MCSA sql server 2012 certification while working on 2008.

  • Hi,

    I am working for a reputed IT firm in india and implementing Data warehousing and data migration for past 1.5 year but mostly based on SQL SERVER 2008.Now i want to become MCSA to increase my job profile as well as attract better offers also.

    Primarily what idea I got from people is if I need to go for certifications MCSA/MCSE then 2012 would be better choice because 2008 is becoming out of date...is it really true??

    and how difficult / how easy will it be for a IT guy with 1-2 yr working knowledge in 2008 to go for a certification on 2012.??

    also understandably if I go for a 2008 certification will it be possible in future to upgrade it to 2012??

    and what are some decent books incase i go for any of the 2012 or 2008?

  • It's always better to certify on the latest rather than the one that is about to become obsolete, unless you plan on only working for people who use SQL 2008.

    The way I certified (way back when) was to build a small office / home office server at my house and install the developer version of SQL on it that I was trying to certify in. I grabbed a dozen different certification and just plain training books, ran through the exercises, then did everything I could to break the system. Each time I did, I had to learn to reinstall / fix it. That taught me more about SQL Server than anything else.

    It also allowed me to work on a version of SQL that I didn't have available at work.

    I can't recommend any 2012 materials yet because I have yet to touch that version. That's what I'm working up to now, though.

    Brandie Tarvin, MCITP Database AdministratorLiveJournal Blog: http://brandietarvin.livejournal.com/[/url]On LinkedIn!, Google+, and Twitter.Freelance Writer: ShadowrunLatchkeys: Nevermore, Latchkeys: The Bootleg War, and Latchkeys: Roscoes in the Night are now available on Nook and Kindle.

  • I'd say certify on 2012. Much is the same, a few additions, but the cert will be something you can use longer.

  • I thought the 2008 cert was expired anyway? Am I wrong on that? I'm currently studying for the 2012 myself even though I only work on 2008 R2. Most of its the same stuff. Get the Itzik Ben Gan books. I have gotten many a SQL eureka moment reading them.

    ***SQL born on date Spring 2013:-)

  • thomashohner (9/10/2014)


    I thought the 2008 cert was expired anyway?

    After I posted here, I read an article on MSSQL Tips that said no more 2008 certs would be handed out after July 2013. So far as I know, the certs don't expire (they're good for as long as people use 2008), but there won't be any new ones.

    Brandie Tarvin, MCITP Database AdministratorLiveJournal Blog: http://brandietarvin.livejournal.com/[/url]On LinkedIn!, Google+, and Twitter.Freelance Writer: ShadowrunLatchkeys: Nevermore, Latchkeys: The Bootleg War, and Latchkeys: Roscoes in the Night are now available on Nook and Kindle.

  • That's what I meant. Bad choice of words on my part again. It is no longer offered is what I meant to say.

    ***SQL born on date Spring 2013:-)

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply