscription for SQL Server Magazine and discounts for MSDN and TechNet subscriptions. I have filled and posted the coupon for my SQL Server Magazine.

I am now seriously thinking whether to take up MSDN and TechNet subscriptions or not. The reason is that they are costly and I am not sure whether I will be able to use them effectively, as I am mostly working in J2EE nowadays at my work. Anyways I have around 3 months to decide. (The offer holds good for three months from the date of certification)

PS: BTW can anyone of you who have already subscribed, tell me whether it is worth to subscribe for MSDN or TechNet or both.

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Finally MCDBA – Cleared 70-315

Published Apr 24, 2005 | In Certifications

Upaaa. 😆 Finally became MCDBA. Cleared my 70-315 exam this Saturday. Any guess for the score, ya it is 1000.

I was slightly thrilled after seeing the score. May be I found the answer to the long lasting question ‘What is the maximum score for a Microsoft exam?‘. I am certain that I got the maximum and the maximum score is 1000 (at least for my exam)

The reason being that in the report card, there are bar graphs which show the percentage for each section of the exam that you have scored and for me all the five bar graphs were showing 100 % (which means that I have scored 100% in the exam) correct?

Speaking about the exam, it wasn’t that difficult as I expected. There were lot of questions from ADO.NET and Web Services. I expected them only in my 70-320 exam ;-). Microsoft self-paced training kit was really helpful. It took me only 1 minute per question to answer. The total time allocated was 150 minutes.

So, what’s next? Have one more exam to become MCAD and 3 more exams to become MCSD. So I am planning to take up 70-320 next and then 70-316 and then 70-300

Self-note – I have allocated 2 weeks time 70-320 and hopefully should complete it with in that time. Planning to used Microsoft Self-paced Kit for this one too.

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Taking up 70-315 tomorrow

Published Apr 22, 2005 | In Certifications

I am planning to write my 70-315 exam this Saturday (23 April).

It’s been a long preparation for me. I was preparing for more than 3 weeks. I have mainly used Microsoft Self-Paced training kit and ASP.NET Quick Start and also a couple of articles from MSDN.

If every thing goes fine, I would be a MCDBA by the same time tomorrow.

Hmm.. that gives me a thrill feeling. Hey 70-315, I am coming to crack you up.. be waiting for me. 😉

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Passed exam 70-290

Published Mar 21, 2005 | In Certifications

After preparing for just two weeks, I took my Windows 2003 (70-290) exam this Saturday. Oh my god, What a tough exam ! I JUST cleared it. I got a score of 700 (as you know 700 is the minimum score to pass). I thanked my stars after seeing the score for two reasons.

  • First, I don’t want to prepare for an administration exam one more time
  • Second, Microsoft is changing the exam pattern next week by introducing simulation into the exam.

So, one more exam to go before I become MCDBA (this feeling really thrills me) and I am planning to take up exam Developing and Implementing Web Applications with Microsoft Visual C# .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET (70-315) . Though I am relatively new to .NET and C#, I hope my experience in Web Programming and Java should help me.

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My MCDBA Track

Published Mar 15, 2005 | In Certifications

When I was in college, I used to think that getting a Microsoft certification or a sun Certification is a mammoth task which can be done only by people with thick glasses (My idea of an expert)

Then one of my friends introduced me to BrainBench. I took a couple of exams and got some decent scores. I took them just to show off to my friends that I am some one above them and that I add something that they don’t have. Some kind of a child ego.

Soon when I landed up in a job doing some web development using PHP, my company expected me to do a certification (any certification for that matter, as their client needed it). So I started to search for the correct one. After some weeks of research I settled down to MCDBA (Microsoft Certified Database Administrator) in SQL Server, as I had some interest in Databases and also I had some exposure to SQL Server in college (I used it in my college project). A local prometric center also offered me an offer. So I went and registered.

Then came the preparation phase. I settled down to do a self-learn rather than going for some training for two reasons. First I didn’t had the time second all through my life I hated attending lectures. I installed the trial version of SQL Server 2000 in my system and started playing with it.

I really found it difficult. Even though I have registered I postponed my exam date for more than 4 times, since I was not that confident.

It took me more than 3 months to write my first exam (70-229) and at last I got a score of 875. After seeing the score I got a lot of confidence in me. I believed that I could do it. You know it was really a great feeling to put MCP next to your name and add the MCP logo in your resume, homepage, email etc..

Before that confidence could fade away, I got an offer from a big software development company. Thanks for my confidence which made me get through the interview process. Although I have to work in J2EE in my new job I thought of finishing my remaining 3 exams for my MCBDA Track.

Then I took my 2nd exam (70-228). This time I took it with in 3 weeks of preparation. I jumped off my seat when I got a score of 946 in that exam.

And now as I am writing this I am preparing for my 3rd exam (70-290). This time I am going to write it with in 2 weeks of preparation.

During the process I have found out a couple of new things

  • First – getting a certification is not such a mammoth task. (Even though I wear thick glasses now, (when I am not hiding behind contact lens)
  • Second – Having a certification doesn’t tag you as an expert.
  • Third – But a certification is really a tag for an expert.

I found even carrol (http://weblogs.asp.net/bkcarroll/archive/2004/01/22/61838.aspx) talking about the same thing.

Update : Thanks Satya for finding out those typos, which I have overlooked in my original article. Now I have corrected them.

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