SQL 2008 upgrade training?

[SammmyJ74]

Hi,

I'm a recent IT graduate, I want to upgrade my skills from what I learnt at college to the SQL Server 2008 platform.

I want to also get certified with Microsoft, it seems a lot of companies are asking for this now.

If you have gone through the certification proces, I would appreciate some tips.. about where, how and what to study. Thanks Sam

[samaru]

I think certifications are helpful, but only as a supplement to experience. How many years of SQL Server do you have? A good SQL Server administrator needs a lot of hands-on experience. That being said, the exams are tricky. Many claim that it's not even fair, but they make them hard on purpose.

You'll go through multiple choice and simulations where you have to actually click on various parts of SSMS after being given a task.

The MS Books (http://www.amazon.com/MS-SQL-Server-Books/b?ie=UTF8&node=3488) work well. Nothing beats actually experience though.

Also, I suggest you get the SQL Server exam simulation from Transceder. I high recommend it.
http://www.transcender.com/certprep/microsoft/sql-server-2008.kap

If you're wondering for alternatives to certification, I suggest you check out http://canoo.com/blog/2010/06/09/it-certification-alternatives-cost-benefit-analysis/

[SammmyJ74]

thanks for the advice, I have got about 6 months sql 2005 experience as well as college.. i know not much.

Ok, i'll check out the links you included. i really want to get certified and get into 08!

[indogeg]

Yeah experience is best, but if you don't have that yeah get some certs it makes your resume look better and gives you a bit more confidence in interviews.

I did the 70-432 cert in SQL 2008 admin.. it will cover you for a lot of different job titles. I did the training with sqlsteps, www.sqlsteps.com

I can recommend them. Also i've used transcender in the past, they are also good for the test preps only.