Best microsoft certification guides according to redditors
We found 245 Reddit comments discussing the best microsoft certification guides. We ranked the 69 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 245 Reddit comments discussing the best microsoft certification guides. We ranked the 69 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
I would first establish a list of expected responsibilities as an Accidental DBA with your supervisor. Do they have a CSO or other security-minded employees who have login policies in place already, or does that fall to you? Does your company design and deploy its own databases often? If so, who will be in charge of that design? Will it be you, a database developer, or someone else?
When you establish a list of responsibilities an expectations, you can then make a plan of action to learn about each of these topics. It takes an ocean of knowledge and responsibility and helps you narrow it down and focus on the fundamentals of what you will be doing day to day.
That being said, here are some resources you might consider using:
In addition to all of these recommendations, give priority to your Disaster Recovery and High Availability plan. It's not a matter of "if", it's a matter of "when". A well-designed Disaster Recovery plan will let you sleep at night, and performing "fire drills" using these plans will make it second nature when you end up having problems later.
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Database Administration is a brother/sisterhood. If you have any questions, engage the community or feel free to send me a PM.
I'd stick with Server 2012 given the amount of materials out there and the fact that companies take awhile to jump to the next server OS. Get your MCSA 2012, then when good materials hit down the road just take the upgrade exams to be MCSA/MCSE 2016.
As for training, I'd check out video training at: CBTnuggets and PluralSight.
For books I'd go with: Mastering Server 2012 R2: https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Windows-Server-2012-R2/dp/1118289420/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479126961&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=masterinng+server+2012
and MCSA complete study guide: https://www.amazon.com/Windows-Server-Complete-Study-Guide/dp/111885991X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479126991&sr=8-1&keywords=MCSA+2012
here is my 2c
it is crucial that you understand subnet masking as it's like 70% of ipv4 networking and unfortunately the first thing you need to wrap your brain around as you will be working with VLSM in most networking labs/scenarios. download this pdf and just start plugging along..
Sormcontrol.net is a nice online tool to help with learning subnets.
once you finish that workbook and feel comfortable with variable length subnets, start working on these problems in your spare time and at your own pace. your goal should be to solve any single subnetting problem within 30 seconds.
now that you understand a bit of subnetting, you need to begin learning the OSI-model, focus mainly on the layers 1 (sending bits across a medium), 2 (mac address switching) ,3 (ip routing), and 4 (tcp, udp, and icmp ports). here are two of my favorite beginners books to networking.
Microsoft Windows Networking Essentials, &
Cisco Introduction to Networks V6
Once you've read those books you should be ready to learn routing and switching. Focus your attention here to static routing, dhcp, nat, basic ACLs, and to understanding switchports and vlan related things like trunking and routing on a stick.
Next book you want to read is going to be on dynamic routing and scaling networks for large environments.This is where you delve into dynamic routing protocols (RIP, EIGRP, OSPF) and redundancy/failover protocols such as spanning-tree, etherchannel, and HSRP.
This is a nice book to read along the way and to sort of tie all of the knowledge you've learned so far together into short succinct chapters.
Download GNS3 or Packet Tracer if you want to simulate networks and labs at your desktop. You can learn a lot about the concepts and protocols presented in the books by searching on youtube things like "GNS3 dhcp" or "Packet Tracer dhcp".
I don't know about CBT nuggets, but just focus on what I've linked you and if you are going to follow anything online, the topic of routing and switching is the way to go as it is fundamental. Study like you are trying to pass the CCENT exam and then study for the CCNA exam.
> I have my A+ cert
>
>they recommended a segmented network. and I had to google what that even was.
>
>I am the "IT Guy" The previous "IT Guy" got me this job
You need to start reading cbks right now in all your free time. Even if you don't take the cert exams for the cbks below, it is knowledge you need to know asap.
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I suggest these (in order):
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https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-Certification-Seventh-N10-007/dp/1260122387/ref=sr_1_3
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Server-Certification-Guide-SK0-004/dp/125983803X/ref=sr_1_1
https://www.amazon.com/Windows-Server-Complete-Study-Guide/dp/111885991X/ref=sr_1_4
https://www.amazon.com/Windows-PowerShell-Cookbook-Scripting-Microsofts/dp/1449320686/ref=pd_sbs_14_5/143-0552349-3403540
https://www.amazon.com/Windows-Server-Complete-Study-Guide/dp/1119359147/ref=sr_1_3
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Security-Guide-Fifth-SY0-501/dp/1260019322/ref=sr_1_4
I worked in hospitality for almost 7 years, I've always been "good" with computers as far as trouble shooting goes (making sure connections are seated, power cycling, diagnosing small networking or connection problems) but I had lost my job and my husband suggested I get into the technology field. I did have a general interest in technology and gadgets, stuff like that, so I looked into CompTIA. I had NO formal experience with working with computers but I dedicated myself to "mastering" a chapter a day, and if I didn't I'd continue with it the next day. My studying looked a bit like this:
Materials Used:
CompTIA A+ Exam Cram
Throughout the chapter there are practice quizzes, I would read until I came to the quiz and take it, if I passed (answered 80% of the quiz questions right) I'd keep reading, if not I'd re-read the previous info and taking note of the things that I missed.
The book also comes with a practice exam (and an exam coupon!) and let's say my chapter had two quizzes and a total of 20 questions, you can set the parameters of the practice exam to ask a certain number of questions, so I'd put 20 and take the exam without referencing the book. If I passed I'd move onto the next chapter. I'd keep adding the number of exam questions as I took the quizzes in the study book.
Professor Messer exam videos
These are extremely through and up to date, I would hug this man if I could. Along with reading a chapter a day I'd watch at least 10 of his videos a day. For the most part this method followed along at the same pace as the info I was reading in the books.
Get an older computer from somewhere, this was a great resource that I used to take apart and actually examine the actual parts of the computer being reference in my studies. I would take apart all the components, label them, and put them back together. (Then strip the labels off and do this again.)
Also trying to help out where you can, if feasible, at your current job or talking to other professionals that you work with. You can do this.
With the way I studied I was confident enough after three and a half months to take the exam. Took and passed both on the same day and got an entry level job three months after that. Don't be afraid to start from the bottom, I've been in my position for almost a year and (clearly) I learn something new everyday.
-On mobile so there may be errors
A+ Resources Computing...
Mike Meyers: All In One
Exam Cram
A+ Complete Study Guide
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A great book that covers all the basics (as well as some of the more esoteric things) is CompTIA A+ Training Kit by Darril Gibson
Exam 70-761 Querying Data with Transact-SQL by Itzik Ben-Gan
https://www.amazon.com/Exam-70-761-Querying-Data-Transact-SQL-dp-1509304339/dp/1509304339/ref=mt_paperback?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=
I passed last week, here's what I used:
I think the next test (with updated objectives) will be coming out summer/fall 2015. There should also be 6 months overlap between the old and new, so that gives you more than enough time to get this done. That's just about all I'd recommend other than the CompTIA A+ exam objectives.
I got my certs mostly studying on my own - Build a couple of servers (ESXi made my life quite a bit easier)
https://www.amazon.com/Windows-Server-Complete-Study-Guide/dp/1118544072
CBT nuggets were pretty helpful too
What you heard about books has no relevance to if the test is worth taking.
If getting the cert is important to you, then yes it's important to take the test. Only you can answer that question depending on your skills, current job, and career goals.
If you're not confident that printed book material is current with the ever changing Office 365 landscape (as I was, especially when I saw the low ratings for the official study guide on Amazon), then I recommend online study guides which are easier to keep current.
Get this book and study it, and actually do all of the exercises and questions until you're comfortable.
First, RDBMS software has a lot of hugely portable skills and concepts, so regardless of if you choose MySQL or Oracle or M$SQL, you'll be learning approximately 90% of the same skills.
So in regards to actually learning SQL, you would just follow the certification path for one of those 3 and you should be good to go.
http://www.amazon.com/Training-Kit-Exam-70-461-Microsoft/dp/0735666059 would be a good place to start for M$SQL, and there are similar books for getting started on the certifcation paths for other RDBMS products.
The certification paths should diverge into actual database administration and data mining/modelling/business intelligence. The data mining/modelling/business intelligence skills are a tiny bit more portable than the database administration stuff.
http://www.4guysfromrolla.com/webtech/sqlguru/
http://www.sybaseteam.com/rdbms-interview-questions-and-answers-t-43.html
Those are good representations of the sort of problems that SQL admins deal with and the questions you'll get asked during an interview.
The reason techies frown when somebody mentions w3schools is because it provides only the basic syntax without any soft of context. It would be like learning the Spanish language but only focusing on 40-50 vocabulary words without regard for advanced composition.
Really great book so far all of which is mostly practical. In the first chapter it explains, AD hierarchy forests, domains, ou and the works. I did the first 3 lessons, granted I knew all of that stuff already.
I'm working on learning powershell and told myself I'd come back to this when I was done with learning PS, because the authors provide practical labs that have PS as a method so I did not want to miss out on those parts of the chapters.
http://www.amazon.com/Learn-Active-Directory-Management-Lunches/dp/1617291196
Resources:
Kathy Sierra's study guide
Enthuware mock tests
That is a pretty good combo. Read the book, do the mock tests. If you get 70% on the final mock test, you are good to go.
In 2014 I transitioned into my first IT job and knew nothing about active directory. And i was solely responsible for administering it as a one-person IT department for an organization of about 70 users. I dont think I really even knew what it was, although i had heard of it before.
Here is the book that got me up to speed enough to at least administer accounts:
Learn Active Directory Management in a Month of Lunches https://www.amazon.com/dp/1617291196/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_gXmYBbVPPJKBZ
The MCSA Server 2016 actually goes over this as an exam objective. Heres what Ive been using for study. https://www.amazon.com/MCSA-Windows-Server-Study-Guide/dp/1119359341
Not an expert but I have read a lot of posts saying that 2016 is still young. Take the 2012 first. I am currently reading from this book and I find it great :
https://www.amazon.com/dp/111885991X/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk
You might want to pair it with : Learning Powershell in a month of lunches. It's a bestseller on Amazon and highly recommended.
Edit : what did you use for CCNA ? I have started it in the past but I find the prices exorbitant for seminars !
Since you are looking into entry level tech support your best bet is to look into the CompTIA certifications. Start with A+ certification ( https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-220-901-220-902-Exam-Cram/dp/0789756315/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1501947087&sr=8-2&keywords=a%2B+exam+cram ) . Even though you might be able to fix 99% of problems on your own with Google's assistance it might be hard to sell that to employers at interviews, especially if you don't have anything 'concrete' to back it up with (previous work experience, certifications, schooling for IT), which is why I recommend looking into that route. Also keep in mind Linux is a very very small % of the market share out there and is more of a niche market. Sure, you can get Linux certifications but I don't think it will help you at this current stage in your career getting into IT, so focus on the stuff that actually applies to entry level tech support (A+ certification). Feel free to private message with any more questions. Good luck!
Yeah, job-title wise, things were similar. My background is a bit more technical, I did get a degree related to databases, and by the time I was interviewing other places I had passed both the 70-461 and 70-462 MS certificate tests. Certificates are definitely useful, mostly because you will be more confident in answering interview questions.
If you do want to do a cert, I would highly recommend the 70-461 test. The book is really good for that one, and it will set you apart from lots of others in your experience range. You could start by asking your boss if he would pay for the book (https://www.amazon.com/Training-70-461-Querying-Microsoft-Server/dp/0735666059). It will take some time to study it to be ready for the test. I think you should be able to get a new job without having passed the test. From my experience, not too many employers know about/are impressed by me having the 70-461 completed. But they are impressed by the amount of knowledge I have about databases, most of which came from that book.
Start studying, but really, networking is going to be very very valuable. You made it to the final round of interviews, imagine if a buddy was telling them that they HAVE to hire you? You would probably be a shoe-in. How does your network look on LinkedIn right now?
I subscribed to CBTnugget couple weeks prior to my test to recap with the videos, and it gives you access to Transcender test which in and of itself is worth it. It's a great practice test. I like how it explains why the wrong answers are wrong. It comes with digital flash cards too.
I got around 50 questions. Besides powershell, make sure you know Hypver-V really well and study up on IPv6 too.
I used Don Poulton's 70-410 book mainly and William Panek's MCSA Complete Study Guide as supplement.
Good luck!
I used Exam Cram by Prowse as my main book. It has test questions at the end of each chapter, and a very useful electronic version of the tests in DVD. You have to register the book online to be able to use it.
My only issue with the book is that the 901 and 902 topics are not separated. However, the objectives are clearly mentioned at the beginning of each chapter, so it wasn't really a big concern.
Good luck!
You can download all the training kits books and only give all the tests.
70-461
70-462
70-463
https://www.amazon.com/MCSA-Windows-Server-Study-Guide/dp/1119359341/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506393171&sr=8-1&keywords=70-740
Go through that and take his practice tests. It is enough to pass.
4 dia do OCA/OCP Java SE 7 Programmer I & II Study Guide (Exams 1Z0-803 & 1Z0-804)
You can get your certification in about 30 days depending on what knowledge your already have now if you really buckle down and take this serious.
More info here
Do a chapter a day and you'll finish the Mike meyers book in 30 days or less if you read more.
You are getting some good advice from others but I'll give a slightly different take. One of the MS SQL exams is on querying SQL. Now take the exam or not - your call - but the book is a great way to introduce yourself to some advanced concepts like windowing functions.
Now other exam books (looking at you administering sql) are steaming piles of crap but the linked one is readable and you actually use what you've learned. The other issue is the old 'you don't know what you don't know.' The book will give you ideas and terms you can use to get better google results.
This is what I'm working with now and I just passed the 801.
Professor Messer Videos, free on Youtube
Professor Messer Study Guides, $10 each
Study Book, This book doesn't feel like a text book like some of the other study guides do.
User OwlShitty in another thread recommended this as a study guide.
>Complete Java knowledge right there including topics that deal with Threads, Generics, etc. All the essentials a Java programmer should know.
Study more about Java. If you can afford this book, then it'd be amazing. Complete Java knowledge right there including topics that deal with Threads, Generics, etc. All the essentials a Java programmer should know.
This is because in Android, you'll be dealing with a lot of Inner/Anonymous classes, Inheritance/Abstract classes, and Generics.
By the way, I passed both of the exams on my first try. I'm not saying this to boast but to point out that I derived some benefit from all of the study materials I used (including the stuff from uCertify) and that using all of them helped me pass. Dollar-for-dollar, the best source to prepare for the exams (AFTER you've done all of the reading from whatever sources you end up using) is a book by David Prowse that contains 640 practice test questions with detailed answers. Link: https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-220-901-220-902-Practice-Questions/dp/0789756307/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1468412764&sr=1-2&keywords=david+prowse+901
Let's go at this in an order that I feel is appropriate:
Frames Per Second (FPS) are how many frames of an image that is being loaded, rendered, and output to the screen at a given time, specifically seconds. A number, which for most computers and applications is around 1-100+, represent the amount of frames that were loaded in the current second. More things to render means that it will take more power from the graphics processor (GPU) to load the image in front of you. More particles, more 3D objects, and even more moving "entities" and "objects" can create difficulty on the GPU. Adversely, if the GPU is too powerful, and your graphics are too low, it will overcompensate and take longer to create frames, resulting in a choppier/"laggy" screen.
FPS is basically summarized as, "how smooth the video is run." 60fps is always optimal.
In short, Comparing CPUs/GPUs is simply comparing numbers. They both have a "clock speed" measured in Hertz (typically Gigahertz). A CPU is best represented through Clock Speed, Cores, Hyperthreading (Threads), and performance, the last is best measured through real performance tests viewable on most websites. cpuboss.com is one such way to determine the stats and comparison between two CPU chips, and rough estimates for benchmarks.
Graphics Cards (GPUs) are a little crazier. They're measured best by their clock speed, Floating Point Operations Per Second (GFLOPS), Rendering Processors, and RAM. Yes, GPUs have their own RAM. They eat it like spaghetti. Gpucheck has a fairly comprehensive comparison list based on average framerates (FPS) for each card. Obviously, more is better.
It's also good to note that there are Server cards, or Workstation cards, that are usually modified versions of existing consumer graphics cards for certain kinds of performance. In most instances they're much more expensive because of their optimization, but not much else.
Overclocking is the art of pushing the technology to their limit. I don't know too much about it personally due to some of my own concerns.
Linus Tech Tips also has many videos on Comparisons and Build guides, and overclock guides. I'd recommend him first and foremost due to the in-depth level he and his crew ensure for content. Just search on their page "Overclock" and there's a few full-fledged guides.
Everything else is best learned by actually looking it up and having real-world examples. The best place to find just about all of that information is the CompTIA A+ books. The one authored by Mike Meyers is a popular choice. You don't have to take the test accompanied with it, but the book is full of everything you might have questions about, and considered must-know for most techs. I have the Exam Cram variant, and it has everything in the aforementioned copy in a more textbook-like style.
Hope this helped!
Itzik wrote the book
It's good.
You can check following blog post which has various topics on SQL Server 2012 categorized at one place: http://sqlwithmanoj.wordpress.com/denali-2012/
Also you can check "Training Kit (Exam 70-461): Querying Microsoft SQL Server 2012" book: http://www.amazon.com/Training-Kit-Exam-70-461-Microsoft/dp/0735666059?tag=651998669-20
I found that the examples given in the data mining chapter of the Training Kit book for SQL Server 2008 BI (70-448) was pretty good.
Data mining in SQL server as I see it is about building models that taken some values can either predict an unknown value or find patterns within itself.
The way you make your model is you start by asking yourself what you want to either predict or what type of data you think might hold more information than you see by just looking at it.
The two different types are called directed data mining and undirected data mining.
The directed approach is usually what people will ask you to help them with because they already have an idea of what they want to solve.
OK so where to start, let's say for example you have some data from your factory that grinds coffee beans. Your factory has a system that has information about imports, deliveries, warehousing, production (packeting, weighting, other controls), your employees, your scheduling of deliveries and all that.
Now what you need to solve is a way to early detect problems with keeping your delivery on schedule.
So maybe your model will look like:
Given when our beans show up, how our production capability is at this time of day, and who works here at that time. What are the chances the product will be in the warehouse on time?
Next you have to pick an algorithm and place your information in it, the different algorithms need to be studied individually for one to understand the results.
Then when your model is done you train it using some of the information you already have.
Then you test your model by using it's training to predict the rest of the information you already have. You then look at how well the model predicted those values to see if the model is any good. If it's only slightly better then a blind guess that means that either your algorithm doesn't work for this problem or worse you are trying to solve something that can't be solved, maybe you need to add or remove information used or to use a bigger test sample?
OK so if you are still with me so far, let's assume you like your model and want to use it. You can deploy your model on your SSAS server and use it like a service or a function. I don't really remember what this step looks like but the idea is that you hold all the parameters and want to find out the probability that a delivery gets delayed (and later you want to know what to change in order to improve the odds of making a dead line).
SELECT odds_of_deliverydelay_using_awesome_Model_X(today,bob is working, beans are ok, yadayada)
Also, I googled around a bit and found this which looks promising:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql10r2byfbi-trainingcourse_sql10r2byfbi09_unit.aspx
Let me know how you are doing and if anything of what I just wrote made any sense. :)
I started with videos from MVA and the official Microsoft book:
http://193.140.54.45/network/NetworkingFundamentals.pdf
And while that got me familiar with the terminology and was an okay first dip, as someone brand new to basically all IT, I still felt out of my depth. So I picked up the Sybex book by Gibson:
https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Windows-Networking-Essentials-Darril/dp/1118016858
I read the whole thing through cover to cover, I took notes because physically writing something down helps me learn it. This book helped me a lot, I'm not sure if it was because I had already read the other book, but every chapter felt like an "ah-ha" moment, where I was really learning the material and not just memorizing facts.
I signed up for the measure up practice tests, which were for me, worth the $$.
The exam had one or two questions I don't remember being covered by the material at all, but everything I read about the test said it would, so I wasn't surprised, but it did make me a little anxious that I hadn't studied enough. Most of the questions were covered by the material though so if you've really learned your stuff, you should be able to pass it.
I watched a couple videos from CBT Nuggets with the free trial week, but they seemed about the same as the MVA videos.
I've seen a couple people ask if they could pass the exam after just watching the videos, and if you're already in IT and somewhat familiar, then I'm sure you could. If the subject is fairly new to you though, I'd say no. It may be testing fundamentals, but it's a broad subject and you really need to know how it all works together.
Hope that helps, and good luck!
I would check out PluralSight and maybe Linked Learning which used to be Lynda.com.
The other best way to learn is to setup a Windows server, or a couple of them.
Get the study guides https://www.amazon.com/Windows-Server-Complete-Study-Guide/dp/1119359147/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2/145-7316884-9625834?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1119359147&pd_rd_r=3ebe9773-3160-11e9-acf9-71fc83dc301e&pd_rd_w=XFi6u&pd_rd_wg=XP1ZR&pf_rd_p=6725dbd6-9917-451d-beba-16af7874e407&pf_rd_r=Y28TXVP9K6BTA30AM6PW&psc=1&refRID=Y28TXVP9K6BTA30AM6PW
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And follow their hands-on labs. You will need a computer / computers for the learning portion.
Microsoft Press release books for each exam
See the list of certs https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/sql-certification.aspx
Here's the book for the first exam in the MCSA SQL 2012 http://www.amazon.com/Training-70-461-Querying-Microsoft-Server/dp/0735666059
Seconding the video review: they were a complete waste of time for me. to pass 462 I used the MS Prep book (good for a baseline prep), then Trascender for the real studying. As seriously as I can say in text, open transcender tonight, get cranking on the questions and keep on it everyday for at least an hour or 2 (pick # of questions based on time you have, divide time in half so you have time to review what you got wrong. Practice understanding why each of the incorrect options are wrong.
While I hear and appreciate not wanting to just memorize the questions, your back is against the wall, memorize the questions. The secondary benefit of memorization is the information pieces will eventually fall into place, converting to actual knowledge, not just random memorized facts. If you to take the time to review and understand why each incorrect choice is incorrect, you will be fairly prepared for the exam.
FWIW, I would not have passed without Transcender. It prepped me better than anything else.
Edit - added book link
Hello!
I've been doing a lot of searching for this answer as well and what seems to be the most common answer is the official book.
Training Kit (Exam 70-461) Querying Microsoft SQL Server 2012 (MCSA) (Microsoft Press Training Kit) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0735666059/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_FFPuzb4B1KYF5
It's dry but apparently it works
I personally have been using the book and a course on udemy. The course is specifically for the SQL SERVER certification.
Also another common answer seems to be to use multiple resources. Hope this helps some. Good luck
https://www.amazon.com/Learn-Active-Directory-Management-Lunches/dp/1617291196/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541159458&sr=8-1&keywords=active+directory+in+a+month+of+lunches
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https://www.amazon.com/Learn-Windows-PowerShell-Month-Lunches/dp/1617294160/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541159482&sr=8-1&keywords=powershell+in+a+month+of+lunches
Yeah, ive been wondering as well since im taking the exam soon. Some people recommended this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Exam-70-480-Programming-HTML5-JavaScript/dp/0735676631
I sat through a Global Knowledge week long class. Work was requiring two guys on my team to get our MCSA with MS365 so we can become Microsoft Gold Partners.
While the class was great, and a week long it only covered the fundamental levels of Office 365. More for a My company wants to go to Office 365, what is it all about? scenario.
I watched Youtube Videos which were great, and found some VCE files for 70-346 that were outdated, but honestly were on my test almost verbatim.
Also, Get 70-346 Exam Ref and 70-347 Exam Ref
Covers what is on the test in detail.
We also picked up a CBT Nuggets subscription, but both tests were archived from 2015 and were a bit dated.
Also, get yourself a lab. You can provision a 30 day trial tenant domain for free, which helps with understanding and a hands on.
Be prepaired for lots of powershell. Powershell to confirm a new domain. Powershell for setting Sharepoint permissions on specific team sites. Its pretty crazy, but the books do a great job of breaking it down. YOu can get through a book in a day or two because there are lots of screen shots and a chapter per test topic.
Feel free to PM me with any questions. More than happy to help. I love this shit.
If you have windows 7 or 10 professional and a virtualization compatible cpu Id recomend installing hyper v and installing windows server in a vm. https://www.amazon.com/MCSA-Windows-Server-Study-Guide/dp/1119359341 pick it up boot some vms install an adds controller and start making objects in ad.
Starting out with Java
It was the book I used in the intro Java class I took at the local CC. I absolutely love this book. I am going through it chapter by chapter and learning a ton. After I am 100% done with that book I will jump in to this book: OCA/OCP Java SE 7
After that I will attempt to get certified. I will then work on learning Android with Java and get some things on Google Play and then see if I can get employed with all of the above along with an active Git account that never takes a day off.
Since I don't care about where in the US my family lives really - and I am not wanting a six figure salary out the gate - I am certain I will find SOMETHING with the above. If anyone reads the above and thinks other wise let me know. I have to do this self study since I am 40 with a family and can't afford to drop 30k+ on school. Was just laid off in Oct so I am using my "free" time to bang this out.
I've only passed the 901 and putting the A+ on my resume as "in progress" (listed it literally as "Certifications: CompTIA A+ (in progress)") has already gotten me a possible job opportunity. Guy knew right away what that meant and he just asked when I planned on taking the 902.
So yeah it'll definitely help with getting hired.
As for studying, look over the exam objectives and see how much of it you know. If it's less than half, buy the Mike Meyers book and read it front to back. If it's more than half, buy the Pearson ExamCram book and read that instead. Watch Professor Messer's videos in either case and use CrucialExams, ExamCompass, Professor Messer, and ExamCram practice tests. ExamCram had questions most like the ones on the actual test, ExamCompass is the hardest, and Professor Messer's pop quiz collection is the one that gave me a score closest to what I actually got (846 on the real 901 exam, 847 adjusted from a percentage on Professor Messer's pop quiz collection).
Good luck.
Are you talking about the CD from here?
I read the exam-ref cover to cover.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0735676631/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_rj0KzbN0QJMFC
I also watched this series of videos from Microsoft Virtual Academy.
https://mva.microsoft.com/en-us/training-courses/developing-in-html5-with-javascript-and-css3-jump-start-8223
You can also get free practice exams at exam-labs.com
The practice exams helped me to get used to answering the questions in the style they are asked on the exam. I was nervous too. I'm a backend c# developer and didn't have a lot of experience with JavaScript, HTML5 or CSS3. I ended up passing the exam with room to spare.
You can also google 70-480 study guide and get a lot of blogs on resources to study.
Good luck.
Edit: Typo
This is exactly the comment I was coming in to make. If you browse through r/CompTIA you'll see the same thing said over and over.
I'll also throw in the ExamCram book
I squeaked by on the 412 with a score of 720. I studied for 3 months, at least a couple hours a day though I am sure I skipped a day here and there. Are you labbing? Hands on is critical. Were you weak in the same areas on both tests?
These are the books I used: Training Guide by Orin Thomas and the Exam Ref also by Orin Thomas.
I also followed the Pluralsight video series and basically built out his lab. I spent a lot of time reading technet. For practice exams I used Kaplan and Boson; Boson was expensive and kicked my ass but in a good way and their answer explanations are awesome.
Another method I found helpful is to copy out the exam objectives and then use those as an outline for detailed notes. I used OneNote so I could pull them up whenever I wanted, sitting in a drive thru, getting an oil change etc. For final prep make another copy of the objectives and plug in everything I can think of relating to the topic from memory and then compare to my notes.
For the earlier exams I did the CBTNuggets series with the virtual labs but the 412 series didn't have labs so I skipped it, and I think that hurt me. I still did labs on my own but being able to hop on from anywhere and run through stuff was really helpful. I also skipped the Complete Study guide by William Panek which I had used for 410/411. I think I just had exam fatigue and was tired of studying.
Hope that helps!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0735666059/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1404265021&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40
Check this out for the Querying T SQL 2012 exam.
I highly recommend CBT Nuggets and CompTIA A+ Training Kit from Microsoft. Both are extensive and cover all the necessary fundamentals of computers (compare to Professor Messer's free vids).
I used the practice questions only version, found at my local Barnes & Noble. Here it is on Amazon.com:
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-220-901-220-902-Practice-Questions/dp/0789756307
The format of the book is four practice exams for each test, of increasing difficulty. Start at Test A and take it until you get at least 90%, then move on to B. Similarly for C and D.
It comes with an activation code to set up an account on the Pearson web site. The book says you can download a Windows program for taking practice tests, and this is true. However, Pearson now also has a web-based version of the test engine, which I recommend over the fairly creaky Winows program. (I'm running a Mac, so YMMV.)
The web-based engine is found here:
http://pearsontestprep.com
There's a bonus exam for each test on the web site/Windows program, too, which were more difficult but shorter than the A, B, C, and D tests.
The book/web test engine worked out really well for me. It's not a study guide, but I didn't have the time to read something with more pages, and there is a reasonably full explanation of all of the questions, including what the wrong answers are and why they're wrong. I found this sufficient for my study guide, although it's a bit hard to find the text again afterwards.
I ended up using the Review feature of the web test engine to list all the questions and answers, then copied this to a text file. This worked really well.
Best of luck to you!
If you're a quick study, this one is a great crash course:
https://www.amazon.com/Exam-70-761-Querying-Data-Transact-SQL/dp/1509304339/
I used that to brush up for the exam and pick up on new SQL Server 2016 stuff I hadn't used.
I would recommend either Exam Cram 6th ed. by David L. Prowse or Mike Meyer's A+ passport. There are bigger books (1200+ pages), but I don't think they're necessary if you've already assembled machines and installed various operating systems. You can probably do fine with one of these concise guides. If you really want to browse the various books and determine which you like the best, then you can do that by signing up for a 10-day free trial with SafariBooks. This will give you full access to 10 different books for 10 days...enough time to determine your favorite. Just remember to cancel before the trial ends or they might bill you.
Professor Messer is a good source of videos. CBT Nuggets is also good, but kind of pricey. You might try their 7-day trial and see if you like it. CBT Nuggets is about 35hours of video and Prof. Messer is 20.
I started with a pretty extensive background in hardware/software troubleshooting but studying really helped everything come together. I learned the most from the Printers chapter/videos. I had never taken a Comptia exam before and was a little unsure of how detailed the questions would be, so this made me study a little harder. I studied for each exam separately. About 2 weeks preparing for the 801 and 10 days or so for the 802. The 802 was a little more challenging.
Good luck!
These are the books that I used the first time:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119384966/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/MCSA-70-697-70-698-Cert-Guide/dp/0789758806/ref=pd_sim_14_7?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=C9273WSW0XP4AX8XNQNW
The videos were not enough for me, but I had no experience in IT at all. I mean none.
This book: https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Windows-Networking-Essentials-Darril/dp/1118016858
was awesome.
I also found a free pdf of this: https://www.amazon.com/Exam-98-366-MTA-Networking-Fundamentals/dp/0470901837/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=P2AWDNSQRGY190FK14N5
When I signed up for the exam I payed for access to the practice tests and between those three resources and a lot of studying I passed with an 86.
My school program uses the Cisco CCNA curriculum and we're currently on Routing and Switching (I).
If you do all the practice examples and download the adventure works db, this book will help you achieve your goal. DO NOT, however, rely on it to pass the 70-461 exam because you will not pass. This book boosted my skill set from advanced beginner to high intermediate, but left me woefully unprepared for the Microsoft certified exam. Good luck!
http://www.amazon.com/Training-70-461-Querying-Microsoft-Server/dp/0735666059?ie=UTF8&keywords=sql%20server%20exam%2070%20461&qid=1462299171&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1
I'm actually starting this path myself.
I think I'm going to be starting with these books:
https://www.amazon.com/Windows-Server-Complete-Study-Guide/dp/111885991X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466108469&sr=8-1&keywords=mcsa+server+2012
Or the individual books if I can find them.
I would recommend if you can afford the $99 for CBT Nuggets to check those out too
The other nice thing is I think that the certs are good as long as the software is used - Server 2012 is valid for support until 2023 so it's a nice long duration cert to have
Thanks!
Here's the book I used and it was great.
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-220-901-220-902-Exam-Cram/dp/0789756315/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1474082915&sr=8-2&keywords=exam+cram
I found a couple of online practice tests which I'll get the links for tonight, however this book (https://www.amazon.co.uk/98-361-Software-Development-Fundamentals-Microsoft/dp/047088911X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473233040&sr=8-1&keywords=MTA+98-361) seems to have a ton of material and questions inside so I'd definitely have to recommend it.
As I said, I'll get those links for you when I finish work.
I'd check out 'Querying Microsoft SQL Server 2012', it's said to be one of the best - and it's also an exam prep book for 70-461.
Unfortunately OReilly no longer carries it, as MS apparently took back all of the MS Press rights from them - but if you happen to be in Canada it's ridiculously cheap on Amazon.ca right now, has an exam prep on the CD, and a 10% off coupon for the exam as well.
i was given this book by my instructor
Pocket Prep A+ from the app store/Google Play store.
Crucial exams app
*gocertify.com
If you have any books on A+, they should either come with a testing CD or have mini tests after every chapter.
May I recommend David L Prowse' 901 & 902 Exam Cram: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0789756315/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_uxKDAbM0H1BEY
Hope that helps!!
Haha, honestly I did study for it using this book but I skipped all the printer stuff. I mean I skimmed it but that’s it. This comes with a descent cram fact sheet and a few practice exams with the physical book. Idk about the ebook. When I took it i realized I built it up to be more than it is.
I googled 70-346 exam and found this.
https://www.amazon.com/70-346-Managing-Office-Identities-Requirements/dp/150930066X
And the 70-347 ref book.
https://www.amazon.com/Exam-70-347-Enabling-Office-Services/dp/1509300678/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=15M3DQTWY2QSX7Z16MVN
I was looking to take the Software Development Fundamentals MTA.. I purchased this book before i began at WGU.. I really believed it helped me. I started 7/1passed the class on 7/3..
https://www.amazon.com/Exam-98-361-Software-Development-Fundamentals/dp/047088911X
here is where you can find the syllabus for the exam. it lines up pretty well with the class
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/exam-98-361.aspx
I'm teaching a cert course starting in the fall covering both 70-697 and 70-698. I will be using MCSA: Windows 10 Complete Study Guide: Exam 70-698 and Exam 70-697 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1119384966/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ZU5gzbT32WY49 to teach. Frustratingly though, much of the content is duplicated from the 697 to 698 sections. The main difference is there is a large section on intune, and in the 698 section there is a large section that covers devices and drivers. So, you could get away with just getting the 697 book if you have a strong knowledge of devices and drivers and management of both.
Professor Mike Meyers is pretty good. He does what I like to call KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid. Follow his videos on Udemy with his textbooks. He's my main source but I'm also using this Exam Cram book and this one with practice questions. There are Kindle versions for both if you want, and they're cheaper than the physical copies.
The examcram stand alone practice test book
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0789756307/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_DWRACbYTJ65VF
Assuming you mean this book, which is an excellent resource. There are other 'training' videos/classes that can help, but they aren't nearly as thorough.
Live and breath what the book has to offer. The only way to pass the exam is the practice and understand how the system works. You, maybe, could pass the exam by studying alone, but that is taking the hardest route I could think of to do so; not really progressing yourself either.
I found this book to be helpful at least as a reference. It certainly won't be all encompassing but it will give you a good idea. I highly recommend starting a trial tenant and following along in the book.
I have looked at this book https://www.amazon.com/Windows-Server-Complete-Study-Guide/dp/1119359147/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1539691560&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=windows+server+2016+book&dpPl=1&dpID=51dNuDKz2UL&ref=plSrch.
As far preference for the study material I can do both book and online videos. The combination of both helped me a lot on my previous cert
I do not have a home lab or hands on the software. I am also looking to get that because I know that it would be beneficial for me while preparing for the certification.
MCSA Windows Server 2016 Exam Ref 3-Pack: Exams 70-740, 70-741, and 70-742 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1509303669/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_1hbTBbX2QB1Q2
MCSA Windows Server 2016 Complete Study Guide: Exam 70-740, Exam 70-741, Exam 70-742 and Composite Upgrade Exam 70-743 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1119359147/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_slbTBb0HZ0XCV
Don't use the MVA, there was a book on Amazon I bought for it and used to study. Might still have ot floating around. Was maybe 20 or so on Amazon
Edit, currently 37 right now
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Windows-Networking-Essentials-Darril/dp/1118016858&ved=2ahUKEwio6Zv24tLeAhVIR6wKHVk8A8sQFjANegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw3Cl6NDysbMuidBbKa0oAf7&cshid=1542160369290
I found the exam cram practice question book to be useful. I comes with a lot more questions on the CD.
I tried to get through a chapter of the lectures each night but it didn't always happen that way. Not because they weren't intriguing enough to capture my attention (because that's definitely not the case), but because life got in the way.
I haven't read his book but I did buy the Cram Exam on Amazon.
is this the correct book?
Not for what you're asking, no. Sysinternals is a very specific thing, and if you needed a book on troubleshooting with it, you would know, and wouldn't be asking Reddit about it.
This is more what you'd be looking for. Again, that will provide you knowledge about how Windows 10 works, but day to day troubleshooting is still going to be based on experience, knowledge, and Google.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1284055930/ref=dp_bb_a?ie=UTF8&condition=used&redirect=true
​
https://www.amazon.com/Routing-Switching-Essentials-Companion-Guide/dp/1587134284/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=31T06Y66W98T18BRCCCF
​
https://www.amazon.com/Europe-Modern-World-Narrative-History/dp/0199840806
​
​
I did read the Myer's book (Specifically the All-in-One. He has others that are essentially the All-In-One book but with less crap.). I initially made the mistake of just trying to read it cover to cover, but there's too much material and it doesn't follow the order of the objectives, and that bothered me. To each their own ultimately.
I really must emphasize using the Objectives List as your guide. It even has a list of acronyms. Don't bother making a list from the textbook -- use the materials that CompTIA has already made available. There are also acronym and definition flashcards all over the internet. Just start looking around for study materials. You'll find piles of them.
Reading this post, two books immediately come to mind:
Microsoft BI Exam Training Kit - This is almost exactly what you described with "I would like someone to give me next steps as suggesting some real world scenarios with (for example) the adventureworks database". It shows you how to build ETL's in SSIS using the adventureworks sample databases, build cubes in SSAS using the stuff you made in SSIS, and how to build reports in SSRS. I think this particular test has been deprecated so and I don't know if you could use this knowledge to turn around an get a MS certificate anymore, but the book itself has some great examples.
The Microsoft Data Warehouse Toolkit - This book is essentially the blue print of how to implement a Kimball-style DW/BI solution using the SQL Server tools you are already learning. This book is the closest I've read to what life is like for B.I. folks (granted it assumes starting a new project from the ground up, not maintaining an existing solution which comes with its own set of
headacheslearning opportunities). Downside here is it obviously doesn't expose you to the other primary BI ethos of Bill Inmon. However in my opinion there is plenty of info for free on the web about the ever present Kimball vs Inmon methods.CBT Nuggets are great! I also try to read at least one or two books as well. Try this one and this one. It's worth taking the time to understand the material.
Sure thing. I used the cd that came with the book and it had I believe 735 different questions it could ask
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-220-901-220-902-Exam-Cram/dp/0789756315
This is what I used:
CompTIA A+ 220-901 and 220-902 Practice Questions Exam Cram https://www.amazon.com/dp/0789756307/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_BItJzbN7CE4JE
Also if you buy the OCG (Official Cert Guide), there are companion books that you can get also, the companion guides reference workbooks. The workbooks have labs and such written out that you can do in Packet Tracer / GNS3 / VIRL / Physical.
Here are Amazon links to all of the official Cisco books for CCENT (ICND-1):
http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Certification-Passport-Edition-Certficiation/dp/0071795677
Panek's Sybex is pretty good yeah. I helped write some of it. Was fun. Link to the book at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Windows-Server-Complete-Study-Guide/dp/111885991X/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Thanks for the input! What test prep book/s did you use? I'm thinking about getting this one https://www.amazon.com/Windows-Server-Complete-Study-Guide/dp/1119359147
Hi Lisaintech,
I used exam cram. Here is the link. It's around 28 bucks. The practice questions are 13 bucks.
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-220-901-220-902-Exam-Cram/dp/0789756315/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482029560&sr=8-1&keywords=exam+cram+prowse
This one covers all 3 tests pretty well.
>mostly because you need to be good at a lot of mathemtics, is this true?
This is primarily for algorithms. It's pretty easy to be good at math, the hardest part I find for people who program is that they often don't think "outside the box" in breaking their program down.
I and others recommend programming in C#. You should be able to get off the ground with the following resources:
http://learncs.org/
https://mva.microsoft.com/en-US/training-courses/software-development-fundamentals-8248?l=D9b9nHKy_3404984382
https://mva.microsoft.com/en-US/training-courses/c-fundamentals-for-absolute-beginners-8295?l=bifAqFYy_204984382
http://www.amazon.com/Exam-98-361-Software-Development-Fundamentals/dp/047088911X
This list is for programming in general:
http://www.amazon.com/Pragmatic-Programmer-Journeyman-Master/dp/020161622X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1453520022&sr=1-1&keywords=pragmatic+programmer
http://www.amazon.com/Clean-Code-Handbook-Software-Craftsmanship/dp/0132350882/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1453520045&sr=1-1&keywords=clean+code
http://www.amazon.com/Design-Patterns-Elements-Reusable-Object-Oriented/dp/0201633612/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1453520067&sr=1-1&keywords=gang+of+four
http://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/~stevenha/myteaching/competitive_programming/cp1.pdf
http://visualgo.net/
http://www.sorting-algorithms.com/
http://code.tutsplus.com/tutorials/3-key-software-principles-you-must-understand--net-25161
Congrats! I was intending on buying that book (https://www.amazon.com/Exam-70-480-Programming-HTML5-JavaScript/dp/0735676631) but the reviews seem terrifying. I have heard some good things about measureup.com practice tests and am thinking of getting one of those and combining that with PluralSights playlist: https://www.pluralsight.com/blog/software-development/learning-path-programming-in-html5-with-javascript-and-css3-microsoft-exam-70-480 but... ¯\ (°_o)/¯
It was too much for me too; I liked David Prowse's Exam Cram a lot more. It was more to the point and straightforward in my opinion. It comes with a lot of tips, practice exams, simulations and a cram sheet that all really helped me. https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-220-901-220-902-Exam-Cram/dp/0789756315. Professer Messer videos I recommend as well. Also, Mike Myers has his book on Lynda.com as a video presentation, which I preferred to the book: https://www.lynda.com/signin/organization; try to login with your public library info or college to watch it for free. A lot of larger libraries are contracted with Lynda.
I completed the 70-761 T-SQL exam.
For the exam I used:
https://www.edx.org/course/querying-data-with-transact-sql
https://www.amazon.com/Exam-70-761-Querying-Data-Transact-SQL/dp/1509304339
I would recommend practising each new topic locally so you get a feel for it. I hope this helps!
Videos - CBT Nuggets. Expensive but I bet being an IT guy you know where you can get a "free" discount ;x
Books - https://www.amazon.com/Windows-Server-Complete-Study-Guide/dp/1119359147/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1504744564&sr=8-5&keywords=70-742
Labs - I bought 3 dell r210s off ebay used. Around $100 each. I bought 3 and installed ESXi on them. They don't need much storage... just enough to get a basic OS installed x3 (about 90 GB) and toy with services. The multiple servers let me setup more VMs, multiple domains, trusts, failovers etc.
I read through all that, watched all that, and read exam objectives. If I couldn't explain something on the objectives to a brand new sys admin, fresh off the help desk, I revisited that objective. I re-read that part of the book, rewatched the video, read technet documentation, and played with it in the labs. I also used the labs to mess with troubleshooting scenarios.
At work - I literally implemented things like failover. I switched servers to core. I only used powershell to do tasks to learn it. I used ADAM to do things in GUI and reviewed the powershell output it shows to understand the commands. All and all, I had a great admin background and worked, at minimum, 2 hours a night after work on the cert. On weekends I did more.
https://www.comptia.org/training/resources/exam-objectives
​
​
Two vidoe training companies:
IT pro tv
CBT Nuggets
The training companies have education coaches, virtual labs, and practice tests. The education coaches will help you reach your certification goals. Both providers have free trials
I suggest Mike Meyers book, and the exam cram book.
Links below:
Mike's book
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Certification-Guide-220-901-220-902/dp/125958951X
Exam cram:
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-220-901-220-902-Exam-Cram/dp/0789756315
​
check out measure up.
https://www.measureup.com/
​
When you do study make sure you use material that is for the latest exam. Comptia updates the exam every once in awhile, and the material that is tested on the exam changes.
See if any friends on family have any old PCs you can take apart. You might be able to get one from a Computer repair shop.
This book is designed specifically for the test. It covers everything on the test, and some things that aren't specifically on it but may help for other questions.
It also comes with practice test software that is very useful.
The test goes well beyond writing queries.
Be prepared for (not meant to be comprehensive):
Good luck!
CompTIA A+ 220-901 and 220-902 Exam Cram
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0789756315
As far as your queries go they all use T-SQL. There are a lot of differences in layout on disk.
The Developer edition of SQL server 2012 is super cheap ($30) and can be installed on Windows 7 or Windows 8. (http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/Microsoft-SQL-Server-2012-Developer-Edition-license/2669399.aspx)
You will want to start off with Querying. It's important to know how you're getting information into and out of your database: http://www.amazon.com/Training-70-461-Querying-Microsoft-Server/dp/0735666059/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1426879298&sr=8-6&keywords=sql+server+2012
After that you'll want to get into the actual server management. Maybe even dip into high availability. http://www.amazon.com/Training-70-462-Administering-Microsoft-Databases/dp/0735666075/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1426879298&sr=8-8&keywords=sql+server+2012
If you're going to actually shoot for your MCSA and want to do big data stuff in the future start looking at datawarehousing. This is more of a future thing.
From the querying book know these chapters inside and out: 1-4, 8-10. That will give you enough information to go into the server administration text. In the administration text know chapters 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, and 11.
Really focus on 11. Backups/restores are critical. I don't want to diminish the value of the other chapters, but a majority of your function as a DBA will be in the chapters I mentioned. I encourage you to learn as much as possible, but if you're going to commit a limited amount of time, or need to ramp up very quickly, the mentioned chapters are the most critical.
I ran into a similar conundrum. If you read the 70-461 or T-SQL Fundamentals, they have practice problems that are related. The 70-761 does not contain practice testing material.
Apart from that, it's recommended to do the more official practice tests if you decide you need one. They are supposed to be more difficult than the real test, but I do not have any experience taking the practice tests. I am thinking of trying the 762 practice test though.
I did use one other resource that was a practice test and I'll list it below, but here's a copy from my site that lists my favorite resources from when I studied for my 761.
My favorite resources:
https://www.cathrinewilhelmsen.net/2015/01/28/preparing-for-and-taking-exam-70-461-querying-microsoft-sql-server-2012/
https://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/4644/sql-server-exam-70761-study-material-for-querying-data-with-transactsql/
https://www.amazon.com/T-SQL-Fundamentals-3rd-Itzik-Ben-Gan/dp/150930200X
https://www.amazon.com/Training-70-461-Querying-Microsoft-Server/dp/0735666059/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1513628070&sr=8-1&keywords=70%3D461
https://www.amazon.com/Exam-70-761-Querying-Data-Transact-SQL/dp/1509304339/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1513628083&sr=1-1&keywords=70-761
http://www.accelerated-ideas.com/70761-practice-test-questions.aspx#.WeeTWVtSypo
https://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/4015/introducing-json-for-sql-server-2016/
https://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/4073/sql-server-2016-advanced-json-techniques--part-1/
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/relational-databases/json/json-data-sql-server
https://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/3680/introduction-to-sql-server-2016-temporal-tables/
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/t-sql/queries/select-group-by-transact-sql
https://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/1958/sql-server-cross-apply-and-outer-apply/
I would also suggest supplimenting with this book, if you're looking for more books:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0789756315/ref=dbs_a_w_dp_0789756315
I'm in a 902 class right now, and it's helping me a bunch. I wish I'd grabbed it for my 901 class.
The training books and transcender tests are your best indicators and study methods. This blog gave a lot of good information, the general consensus is that all three tests are pretty hard.
http://www.cathrinewilhelmsen.net/2015/01/28/preparing-for-and-taking-exam-70-461-querying-microsoft-sql-server-2012/
http://www.cathrinewilhelmsen.net/2015/05/26/preparing-for-and-taking-exam-70-462-administering-microsoft-sql-server-2012-databases/
http://www.cathrinewilhelmsen.net/2015/04/30/preparing-for-and-taking-exam-70-463-implementing-a-data-warehouse-with-microsoft-sql-server-2012/
I've been doing DB work for 6 years, but there's a lot of things I have never done or tried. For example, I don't or have ever used pivot / unpivot and only recently used a combination of STUFF and XML for work.
I also tried the w3 test you linked, the cert tests are exponentially more difficult than that. Still fair and achievable, but you need to know your stuff.
461 I recommend reading through and doing the practices a few times from books:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735658145/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3ADN03F2ABAVW
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735666059/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
They are also updating the exams soon to be 2016. There's also a deal you can get for 225 that gives you a practice test, the test try, and 4 re-takes. Exam price is 165. So another 80 gets you at least 4 re-tries and practice test.