Taking 70-448 SQL BI Exam

One of my goals has been to learn Microsoft’s SQL Business Intelligence stack. I’ve been reading different books, blogs and whitepapers to learn as much as I can, but I wasn’t very structured in my approach. While I picked up lots of new information and tips, I felt I was spinning my wheels. And I keep getting sidetracked with work projects and learning the basics of other new technologies.

I’ve been successful in the past with Microsoft certifications. Beginning way back in the SQL 7 days, I took and passed exams to achieve MCP, MCDBA, and MCSD status. I also took and passed SQL 2005 Database Administrator and Database Developer exams a few years back.

I’ve been pretty involved with Reporting Services since it first came out as an add on to SQL 2000. But I’ve only played around briefly with the old DTS and newer Integration Services. And I’ve never even opened an Analysis Services database. So overall I have a long way to go.

So I’ve settled on a method that I believe will help me. I’ve decided to take the 70-448 exam, Microsoft SQL Server 2008 – Business Intelligence Development and Maintenance. I feel by studying for this specific exam I’ll get a head start on learning BI. I know I’m not going to learn everything there is about BI with one exam, but it should give me enough background to go ahead and finish up on my own. And setting a goal of passing 70-448 will, hopefully, keep me on track.

Now when I took other exams I also struggled to keep to my studies. It was only when I actually scheduled the exam that I really sat down and concentrated. I’m not going to do that just yet. For the SQL 2005 exams I passed I knew enough that I could get by with using only the Microsoft Press Training Kits. I don’t feel anywhere near that comfortable with 70-448. But I’m still going to set a date. Today is Monday, March 22, 2010. I’m going to give myself just over 6 months to take and pass this exam. I’ll schedule the test on August 22nd, and I will pass the test by October 1st. That will also give me a little leeway if I fail the first time.

I plan on blogging on my progress for 3 reasons. First, if I write about it, it will help me understand the concept better. As someone once said, you don’t understand a concept until you can explain it to your mother. Second, it should keep me on schedule. I don’t want to get to October 1st and admit publically that I didn’t take the test. And third, it will act as a study group for others who also want to take 70-448. The more the merrier.

Resources

I’ve only got a few resources so far. I’ll add to this list as I go.

The first is the Microsoft Press 70-448 Training Kit, written by Eric Veerman, Teo Lachev, and Dejan Sarka of Solid Quality Mentors. I’ve always liked the MS Press TK’s. They come with practice exams, as well as a coupon for 15% your test.

The second book I’ll be using is Knight’s 24-Hour Trainer, published by Wrox and written by Brian Knight, Devin Knight, and Mike Davis. I chose this book because it includes a CD that contains videos of the lessons.

There will be more resources listed later, as I progress towards my personal D-Day.

Catching up after vacation

First and foremost, I passed 70-447 on June 27th. I'm done with the 2005 exams, not going to worry about the BI track since I'm not that fluent in SSAS or SSIS (I do know SSRS pretty well, though). So I made my goal of being certified in SQL 2005 before SQL 2008 came out.

Speaking of which, Microsoft just announced yesterday that 2008 will ship in August. More on that later.

One to go..

I passed 70-442 on 5/30. Now I've got my MCITP as aDatabase Developer. Next up, and probably my final SQl 2005 exam,will be the update exam 70-447. I've scheduled that one for 6/27. That means I'll have taken 3 exams in 2 months. It seems to be working. Scheduling the test early forces me to be more prepared. I can focus better on the study material when I have a real deadline in place.

Taking 70-442 Next

I must be crazy, or overconfident, or both. I just scheduled to take 70-442 on May 30th. I'm figuring 2 things; 1, I'm pretty sure of the test material since I work with SQL 2005 daily and I've already read the MS Press training guide and 2, Microsoft's free Second Shot voucher expires at the end of the month. So this way, even if I fail (but that won't happen, right?)I get to retake it at no extra cost. So there's less pressure.

And since I've already passed 70-431 and 70-441, this will make me MCITP as a database developer.

Passed 70-441

Yesterday I passed Microsoft's 70-441 exam, Designing Database Solutions by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005. Since I've already passed 70-431 and I'm also a MCDBA, I just need to take (and pass) 70-442 and 70-447 to become MCITP as both a Database Developer and a Database Administrator. Maybe I can run across another free exam voucher!

I don't want to break any confidentiality rules, so I won't talk about the exam in detail. But I will say that this exam was the easist Microsoft exam I've taken to date. I've been working with SQL on a daily basis for nine years now, and 2005 since it first was a CTP. That experience, plus now being the de facto DBA on my team at work, was major in preparing for the exam. The MS Press Training Kit was good for studying areas I don't know as much about, like the Service Broker and Notification Services, and it has a good exam simulation. And of course I must thank Microsoft for having the series of 4 webcasts on 70-441 (they're available on demand, I'll post the link later), and Tim Kashani for the great job of presenting the material. Not to mention receiving the free voucher.

Taking 70-441 in 3 1/2 weeks

Hopefully I'll have enough time to study, especially since I'm on vacation for the 2 weeks previous to that.

I've read the MS Press training kit for this exam, and I've already passed 70-431 last summer. I know that won't be enough to pass this one, bit at least i've got a starting point for my studying. I also watched 4 webcasts that the Microsoft Partner program had on last year; I'll re-watch those. Too bad they're not downloadable. They'd be perfect for my daily commute.

But I can't complain about those webcasts. I got a voucher to take the exam for free!. The only thing was that it expires on May 1st, hence the quickly approaching date.