Need to get myself onto a couple of training courses but Im not sure which ones I should go on. I think I want to do an Active Directory / 2008R2 one but obviously something that's fairly advanced. What would you recommend?

Need to get myself onto a couple of training courses but Im not sure which ones I should go on. I think I want to do an Active Directory / 2008R2 one but obviously something that's fairly advanced. What would you recommend?
I would look at this link: Certification Courses | Certification Training | Microsoft Certification
Decide which route you want to go down - if you want to enroll on an actual course you could ask a local college or University, or what I've known people to do is look at which route they want to take study hard in there own time and go and book the exam and pass itCBT Nuggets are great (I Have used them for years) and any up to date MS Books you can find on the subject of your study - some people have access to actual hardware / VM they can play around on which can make things easier.
Hope this helps
In my honest opinion the MS courses are OK i guess but they are not fairly advanced. The learn the basics of the subject. I think you'll learn the advanced topics only by playing around with it. Buying some good books can also help. One book that any windows engineer should own is written by Minasi. I don't know if you are managing an vmware environment or a switched/routed network. I would invest money into those topics. A sniffing course is also highly recommended.
bio..
and network security also............. worth a look!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you have experience then get the books and do it yourself. You really need to read a few of the books to get an overall picture. The MCITP: Server Administrator would be a good set to read though as would the Minasi book mentioned above, which I always purchase.
Some of these single MS courses will not cover as much detail as you want. The AD course will probably cover certificate services more than some of the inner workings of AD. One of the best site for stuying/certification is CertForums - The Certification Community .
I'd look at the courses in the MCITP:SA they'll be the most relevant and wil combine to give you a good standing. Free MCTS MCITP CCNA CompTIA and CISSP exams, study notes and forums is the american version of certforums, is worth an alternative glance

ok looking at this, the MCITP Server Admin looks like exactly what I want to be at
Is it easy enough to self-study for these or is it recommended to go on all the corresponding courses?
That all depends on yourself. If you have some experience and can discipline yourself to go through the material and set up all the the labs etc then self study is easy enough. If you are going to struggle putting in the 1 hour + of study per day after work, then you need a course but that is going to cost you.
I use the following for study:
MS Press book or equivalent for the exam
Mark Minasi books
All free resources and videos via Technet and other sites
Some kind of exam prep software. You usually get a cut down version with the books. You need to practice the exam technique as you need to get used to the way they ask questions. For example you get presented with a scenario and you know what the best answer if but it's not there, you have to pick the best answer they have given you. There will be plenty of questions where one word in the question can change the answer as well. You have to read very carefully.
self study is easy enough but dont do it all from a book, Testout and Cbt nuggets are both good. Testout is very cheap to students.
Hi, i did the new MCITP EA when it first started with the windows 7 module just before christmas (not the one gone, the one before). It was the most full, "lengthy" MS Course i could find. I went to St Neots where I happen to live to a very good company. I don't wish to advertise and break the edugeek rules, even if the company is nothing to do with me
After i finished within 3 months, they were advising the SA. (It's all about the final example, weather or not you site the EA or the SA module). It is 100% worth doing if you can, and the difference between the EA and SA is practical 1 module, if you do both, you would get the credits for both.
This is a Microsoft Certified Proffesional Level certification, but even if you can't quite make the EA or SA, the Technology Specialist modules in Server 2008 R2 (3 of them) and the Windows 7 one, is so usefull by its self.
I listed my technology specialist certs bellow.
rbaxter_msts.jpg
If you want any help or advise regarding MCITP courses I am more than happy to help you out! I also host some low level CCNA (1 & 2) of the old stuff (its about 5 years old now), I studied at Coventry University doing there (Network Computing BSc), i have followed this up with the MCITP course for "inplace practical" qualifications.

@robbaxter If you are nothing to do with them then I'm sure you can mention them allthough I'll do it for you as I take it you studied at Firebrand? Who was your instructor?
Ben
RobBaxter (14th June 2011)
You know, I can't for the life of me remember his name. He was a total legend though, they work harder than we do at that place. grrr ... going to wind me up now! I might have to drive by
.
Cool to know, yes I studied at firebrand, self learning was never my strong point. Intensive 13 day course will all the caffeen you can consume, THAT i can do, go geek skills! Redbull, Nicotean and Caffeen is all i need.
The food is passable too, i wouldn't say nice... but heyits an IT Training Camp, what would they do with a Michelin Star
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I want to get started with the MSCITP:SA but not exactly sure where to start. Ive negotiated time at work to put in the hours of study, Im happy to just sit with a textbook but the IT Director has it in his head we need to be looking at some sort of online based learning thing? IS there such a thing and what should I be looking at? If not, where can I find a list of what textbooks etc to buy? And how do i go about doing the exams?
CHeers

Depending on exactly what you're after, MS's exam website has a lot of information on learning resources.
e.g. TS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuring
They offer their own books, and e-learning (online's not exactly "cheapcheap", but cheaper than a training course)
Steve
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