Free Microsoft SQL Server preparation courses at Virtual Academy for exams 464 and 465

Microsoft Virtual Academy has added two new preparation courses for SQL Server exams. Theses two courses cover Developing Microsoft SQL Server Databases (464) and Designing Solutions for SQL Server (465). If you do not like to read articles or books, here is the way of learning areas related to these two exams, all courses are built with videos :).

1. Developing Microsoft SQL Server Database (464) - 6 modules, approximately 7 hours.
2. Designing Database Solutions for SQL Server (465) - 5 modules, approximately 6 hours.

In addition to these two, few more preparation courses related to other SQL Server exams are available;

• Implementing Data Models & Reports with Microsoft SQL Server (466) - 7 modules, approximately 8 hours.
• Designing BI Solutions with Microsoft SQL Server (467) - 6 modules, approximately 7 hours.
• Querying Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Databases (461) - 8 modules, approximately 7 hours.
• Administering Microsoft SQL Server 2012 (462) - 6 modules, approximately 7 hours.
• Implementing a Data Warehouse with SQL Server (463) - 6 modules, approximately 7 hours.

Easy way of adding your Microsoft Certification to LinkedIn Profile

If you are maintaining your profile with world largest professional network (Im sure that you are) and you have done a Microsoft Certification, there is an easy way of adding the certification to your LinkedIn profile rather than manually adding it. The new way has been introduced by teaming up with LinkedIn and it is opened to you via an email which you receive with details once an exam is done. All you have to do is, hit the button populated with all details required (since I have not done a certification recently, I have no idea how this will be appeared in the mail, I believe it is similar to below image).

In order to receive the mail, make sure you have enabled “Promotional email” in MCP profile setting and you are using the same email address for both MCP profile and LinkedIn profile.

For more details, read this post published by Carrie Francey (MS): http://borntolearn.mslearn.net/btl/b/weblog/archive/2014/03/25/announcing-a-new-way-to-add-microsoft-certifications-to-your-linkedin-profile.aspx

New Prices for Microsoft Certifications Exams

If you plan for doing MS exams, better hurry up. Following certifications are slated for a price increase:

• Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS)

• Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP)

• Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD)

• Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST)

• Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA)

• Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)

• Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD)

• Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD)

• Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA)

See more detail:
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/cert-pricing-FAQ.aspx