Helmers Blog

You maybe have read about it, but yesterday (April 27) was the day you could register for the Windows 7, Configuring Beta exam (71-680). Somebody compared the exam with the concert of a famous pop star : All seats booked in an hour!

Because the exam was so popular and almost everybody from Europe and America were unable to register, Microsoft chose to open up the registration again and (I quote JSeymour on the Beta Exams blog) ‘I then *quadrupled* the number of beta slots we normally have and you still burned through those in several hours.’

Still a lot of peers were unable to register for the beta exam, but Microsoft is now expecting more data then they can crunch before the release. So all you guys/girls that are attending the exam, of course you’re all giving a lot of comments on the exam, but do me a favor. Please (just to do Krista W. a favor ) place a ‘Helmer says hi to Krista W.’ text in one of your comments….thanks in advance!! Of course I do expect that all the other comments are of the serious kind!

(Let’s see how many of my readers are attending the exam )

If you were able to register for the 71-680 exam, just like me, you probably want to prepare yourself for this newest client exam. Because this is the exam in the line of the Windows XP and Windows Vista exams it will probably will not be that difficult.

Previous Client Exams You probably already passed the 70-270 (Windows XP) or 70-620 (Windwos Vista). So the 70-680 is just the same, with that difference that it’s about Windows 7 Just to refresh your memory : What did you need to know to pass the XP and Vista Client exams?

• 70-270 : Installing, Configuring and Administering Windows XP Professional
• 70-620 : Configuring Microsoft Windows Vista Client

Windows 7 Client Exam So, enough about the old exams! What do you need to know to pass the Windows 7 exam (I’m not responsible if you fail the exam because you only studied the info below!).

1. Start with the exam information: 70-680 – TS : Windows 7, Configuring
2. Install the bits and use it on a daily base, so you get familiar with it quickly!
3. Visit the Windows 7 Beta Forums @ Microsoft and collect knowledge
4. Visit and collect info from Windows 7 TechNet pages
5. Check out the first-look courses and hands-on labs

1. Course 6289A: First Look: Windows 7 Beta for IT Professionals
2. Course 6290A: First Look: Windows 7 Beta for IT Professionals Hands-on-Lab

1. What’s New in Windows 7
2. Migrating from Windows Vista to Windows 7
3. Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 Better Together

Let’s hope you all pass the Windows 7 exam!

What can I do with the exam? When you pass Exam 70-680: TS: Windows 7, Configuring, you complete the requirements for the following certification(s):

• MCTS: Windows 7, Configuration

Exam 70-680: TS: Windows 7, Configuring counts as credit toward the following certification(s):

• MCITP: Enterprise Administrator
• MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Administrator 7
• MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician 7

I’ll be preparing for the exam the next view weeks If you attended the exam, please let me know what you think of it…

Tjeerd Veninga (Microsoft) blogged about it on the Born to Learn blog. The Windows 7 Learning Portal is live…so let’s get prepared for the upcoming Windows 7 Exams!

Built on the foundation of Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista, Windows 7 is the desktop operating system you need as an IT professional to enhance your organization’s desktop environment. Windows 7 provides greater security and manageability for remote and local PCs, and improves the fundamentals of performance and reliability.

Become the Windows 7 expert in your company. Discover the wide variety of Microsoft training, books, and certifications that are available to help you gain the skills and knowledge you need to succeed

Did I already tell you that from tomorrow (April 27th) you can register for the 71-680 – TS Windows 7, Configuring?

Don’t know anything about Windows 7 yet, but you’re eager to learn? You really have to check out the first Windows 7 Learning Snack : Introducing Windows 7. This is a 24 minutes learning video in Silverlight in which you (like the name says) get an introduction to Windows 7!

Check it out via this link.

Source : The MSL Community and Evangelism Team blog

The Microsoft Learning and Evangelism team has put an announcement on the Born to Learn blog in which they are looking for IT Pro’s who want to help with the development of the MCITP Windows 7 Desktop Administrator exam. A small quote from the blog :

Many of you will notice that Desktop Administrator is an entirely new role. We’re excited to add this role to our exam portfolio and believe that it reflects what’s going on in the real world. For those of you who are not already familiar with the term, Desktop Administrators (DAs) are IT Professionals who are responsible for provisioning desktop PCs and deploying service packs and updates to these PCs. They are also responsible for setting the strategic direction for the desktop operating system and applications. DAs work with other lines of businesses in their company and are responsible for addressing high-end desktop infrastructure needs. DAs are Tier 3 level support and mostly handle escalations related to system and large site issues.

Techiebird’s comment about the need for an advanced desktop cert is what motivated me to write this post. [Surprise, we're listening!] My question is, are you listening? We’re looking for a few people who are experienced Desktop Administrators to help us with developing the DA exam. If you (1) are already doing the job described in the previous paragraph, and (2) have experience with Windows 7, and (3) would like to volunteer for a 20-minute exercise that will help shape the DA exam.

If you would like to be part of the development, must visit their blog and send Krista an e-mail!