Certification Information

To help me decide on which route to follow to upgrade my MCDBA to MCITP Database Administrator 2008, I’m taking a closer look at the exams for the MCITP Database Administrator 2008 certification, beginning with the prerequisite Microsoft 70-432 TS: Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Implementation and Maintenance exam, which happens to be the only exam required for the MCTS: SQL Server 2008, Implementation and Maintenance certification. This is generally the first step in preparing for an exam - discovering what is covered by the exam.

Obviously, the first place to look is at the official preparation guide for the MCTS 70-432 exam from Microsoft Learning. The most important information we’re looking for here is the exam objectives. So here it is:

The MCTS 70-432 Exam Objectives

1. Installing and Configuring SQL Server 2008 (10 percent)
   • Install SQL Server 2008 and related services.
   • Configure SQL Server instances.
   • Configure SQL Server services.
   • Configure additional SQL Server components.
   • Implement database mail.
   • Configure full-text indexing.
2. Maintaining SQL Server Instances (13 percent)
   • Manage SQL Server Agent jobs.
   • Manage SQL Server Agent alerts.
   • Manage SQL Server Agent operators.
   • Implement the declarative management framework (DMF.
   • Back up a SQL Server environment.
3. Managing SQL Server Security (15 percent)
   • Manage logins and server roles.
   • Manage users and database roles.
   • Manage SQL Server instance permissions.
   • Manage database permissions.
   • Manage schema permissions and object permissions.
   • Audit SQL Server instances.
   • Manage transparent data encryption.
   • Configure surface area.
4. Maintaining a SQL Server Database (16 percent)
   • Back up databases.
   • Restore databases.
   • Manage and configure databases.
   • Manage database snapshots.
   • Maintain database integrity.
   • Maintain a database by using maintenance plans.
5. Performing Data Management Tasks (14 percent)
   • Import and export data.
   • Manage data partitions.
   • Implement data compression.
   • Maintain indexes.
   • Manage collations.
6. Monitoring and Troubleshooting SQL Server (13 percent)
   • Identify SQL Server service problems.
   • Identify concurrency problems.
   • Identify SQL Agent job execution problems.
   • Locate error information.
7. Optimizing SQL Server Performance (10 percent)
   • Implement Resource Governor.
   • Use the Database Engine Tuning Advisor.
   • Collect trace data by using SQL Server Profiler.
   • Collect performance data by using Dynamic Management Views (DMVs) .
   • Collect performance data by using System Monitor.
   • Use Performance Studio.
8. Implementing High Availability (9 percent)
   • Implement database mirroring.
   • Implement a SQL Server clustered instance.
   • Implement log shipping.
   • Implement replication.

In our Part 2 of our exam preparation guide for the 70-432 exam, well look at getting more information on the exam objectives.