Microsoft Debuts Virtualized Windows Exam
IT professionals who want to prove expertise working with and managing and applications on embedded devices can now do so by passing a new exam, 70-577 TS: Windows Embedded Standard 2009, Development. The exam went live some time last month, according to this MSDN blog post.
Exam 70-577 is designated as a Technology Specialist exam; according to the exam objective guide, Microsoft recommends that candidates have at least a year or two of experience working with Windows XP Embedded, particularly in developing and building runtime images and working with Windows internals.
Those who pass the exam earn the MCTS: Windows Embedded Standard 2009, Development certification.
Microsoft’s exam objective guide lists no official self-study resources related to this exam. A search on Google produced no resources from third-party providers. (Note to publishers: If you’re planning to publish any resources related to this exam, please send details here.)
The exam is available at Prometric centers worldwide in English; other language variations are forthcoming. Price of the exam in the U.S. is $125.
If you’re thinking that Exam 83-640 TS: Windows Server 2008, Active Directory, sounds familiar, you’d be right. Exam 83-640 is the virtualized version of Exam 70-640 TS: Windows Server 2008, Active Directory.
Microsoft officially released the exam last week, to coincide with numerous announcements that were made at last week’s Microsoft Tech-Ed Conference in Los Angeles.
According to a press release,MCSE exams is “the first to incorporate a virtual environment with the tools and options available in a real computing environment.”
The exam itself incorporates multiple choice items and virtualized, performance-based questions in which test takers must perform tasks as if working on a real server. The exam objectives state that the exam maps directly with the same objectives as 70-640. Although it’s available mostly worldwide, it’s delivered in English only.
When Exam 83-640 was in development, a pilot test version was released to testers as 70-113 TS back in July 2008.
With Windows 7 scheduled to be released later this year, Microsoft Learning is closing in on exam development. On the Born to Learn blog, the group announced some preliminary information on three new MCST-level exams for the upcoming OS.
The news at this point is sparse; what’s known so far is that the group already has three exams in development:
70-680, TS: Windows 7, Configuring
70-685, MCITP: Windows 7, Enterprise Desktop Support Technician
70-686, MCITP: Windows 7, Desktop Administrator
With exam development just getting underway, exam objective guides haven’t been posted yet. Microsoft Learning through the blog post has put out a call for subject matter experts to help with development on 70-686, Desktop Administrator.
Currently, it’s unknown when beta exams will be made available.
In the meantime, Microsoft Learning has released two new courses for Windows 7 early adopters: Clinic 6289A: First Look: Windows 7 Beta for IT Professionals and Hands-On Lab 6290A: First Look: Windows 7 Beta for IT Professionals mcsa Hands-on Lab. Both courses are instructor-led, with limited availability.
Processing your request, Please wait....
