Study resources 74-409 Server Virtualization with Windows Server Hyper-V and System Center

NOTE: This is work in progress
Now its a long time made since I made any of these, but been busy
Here is a new exam from Microsoft which just released earlier this november, this is the first Microsoft exam which contains Azure technology from an “it-pro” perspetive and it also contains stuff from the latest 2012 R2 release.
The exam also goes trough stuff like Generation 2 VMs, Hyper-V recovery manager and so on.
You can read more about the exam here –> http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en-us/exam.aspx?ID=74-409 This exam replaces the earlier MCTIP Server Virtualization for Windows Server 2008.

The exam will contain the following. So im addind study resources under each section.

Configure Hyper-V

• Create and configure virtual machine settings.
  • This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure dynamic memory; configure smart paging; configure Resource Metering; configure guest integration services; create and configure Generation 1 and 2 virtual machines; configure and use extended session mode, and configure RemoteFX

Dynamic Memory –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh831766.aspx
Enable Resource Metering –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh848481.aspx
Configure Guest Integration –> http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/data-center/configure-integration-services-options-for-hyper-v-vms/
Create Gen 2 VMs –>http://blogs.technet.com/b/jhoward/archive/2013/10/24/hyper-v-generation-2-virtual-machines-part-1.aspx
Extended session –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn282274.aspx
Configure RemoteFX –> http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/16652.remotefx-vgpu-setup-and-configuration-guide-for-windows-server-2012.aspx

• Create and configure virtual machine storage.
  • This objective may include but is not limited to: Create VHDs and VHDx; configure differencing drives; modify VHDs; configure pass-through disks; manage checkpoints; implement a virtual Fibre Channel adapter; configure storage Quality of Service

Create VHD and VHDX –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh848503.aspx
Create Differeing disks –> http://lyncdup.com/2012/06/creating-hyper-v-3-differencing-disks-in-server-2012-with-gui-and-powershell/
Pass-trough disks –> http://www.petri.co.il/convert-hyper-v-pass-through-disk-to-a-vhdx.htm
Implement virtual fibre channel –> http://www.virtualizationadmin.com/articles-tutorials/microsoft-hyper-v-articles/storage-management/first-look-hyperv-vs-virtual-fibre-channel-feature-part2.html
Configure Storage QoS –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn282276.aspx
Modify VHD –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn282284.aspx

• Create and configure virtual networks.
  • This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure Hyper-V virtual switches; optimize network performance; configure MAC addresses; configure network isolation; configure synthetic and legacy virtual network adapters; configure NIC teaming in virtual machines
    

Configure Hyper-V virtual Switches –> http://www.serverwatch.com/server-tutorials/harnessing-the-power-of-hyper-v-network-virtual-switches.html
Optimize network performance –> http://www.aidanfinn.com/?p=15414
Configure network isolation –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj679878.aspx#bkmk_pvlan
Configure NIC teaming in virtual machines –> http://www.msserverpro.com/configuring-windows-server-2012-nic-teaming-to-a-hyper-v-virtual-machine/

Configure and Manage Virtual Machine High Availability

• Configure failover clustering with Hyper-V.
  • This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure shared storage; configure Quorum; configure cluster networking; restore single node or cluster configuration; implement Cluster Aware Updating; upgrade a cluster; configure and optimize clustered shared volumes; and configure clusters without network names

Configure shared storage –> http://blogs.technet.com/b/keithmayer/archive/2012/12/12/step-by-step-building-a-free-hyper-v-server-2012-cluster-part-1-of-2.aspx
Configure Quorum –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj612870.aspx
Configure cluster networking –> http://www.msserverpro.com/implementing-windows-server-2012-hyper-v-failover-clustering/
Optimizate clustered shared volumes –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj612868.aspx
Restore cluster configuration –>
Configure clusters without network names –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn265970.aspx
Cluster aware updating –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh831694.aspx

• Manage failover clustering roles.
  • This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure role-specific settings including continuously available shares; configure VM monitoring; configure failover and preference settings; and configure guest clustering

Configure VM monitoring –> http://blogs.msdn.com/b/clustering/archive/2012/04/18/10295158.aspx
Configure guest cluestering –>  http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn265980.aspx 

• Manage virtual machine movement.
  • This objective may include but is not limited to: Perform Live Migration; perform quick migration; perform storage migration; import, export, and copy VMs; configure Virtual Machine network health protection; configure drain on shutdown; manage Physical-to-Virtual (P2V) and Virtual-to-Virtual (V2V) migrations; and implement virtual machine migration between clouds

Live Migration –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh831435.aspx http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj860434.aspx
Virtual Machine network health protection –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn265972.aspx#BKMK_VMHealth
Virtual Machine Drain on shutdown –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn265972.aspx#BKMK_VMDrain
Physical-to-Virtual –> http://blogs.technet.com/b/scvmm/archive/2013/10/03/how-to-perform-a-p2v-in-a-scvmm-2012-r2-environment.aspx
V2V migration –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg610672.aspx

Implement a Server Virtualization Infrastructure

• Implement virtualization hosts.
  • This objective may include but is not limited to: implement delegation of virtualization environment (hosts, services, and virtual machines) including self-service capabilities; implement multi-host libraries including equivalent objects; implement host resource optimization; integrate third-party virtualization platforms; and deploying Hyper-V hosts to bare metal
    

Bare Metal –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg610634.aspx
Host Resource optimization –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg675109.aspx
Selv-service capabilites –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg610573.aspx
Integrate third-party virtualization –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg610687.aspx

• Implement virtual machines.
  • This objective may include but is not limited to: Implement highly available VMs; implement guest resource optimization including shared VHDx; configure placement rules; create a Virtual Machine Manager template

Shared VHDx –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn265972.aspx#BKMK_SharedVHDX
Placement rules –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj860428.aspx
Create template –> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh427282.aspx

• Implement virtualization networking.
  • This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure Virtual Machine Manager logical networks including virtual switch extensions and logical switches; configure IP address and MAC address settings across multiple Hyper-V hosts including network virtualization; configure virtual network optimization; plan and implement Windows Server Gateway; implement VLANs and pVLANs; plan and implement virtual machine networks; and implement converged networks
• Implement virtualization storage.
  • This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure Hyper-V host clustered storage; configure Hyper-V virtual machine storage including virtual Fibre Channel, Internet SCSI (iSCSI), and shared VHDx; plan for storage optimization; and plan and implement storage by using SMB 3.0 file shares
• Manage and maintain a server virtualization infrastructure.
  • This objective may include but is not limited to: Manage dynamic optimization and resource optimization; integrate Operations Manager with System Center Virtual Machine Manager and System Center Service Manager; update virtual machine images in libraries; implement backup and recovery of a virtualization infrastructure by using System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM)

Monitor and Maintain a Server Virtualization Infrastructure

• Plan and implement a monitoring strategy.
  • This objective may include but is not limited to: planning considerations including monitoring servers using Audit Collection Services (ACS) and System Center Global Service Monitor, performance monitoring, application monitoring, centralized monitoring, and centralized reporting; implement and optimize System Center 2012 Operations Manager management packs; and plan for monitoring Active Directory
• Plan and implement a business continuity and disaster recovery solution.
  • This objective may include but is not limited to: plan a backup and recovery strategy; planning considerations including Active Directory domain and forest recovery, Hyper-V replica including using Windows Azure Hyper-V Recovery Manager, domain controller restore and cloning, and Active Directory object and container restore using authoritative restore and Recycle Bin; and plan for and implement backup and recovery by using System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM)

#74-409, #azure, #certifications, #hyper-v, #microsoft

IT Certifications

I’m a big fan of certifications, and I’m currently pursuing multiple exams.
Such as Microsoft Lync, Citrix Xenapp & CASP for the moment.
Many people say that getting certifications are useless and a waste of money, well I disagree.
First of when you pass an exam  an employer knows what to except of you skill wise, and it boost your self esteem when you have passed an exam.
Also it is a good way to keep your skills up to date, since IT is ever-changing, and it is a good way for you to raise your salary. 

Of course there is a lot of cheating with dumps in certifications, which of course is the downside of taking IT-certifications. +
A lot of employers can never be certain if you actually studied hard for the exam or just studied a dump, so therefore a lot of people seeking jobs are being placed in the back of the line.
After taking a lot of certifications over the last couple of years, I can tell you it works

I started my path of certifications with Windows, since I previously worked with mostly windows clients.
After that I  began pursuing server exams after I took most of the client exams. After that I move towards networking and started with Comptia and ended up with Cisco.

Now after 3 years I ended up with taking a lot.
Here you can find a copy of those I have taken for Microsoft
https://www.mcpvirtualbusinesscard.com/VBCServer/8ba2ba3a-b7c3-4a0b-9beb-68c48662f723/profile

The purpose of this post is to show you where you can begin with certifications on the different vendors & products.
First of when you want to register for an exam, you have to register on test sites like

Prometric.com
Pearsonvue.com

Here you can register for an exam, choose were you want to take the exam (and of course pay for it )
Some Vendors are only available via Pearsonvue and some via Prometric so take a look at the vendor list.
For instance Citrix is only available via Pearsonvue.

Microsoft
Microsoft has a huge list of certifications available, starting with entry exams and going up to master level.
The certification track is split up to 3 (4 with the entry level exams which are not associated with other exams)
You have the Associate level which is based up the MCTS (Technology Specialist title) and if you want to purse it further you can take (if available) Expert level (MCITP title)
not every product has a certification available for the expert level. And If you want to pursue it further you can continue with the MCM Master title, there are only a few products available
that you can take this exam. This includes Exchange, Lync, SharePoint, SQL server and AD.

If you are uncertain where you want to begin with Microsoft exams I suggest taking a look at the exams available from Microsoft’s site.
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/view-by-technology.aspx
Most of Microsoft’s exams have a study guide book, which most of them are available  Amazon (Just search on amazon with the exam code)
example http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0735666075/ref=s9_wish_gw_d0_g14_ir03?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2TDCNMRU13DPT&colid=1XNIN8SXHDDTH&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0T42ZFWXW3FEZSB5MG81&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467128533&pf_rd_i=468294

Incase there aren’t any books available, take a look at Trainsignal.com or CBTnuggets.com they offer eLearning videos of many of the Microsoft exams.
I would also recommend, taking a dive into the documentation that Microsoft has available on their TechNet site regarding the product you are pursuing an exam in.
For instance, Operations Manager 2012 http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh205987.aspx

Also don’t just study the book it will only get you so far, if you have a home lab environment use it, setup virtual machines and test the product! Microsoft offers trials on most of their products which are available for download from their website.
You can also take a look here –> http://borntolearn.mslearn.net/ Microsoft sometimes offers a free exam from time to time.

Once you take an Microsoft it is valid for a lifetime, but again if you have OpsMgr 2007 exam in the year 2030 its not much worth.

Comptia
Comptia was pretty unknown to be before I started in the certification marked, but they offer a wide range of certifications. They say that they have  “vendor-neutral” exams (besides the Linux exams) And has some good entry level exams on topics like
storage, network, computer technician, and security +.
You can see the list of certifications available on their website –> http://certification.comptia.org/getCertified/certifications.aspx
Amazon also offers wide range of study books on their exams, I’ve used a couple of books for my exams there.
Trainsignal and CBT also have some learning videos on their exams.

Before you go ahead and start pursuing Comptia, check the “See what the exam covers “ section on each exam so you know what topics are covered.
Note that when you take an Comptia exam, it is valid for 3 years, unless you take another exam which is “above” the other one.

For instance if you take the A+ exam, it is valid for 3 years unless you take the network+ which will renew the exam with another 3 years.

Citrix
Citrix also has a wide range of exams, but… there isn’t much literature available on their products, there are a few books available on Amazon, but they are mostly outdated.
Their exams are also known to be a bit more difficult then Microsoft’s exams, and have a lot of simulation exams.

Much of the literature available is gained trough taking courses via Citrix or by looking at the guide for the particular product on Citrix eDocs website.
http://support.citrix.com/proddocs/topic/infocenter/ic-how-to-use.html

Again, trainsignal and CBTnuggets have loads of learning material on citrix products.
Citrix also has multiple levels of exams, starting with the CCA entry level for a product, like CCA XenApp, then you can build it with the next level which is CCAA XenApp. And the next one is CCEE.
Citrix also offers a load of trials on their software mostly in form of a virtual appliance.
http://www.citrix.com/English/ss/downloads/index.asp

But I suggest you take a look at the exams available at their website.
http://www.citrixtraining.com/courses/certifications/

Cisco
Cisco also offers a huge range of certifications of their different products. And they have 4 levels,
CCENT (Which is the entry level exam) or you can take the CCNA exam (Which is CCENT + another exam in one, it consists of ICND1 + ICND2)
Then you can choose what you want to specialize in, for instance you have Security, Wireless, Voice, Service Provider, then you need to take a new CCNA exam.
Or if you want to pursue Routing and Switching you can just start on the next level which is CCNP.
And last but not least you can upgrade the CCNP to CCIE which is the highest level.

You can view the different exams and tracks here –> http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/learning_career_certifications_and_learning_paths_home.html
In my case when I took the CCNA I joined a study group on their learning website, https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/index.jspa

Also there is no use studying for a Cisco exam unless you have some cisco hardware. First of the CCNA exam consists of a lot basic networking skills, but then it continues into how-to configure switches, routers and such.
You can buy some cheap cisco stuff from EBay or you can download GNS3 (Which is a virtual network simulator) and use some Cisco ios images if you happen to have those available

And again Cisco offers loads of study guides for each exam, for instance CCNP route
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ROUTE-642-902-Official-Certification-Preparation/dp/1587202530/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1337338232&sr=8-2

The only thing I find difficult with studying to these exams is having the hardware unless you are working with Cisco at your job.

A lot of jobs today require that you have some kind of certification within a specific product, like this job (is Norwegian)
http://www.finn.no/finn/job/fulltime/object?finnkode=34526334 requires Cisco CCNP, and there are always new certifications available on the horizon.
And its not always easy to keep track, and what you should pursue.
A good rule is to pursue what interests you, if you are interested in Networking take a look at Cisco, Juniper and if you want to add some security to the mix, look at Cisco Security or Checkpoint.
If you want to take a closer look at databases, check for oracle or MSSQL.

I would also recommend that you take a look at Mirek Burnejko’s  site http://www.itcertificationmaster.com/ 
Which is the most complete list of all the IT certifications avaliable I’ve seen on the web, it also includes a lot of news regarding new certifications that are coming.

#certifications, #cisco-certifications, #cisco-exams, #citrix-exams, #comptia-exams, #it-certifications, #microsoft-exam, #pearsonvue, #prometric