Certification Prep – The 20 Minute Workout

‎1 of 2 new releases today! Check out our new Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V Essentials Training with virtualization expert David Davis. Follow along as David walks you through installing, configuring, and using the most powerful new features such as live storage migration, Replica, and failover clustering. With the release of Server 2012, the time is right to learn Hyper-V! Save $100 with coupon HYPERV382 at checkout, limited time only! I have been using TrainSignal training for decades (yep - in the early 2000's and today so I get to say "decades"); I cannot emphasize enough the quality of the products. I have personally used their training for both certification purposes as well as skills enhancement and it has been above par in every case - from the early days of Windows 2000 and 2003 Active Directory all the way through the VMware vSphere 5 Training and CompTIA Cloud Essentials Training that I am reviewing today. If you have only the time and / or the budget for onl...

The TechMentor Conference is back for 2012 ( August 20-24) and for the first time, it will be held at Microsoft Headquarters in Redmond Washington. TechMentor provides in-depth training for IT pros; learn tips, tricks and solutions to everyday problems -- straight from top IT experts like Don Jones, Mark Minasi, Bruce Rougeau and Greg Shields. Here's a small sample of the topics that will be covered at TechMentor this year: Virtualization Application Delivery MCITP Certification PowerShell  So, if you want to brush up your skills and boost your knowledge with immediately applicable IT training, TechMentor is a great venue for it. Register today: http://bit.ly/TMRD2012

I plan to get a couple of posts up here regarding my current efforts to complete all of my Hyper-V certifications (I recently passed 70-669 and I’ll blog about that at some point) but I am hoping to get to VMWare shortly after as that is what is in use at my current employer, Bloomberg LP. I wanted to finish up Hyper-V as I have more experience with it before I moved over to make an attempt at the VCP certification (if you are a VCP4 you only have until February 29, 2012 to upgrade to VCP5 without having to take a VMware Education course all over again; if you pass that date you’re effectively starting from scratch. I’ll get to all of that in a moment.) I’ve always had great success LEARNING ABOUT THE PRODUCT by getting hands on exposure and filling in the gaps with good training and Train Signal is always my first stop. If they don’t have what I am looking for I may go elsewhere if I feel I am going to need it but I always lean on them first and I have done so since my first purc...

This year I have two main goals for myself and one stretch goal. I decided for 2011 that I was going to obtain my Microsoft Virtualization Certification and my Cisco CCNA. My stretch goal for 2011 was to also work towards a certification on WMWare. I am a little farther behind the curve than I wanted to be for the year (I was hoping to have a couple of the Microsoft Virtualization Certification exams out of the way already) but I have been busy with several projects at work and saving the 4th of July celebration in my hometown for the second year in a row. With that work completed, both the project at work and the one in Wallingford, I am going to get back on track over the summer. (Admittedly, I may have to drop my certification on WMWare stretch goal for 2011 and defer it to 2012 but we’ll see how it goes). In the meantime I am going to be looking at the Microsoft Server Virtualization certification track as well as the Desktop Virtualization certification track.  Thes...