Well I have decided like many DBAs to get my MCDBA 2000. I have started to study for the 70-228 exam and I have come across study guides with some sample questions. I thought I would share some of the questions with you to see if you can answer them as well. In my next blog post I will reveal the correct answers. Here are 2 questions:

Question 1:

You are the administrator of a SQL Server 2000 computer. You have two new hard disks on which you will create a database named Inventory. You want to insert, update, and delete data as quickly as possible. Which two actions should you take? (Each correct answer represents part of the solution. Choose two.)

a. Configure the hard disks as two mirrored NTFS volumes.
b. Configure the hard disks as one mirrored NTFS volume.
c. Configure the hard disks as two independent NTFS volumes.
d. Configure the hard disks as one extended NTFS volume.
e. Place Inventory_data.mdf on the first volume and Inventory_log.ldf on
the second volume.
f. Place Inventory_data.mdf and Inventory_log.ldf on the first volume and
Inventory_data2.ndf and Inventory_log2.ldf on the second volume
g. Place Inventory_data.mdf and Inventory_log.ldf on the same volume.

Question 2:

You are the administrator of a SQL Server 2000 computer. The server contains seven databases that provide data to several company client/server applications. Each database is maintained by a different user. You need to configure server and database permissions so that each user who maintains a database has full permissions on that database. What should you do?

a. Create a domain user group for all users.
Add a login for the domain user group.
Add the login to the sysadmin server role.
b. Create a domain user group for all users.
Add a login for the domain user group.
Map the login to a database user in each database.
Add all database users to the db_owner database role in each database.
c. Create a login for each user’s domain user account.
Map each login to a database user in the appropriate databases.
Add the database users to the db_owner database role in each database.
d. Create a login for each user’s domain user account.
Add the logins to the dbcreator server role.

Good luck on answering these questions and I hope you get them right. I will update you on my progress as I finish each test and I will give my feedback on the exams here. So keep checking back!

Hello and welcome back again…

After a little break I thought of what else people would be interested in and I thought about education. In my years of experience I have not seen an employer “want” or more to the point “request” a person that has an MCDBA. Employers seem to “want” people with “real world” experience as opposed to a “paper” DBA. Now the credential is a great idea by Microsoft and I am sure the certification gives employers the “warm fuzzies”. I can see the MCDBA helping a beginner obtaining a junior level DBA position or a seasoned DBA to getting a promotion.

I am all for education and getting as much as you possibly can. Not only does it benefit the employer indirectly but benefits YOU! I definitely believe the cost of the exams are worth it because it will benefit you in the long run. If you ever go for a job and it is between you and another candidate with the same experience chances are the employer will pick you because of the certification.

Let me know your take or opinion on the MCDBA certification!