Helmers Blog

I wasn’t able to attend last weeks Anti-Piracy session, but Trika posted the link to the recording today. Click here to go to the recording.

Today I had an e-mail conversation with Jim Clark (Product Planner / Certification / MS Learning) about the pilot of the 70-113 : TS : Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuring (the new type of Microsoft exam). He told me that the exam isn’t available in all countries, but there will be another pilot in a few weeks.

If the exam is available in your country and you want to register for the exam, but didn’t receive the invitation e-mail? Just leave a comment with your e-mail (or e-mail me at helmer@hznet.nl) and I’ll forward you the information!

Click Read More for more information about the new exam types.

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Last week I told you guys about the new Performance Based Testing Pilot Exam for which I received an invitation. Because I was not able to schedule an exam (because I live in the Netherlands) I e-mailed Jim Clark, who initially e-mailed the invitation, asking him when (and if) the exam will become available in Europe. As you can read in the comments of the former post the exam isn’t available in Great Britain, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands (at least!).

It’s available…. Today I received an answer in which Jim told me that there has been a issue with the Prometric scheduling system (that now has been corrected). So if the exam wasn’t available to you last week, you should check again because it’s available NOW (at least) in the Netherlands.

…but you can’t schedule an exam That is : It’s shows up in the exam list, but in the Netherlands there are no testing centers (yet) where you can take the exam. Jim told me that new testings centers will be added every day, so if you want to attend the exam just check the Prometric website the next couple of days

Another chance in a few weeks If you’re not able to attend the exam in this pilot period (runs till July 9th), there will be another chance in a few weeks when Microsoft will run the final test phase. Prometric is adding 1000 test centers worldwide that will support this testing format moving into the next phase.

A few weeks ago I posted about the Microsoft Certified Master program which will start early next year. Today Trika (or should I say Per?) came with some more info about the program. The most interesting of that pots is the announcement of a Live Meeting about the Microsoft Certified Master program. So if you want to know more about it, you can join the meeting and ask your questions there :

• July 30, 2008, at 7:30 A.M. Pacific Time (What time is this in my region?)
• July 30, 2008, at 5:00 P.M. Pacific Time (What time is this in my region?)

Offcourse I can give you some more (short) info, but you better can read the whole story at Trika’s blog, because there’s a lot of it :

The programs are appropriate for those individuals who are highly experienced and highly specialized on one particular product and spend the majority of their time designing, building and troubleshooting solutions built on that product.

• The programs provide the deepest technical training available via top subject matter experts, and will validate individuals via rigorous ‘written’ and lab based exams.
• The programs consist of 3 weeks of mandatory training, 3 computer based tests, and one lab based exam.

By the way, we are coming to market with the following ‘flavors’, i.e. tracks:

• Microsoft Certified Master: Exchange Server 2007
• Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008
• Microsoft Certified Master: Windows Server 2008 – Directory

And will shortly thereafter add:

• Microsoft Certified Master: Office Communications Server 2007
• Microsoft Certified Master: SharePoint Server 2007

Next week Microsoft wil organize another nice Live Meeting session! This time it’s about Exam Forensics and what Microsoft is doing to catch the cheaters.

“Certification fraud is big business and a serious threat to the value of Microsoft certification exams. Cheaters, braindumps, and sometimes even the actions of your well-intentioned peers can damage the reputation of your hard-earned Microsoft credential. Come to this session to learn what Microsoft is doing to protect your certifications from braindump providers, proxy test-takers, and score-report fakers. You’ll hear how technical innovations in the exams themselves, our piracy teams, and YOU are helping to reduce cheating in the world of Microsoft certification.”

Trika announced on her blog that there will be two sessions (so everybody can join one of them) :

• June 25, 2008 at 7:30 A.M. Pacific Time  (What time is this in my region?)
• June 25, 2008 at 5:00 P.M. Pacific Time (What time is this in my region?)