Finally, I am now Microsoft Certified!

June 30, 2009 has been marked in my calendar.  It was on top of my to-do list this year. The item is now marked with a “check”. I just passed my first-ever attempt at a Microsoft certification – MCTS: SQL Server 2005 Implementation and Maintenance.

Although I have some actual experiences on the database (core maintenace & reporting services), I was not confident going for the exam. The main reason was SQL Server is a big thing. There is so much to learn. I know I had to focus on the essentials. But I did not know what was the scope of the “essentials”.  Yes, I have bought and studied the Microsoft Press Self-Paced Training Kit on 70-431 and spent substantial times studying on Microsoft SQL Server site, SQL Server Pedia, SQL Authority, BOL, etc; but, in the end, I had to rely on my real world experiences on SQL Server.

I don’t believe I could have ever passed the exam without the experiences I have with SQL Server. I now know why IT people take pride on their having passed these certifications. It’s a fruit of a personal effort. One reason is that the preparation for the exam compels one to sit down and study. My preparation for this one necessitated me to dig into the SQL Server features.  I stepped out of the normal bounds of my task list. Now I am ready to take full responsibilities and serious commitments (I now have a humble proof of my skills)!

Now that I am certified, I feel a deeper sense of wanting to learn more!

(More posts on MS Certification to come!)