Exchange Server 2016 Certification

Back in March last year I passed the final Exchange 2013 exam to earn my MCSE: Messaging 2013 certification, I spent a lot of time reading websites, blogs, and watching videos all covered in the previous post. So little did I think in under a year I would be doing another Exchange exam! but I did…

I saw on the Born To Learn website in January that Microsoft Learning were offering free Beta Exam 345: Designing and Deploying Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 exams (Offer now expired), So I thought what's is the harm in doing a free exam, at the very least I’d get exam simulation experience and get an idea what Microsoft was going to be looking for. I booked for the last possible day in February the offer would allow me to book, because even thou I’ve played with the install and read the Exchange Team Blog post I’d not looked into Exchange 2016 to the same level as 2013…

Little did I appreciate that the material I used for 2013 was not there for 2016… So most of my learning material came from TechNet: Exchange 2016 Site, whilst there was other Exchange resource blogs that had started to post about 2016, it wasn’t the same level of material I used for 2013.

This was the first Microsoft Beta exam I’ve taken, so this was a new experience for me. All Microsoft exams are about taking your time, understand the questions and give the answer Microsoft are looking for, but this I can say this the first time I’ve used the full time allocated to an exam… all 180 minutes of the time. As everyone that has taken a Microsoft exam will know there is that feeling at the end of the exam where you “End the exam?” where you wait for the “Pass or Fail” message on screen… but this time as the exam was a beta I confirmed to end the exam I just got a message of “…Thanks for taking the exam…” or something like that, can’t fully remember the exact text on screen, whilst I knew I wasn’t going to get the result straight away I still got that strange feeling at the end of the exam. I just had the long 8 week wait for the results…

So in April by chance I longed into Microsoft Learning site and saw a banner at the top of the page…

Which obviously was really happy and surprised about as I’d not had any notification from Microsoft or Pearson VUE about the results. For an MCSE: Messaging you now only need the single 70-345 exam on top of you MCSA qualification.

Learning material is slowly being published now:

Pluralsight Course – Migrating to Exchange Server 2016
Exam Ref. 70-345 Designing and Deploying Microsoft Exchange Server 2016

Microsoft later emailed me to confirm the qualification and that I was a Charter Member for Exchange Server 2016

Road to MCSE Messaging complete…

Back in August 2013 I set myself a goal to complete my MCSE Messaging exams, this meant I needed to pass three exams… but in reality it was really six in my opinion.

My exam path was 70-417 (Upgrading Your Skills to MCSA Windows Server 2012), I was able to sit the upgrade as I already had MCITP: Messaging 2010, this is also the reason I believe it was six exams, because 70-417 is three exams in one covering content from 70-410, 70-411 and 70-412. I passed this in April 2014. Passing this exam gave me a MCSA: Server 2012

Next up was 70-341 (Core Solutions of Microsoft Exchange Server 2013), annoyingly it took two attempts, I think I took the first attempt to early and it knocked me for six, and wasn’t looking forward to retaking. However I took again and passed in December 2014.

Last up 70-342 (Advanced Solutions of Microsoft Exchange Server 2013), which I passed yesterday!!! and now have my MCSE: Messaging.

Back in August I said to myself I want to complete this in a year… well six months late, but I still got there, in that time I did have a skiing accident which didn’t help, so was more focused on me than my study, so I going to say I still meet my target ;-)

Here is some of the tools I used during my study

Books:
Server 2012

Installing and Configuring Windows Server 2012 – Link (Now updated for R2)
Inside Out Windows Server 2012 – Link (Now updated for R2)
Exam Ref 70-417 Upgrading from Windows Server 2008 to Windows Server 2012 R2 (MCSA) - Link

Exchange 2013
Inside Out Microsoft Exchange Server 2013: Mailbox and High Availability – Link
Inside Out Microsoft Exchange Server 2013: Connectivity, Clients, and UM – Link
Exam Ref 70-342 Advanced Solutions of Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 (MCSE) – Link
Mastering Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 - Link
Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 High Availability - Link

Videos:
Microsoft Virtual Academy – Link
Channel 9 - Link

Finally a big thanks to friends and colleagues (You know who you are…) that have put up with all my stupid questions during various stages of my study and exams.

I know I’ve just finished but next goal is MCSA: Office 365… where to start…

Exam 70-341 - Core Solutions of Microsoft Exchange Server 2013

I passed exam 70-341 today, second time of trying so glad to get this out of the way.

Next up is 70-342 Advanced Solutions of Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 for my MCSE Messaging...

Road to MCSE Messaging…

To gain a MCSE Messaging, I will first need a MCSA. Which at first glance meant three server exams (410,411 and 412) not having done any server exams was not looking forward to doing these.

Then I noticed on the Microsoft webpage that I’m able to upgrade my MCTIP: Enterprise Messaging Administrator 2010 to MCSA: Windows Server 2012 with a single upgrade exam 70-417.

The content of 70-417 covers the other three exams (410,411 and 412) but doing a single exam rather than three is better, having worked with Windows Server and AD since 2003, just not done the exams.

So first step to MCSE Messaging will be Exam 70-417, just need to find time get my head into a book for some study…