I’m currently studying for the Microsoft 74-409 exam: Server Virtualization with Windows Server Hyper-V and System Center, and have put together a list of resources which would be useful for anyone studying for the exam or interested in Hyper-V and System Center Virtual Machine Manager.
Microsoft are currently running a promotion at the moment and offering the exam free of charge (usually £99.00) if taken before 30th June 2014. See the link here for more details.
Microsoft Learning – Exam 74-409 Overview and Skills Measured
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en-us/exam.aspx?id=74-409
Technet Virtual Labs –
Part 1 – Microsoft Virtualization with Windows Server 2012 R2 & System
Part 2 – Microsoft Virtualization with Windows Server 2012 R2 & System
Exploring Hyper-V Server 2012 R2
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/virtuallabs/default
Free eBooks at the Microsoft Virtual Academy –
Introducing Microsoft System Center 2012 R2
Introducing Windows Server 2012 R2
Microsoft System Center: Building a Virtualized Network Solution
http://www.microsoftvirtualacademy.com/ebooks
Free Courses at the Microsoft Virtual Academy –
Server Virtualization with Windows Server Hyper-V and System Center
This was a 2 day live event hosted by Symon Periman and Corey Hynes and origially scheduled late 2013.
http://www.microsoftvirtualacademy.com/training-courses/server-virtualization-with-windows-server-hyper-v-and-system-center#?fbid=q8mRiPuv63r
Server Virtualization with Windows Server Hyper-V and System Center
There was a second 1 day event hosted by Symon Periman and Matt McSpirit originally scheduled 19th February 2014. I’m waiting to find out the link, but as it has not made it onto the MVA yet, but the Powerpoint Slides can be downloaded from my OneDrive link below.
Kevin Remde – Learn Microsoft Virtualization in Your Own Easy-to-Build Virtual Lab
This is a build guide and lab material that was used in the latest MVA course above.
http://blogs.technet.com/b/kevinremde/archive/2014/01/21/learn-microsoft-virtualization-in-your-own-easy-to-build-virtual-lab.aspx
My own OneDrive resources
PowerPoint slides from the latest MVA, a selection of free eBooks, and some useful MS Posters.
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=7EA28B0D43DBC377!122&authkey=!AJWb7AmNzQXI8-4&ithint=folder%2c.pptx
Yung Chou on Hybrid Cloud
http://blogs.technet.com/b/yungchou/archive/2011/08/23/system-center-virtual-machine-manager-vmm-2012-as-private-cloud-enabler-1-5-concepts.aspx
Keith Mayer – Step-by-Step: Build Your Cloud with System Center 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012 R2, Hyper-V and Windows Azure
http://blogs.technet.com/b/keithmayer/archive/2013/04/01/build-your-private-cloud-in-a-month-new-article-series.aspx#.UxM-9IUeTkB
Related Posts:
1. How to enable Windows 8.1 Windows 2012 R2 dual boot – boot to VHD
2. How to install Exchange 2010 (SP3) on Windows Server 2012
3. Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V Best Practices
4. How to install Exchange 2013 (SP1) on Windows Server 2012 R2
This is one of my most popular posts, so if you found it useful please share with your colleagues, like or leave a comment. Thanks, Carl.
Hello, thanks for the detailed post. Will this exam count towards any MCSE or MCSA certification? Or I will get Microsoft Certified Specialist in Hyper-V and System Center?
I am planning for MCSE: Private Cloud, so just asking as a doubt.
You get the MS: Server Virtualization with Windows Server Hyper-V and System Center Specialist certification. It’s a stand alone certification and doesn’t count towards the MCSA or MCSE, however, a lot of the content covered in the training is relevant to the MCSE: Private Cloud, so if you are aiming for that it would be worth getting a free exam voucher and having a shot at 74-409.
Cheers,
Carl
Wonderful. Thank you so much for the instant response Carl.
Hi Carl – Many thanks for putting together this ‘one-stop shop’ of suggested resources for the 70-409 exam. I’m just reading through the virtualisation guide manual, offered up by Kevin Remde in his ‘Learn Microsoft Virtualization in Your Own Easy-to-Build Virtual Lab’. I can’t help noticing that the first few exercises involve setting up a storage pool and tiered spaces – how is this possible when only using the lab recommended 200GB disk space for the hardware requirements? Many thanks, James.
Hi James, although you setup the storage pools and tiered spaces you don’t actually write much, if any data to them, so you can quite happily use dynamic disks. In a real environment the disks which make up the tiered storage would be physical SSDs and SAS/SATA disks but as it is a lab for testing you don’t need them.
Also I think i learnt just as much setting up the labs as I did using them. If you want to avoid setting them up the Technet Virtual labs peform exactly the same set of exercises.
Goodluck!
Carl
Hi Carl, thank you for the prompt response!
I think I’ll have a stab at setting the whole thing up at home – it’s nice to not have the time limit that is present within the virtual labs, as a means to go and review what has been done. Thank you again.
James.
Good luck, when i built mine I treated myself to a 256GB SSD, and used the instructions below to boot to vhd. It was quick, really quick!
https://www.oxfordsbsguy.com/2014/02/22/how-to-enable-windows-8-1-windows-2012-r2-dual-boot-boot-to-vhd/
Cheers,
Carl
thanks for the links to the resources and ur resources
Hi Carl – I finished off the last of the practice labs yesterday – do you know where I might be able to find any practice questions for the exam at all? I’m not having much look from Googling – did you run through any practice questions yourself? Many thanks.
Hi James, I wasn’t able to find any practice questions, however in my exam most of the questions were Hyper-V based, the next biggest percentage was about VMM, and then there were a few others on components of System Center and some about Active Directory. If you are confident working in Hyper-V and know your way around VMM then you should do ok.
Good Luck,
Carl
hi Guys, do you recommend taking training course with a live classes ? also if so can please direct me to the right centrelearning school to do that. this compnay paid , otherwise i would have done self study
Self study is a good option, but GlobalKnowledge were doing a discounted price for this course which would be worth a look.
Cheers,
Carl
thanks for the update.