for IT Professionals

Finalists from countries around the world will soon compete in the World Wide Imagine Cup 2009 finals, July 3-7 in Cairo, Egypt. As the world’s premier student technology competition, some of the world’s best and the brightest leverage technology to develop innovative solutions for real world problems including famine, healthcare and education.

Of the 149 teams advancing to the worldwide competition, 10 percent attend schools that are members of the Microsoft IT Academy program that enables academic institutions including colleges, universities and primary and secondary schools to purchase the latest software tools and Microsoft curriculum at affordable prices.

This year, Microsoft Learning extended several of IT Academy program tools to registered participants in the Imagine Cup 2009 competition.  Students responded with enthusiasm, with more than 3,500 tapping Learning Plans to help them meet their goals, more than 9,500 students logged almost 2,000 hours using e-reference libraries from Microsoft Press to dive deeply into the technologies in play. 

Winners of the U.S. Imagine Cup Finals (from left to right) Mark, Jimmy and, Luke Dickinson. Team Name: MultiPointWeb

For an article about students and faculty participants from this year’s competition, check out “Microsoft Gives Students the Tools to Build Skills and Make a Difference.” It provides insight into how the Microsoft ITA program is helping students develop skills that not only enable them to compete at a global level, but also compete in the real world of work.

You can follow the Imagine Cup on:

Recently I took my first Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS) test. I found the experience to be quite different from taking an IT Professional test, so I thought that I would share my experience. Throughout my description, I am going to compare my experience with Prometric testing, since that is what I am used to. However, if you are just interested in MCAS certification, you can ignore the comparisons and still find out how to take a MCAS exam.

First of all, what is a Microsoft Certified Application Specialist certification test. An MCAS test will test you on Microsoft Office applications or on Windows Vista. It is certification for the office worker. There are tests available for:

• Word 2007
• Excel 2007
• PowerPoint 2007
• Outlook 2007
• Access 2007
• Windows Vista

MCAS tests are administered by Certiport, not Prometric. Registration for the test is completely online. In order to take a test, you must first purchase a voucher to take the test. That voucher is good for any of the tests for Vista or Office 2007. You must purchase a different voucher if you want to test on previous versions of Office. At this time, each test voucher costs $89.

Note that at this point, all we have done is purchase a voucher. We still have not scheduled the test. To schedule the test, you must call the testing center directly. To find a testing center, go to http://www.certiport.com/Portal/Pages/LocatorView.aspx. Make sure that when you call the testing center that you specify that you are taking a Certiport test. This is because some Certiport testing centers are also Prometric and/or VUE testing centers which expect you to call the vendor to schedule a test. The testing center may charge you a proctoring fee to take the test. This fee will vary from center to center and is in addition to the test voucher fee.

My test consisted of 26 mini tests where I was given one or two tasks to do. The time allowed for the entire exam was 59 minutes. To get a feel for how a test looks, go to this web page: Test Demo The sample tests use Adobe Shockwave. The actual test uses a live version of the application that you are being tested on. (note: the only exception is the Vista test). Even though the sample tests are for Word 2002 and Excel 2002, the test format is still the same. The top portion of the window is a live version of the application, while the bottom portion shows the tasks that you must accomplish.

During the actual test you can skip a section. That section will be presented to you again after you have gone through all of the sections once, if you have remaining time. Unlike the Microsoft IT Professional tests available through Prometric, you cannot go back to a previous question once you click on the next button. My tip is if you get stuck on a section, skip it and go on to the next section. That way if you have time, you can try it again. Tasks are marked as correct if you have achieved the end result of the objective. For example, if the objective was to bold some text, it would not matter how you went about bolding the text. One test candidate may have made the text bold by right-clicking on the selected text. Another test candidate may have selected the text and pressed CTRL-B. Both test candidates would have the objective marked correct. The test would just check that after you hit the next button, the requested text was bold.

For help in studying for the MCAS certification, I highly recommend The Microsoft Certified Application Specialist Study Guide. This book is a study guide for every MCAS test except for Windows Vista. I found this book valuable because it highlighted the features of the program that are tested, but I do not use on a regular basis. If you need a book that will teach you the programs beyond just the test objectives, I highly recommend the Microsoft Press Step by Step series. For MCAS Applications, the books are:

• Microsoft® Office Word 2007 Step by Step
• Microsoft® Office Excel® 2007 Step by Step
• Microsoft® Office PowerPoint® 2007 Step by Step
• Microsoft® Office Outlook® 2007 Step by Step
• Microsoft® Office Access(TM) 2007 Step by Step
• Microsoft Windows Vista Step by Step

You can become a Microsoft Office 2007 Master by passing the tests for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

For more information on the Microsoft Certified Application Specialist, please check the following links:

Microsoft Business Certification (Microsoft.com)

Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (Certiport.com)

Microsoft Office 2007 Master (Certiport.com)

As I booted up my Windows Vista laptop today, my Automated Updates icon was trying to get my attention. There was one update waiting for me. It turned out to be Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Vista. A version of Service Pack 2 for Windows Server 2008 was also released.

As I searched the web for articles on the service pack, one thing became clear. Microsoft had been struggling with a release date for this service pack. Noted Microsoft watcher, Mary-Jo Foley, wondered  in her blog why, as of  May 21, had Microsoft not publicly released the service pack. Microsoft had released SP2 to manufacturing on April 28. In the Microsoft Update Product Team blog, it was announced on May 20 that the update would be available “in the coming weeks.” The service pack was also released to TechNet and MSDN subscribers.

System Administrators need to be aware of this update. If they do not want to deploy SP2 at this time, they will need to use the Windows Service Pack Blocker Tool Kit to prevent their users from installing it.

For more information about Service Pack 2 for Vista and Windows Server 2008, Check out this page on TechNet:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dd262148.aspx

For a summary of notable changes in service pack 2, see this link:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd335036.aspx

I really enjoy the Microsoft Press Step by Step series. The series is a great way for an IT Professional to get a simple beginner’s introduction to a Microsoft technology without being called a dummy. The Step by Step series can be very helpful for learning how to do something that may be new to or outside your regular work responsibilities. And during this difficult economic time, adding to your current skill set is a very good thing.

I also think that this is a great title to review since Microsoft announced earlier this year that SharePoint Designer would be available for free.

The book contains twelve chapters and 336 pages and is intended to be a starting point for learning how to build a solution on SharePoint. The solutions presented in the book could be deployed on a Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) or on a basic Windows SharePoint Server (WSS) installation. As a prerequisite, the author recommends that you have read Microsoft® Office SharePoint® Designer 2007 Step by Step by Penelope Coventry (Microsoft Press 2008) so that you have a basic knowledge of how SharePoint Designer works. However, if you are familiar with the Microsoft Office interface, you may be able to work the exercises in the book. The book includes a companion CD with practice files, an ebook of the title, an ebook of the Microsoft Computer Dictionary 5th edition, and the Windows Vista Product Guide.

One of the first features I noticed this time was the Chapter at a Glance feature which gives a visual overview of the chapter’s content. I liked how the pictures were screenshots of the actual software being used to illustrate the topic being covered. Page numbers are right next to the picture so that if a certain picture got your attention, you could turn to that page to get more details. This is really a terrific feature.

Chapters included looks at Master Pages and data views. I was especially interested in the chapters on Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) which control the format of the web pages, and the chapter on workflow. One of the powerful features of SharePoint is the Workflow Foundation which allows you to automate document routing. Again, the step by step book format simplifies the steps that you need to take to create a sample workflow and learn the basics of this powerful feature of SharePoint.

As a side note, in his introduction, Jansen gives us a look into Microsoft’s web tools product development. Microsoft has three web development applications and it can sometimes be confusing choosing which one to use. If you have ever used FrontPage, you will notice that SharePoint Designer looks a lot like FrontPage. That is because FrontPage became SharePoint Designer. The same development team also created Microsoft Expression Web and Web Express in Microsoft Visual Studio. Jansen explains that the main difference between SharePoint Designer and Expression is that SharePoint Designer can work with content specific to SharePoint and Expression cannot. To illustrate the different audience that each product is aimed at, Jansen provides this scenario. A developer creates a layout with with server controls on it. He hands the layout to an Expression web designer who creates the look of the page. The Expression web designer hands the page to the SharePoint Designer application builder to post to SharePoint.

This book is ideal for anyone that is interested in enhancing SharePoint web sites. Not only is the book good for developers who are just starting out enhancing SharePoint sites, but it is also good for the IT Professional Generalist who wants to understand more about how SharePoint sites are built and how to make simple enhancements.

Contents

1. Working with Web Applications
2. Working with SharePoint Sites in SharePoint Designer
3. Accessing the Styles Behind SharePoint Pages
4. Creating Layout with Cascading Style Sheets
5. Working with Master Pages
6. Creating Custom Navigation Controls
7. Creating Data Sources in SharePoint
8. Creating Data Views
9. Using ASP.NET and SharePoint Controls in Data Views
10. Using Parameters in a Data View
11. Customizing List Forms and Pages
12. Using the Windows Workflow Foundation

Today, Microsoft Learning’s Career Express begins its 11-day cross-country odyssey from Atlanta, Georgia to Tech Ed 2009 in Los Angeles, California.  Along the way, the Career Express will pick up six contestants who competed for a seat on the bus and admission to Tech Ed 2009.  As they make their way across the country led by Ken Rosen of Microsoft Learning, the Career Express will visit Microsoft Certified Partners for Learning Solutions, Microsoft IT Academies and other communities interested in learning about the potential for skills development to get a job, keep a job, or grow within their current job in the IT profession. 

You can follow the bus on the Born to Learn blog, Facebook or Twitter  (http://twitter.com/MSLearning).  If you’re interested in Twitter meet-ups, be sure to watch for the hashtag #tweetup. 

As the economic climate continues to impact IT pros around the world, it’s vitally important for individuals to enrich their skills, differentiate themselves, and maximize their impact within their organizations.  

For IT pros that have not taken a certification exam since January 1, 2007, Microsoft and Prometric are providing a limited offer to the first 4,000 individuals to help them gain their Microsoft Certified Professional status in the MCTS/MCPD/MCITP tracks.  You can find more information and register at www.prometric.com/microsoft.  The offer is available for customers who have taken their last certification exam prior to January 1, 2007.

So, come on back. Get certified again!

Microsoft Skills Week kicks off today and runs through Friday. As part of Skills Week, there will be more than 175 partner-led events in North America designed to help IT professionals and developers develop and validate their skills, network with industry leaders and achieve Microsoft Certified Professional status.

Microsoft Skills Week events will include the following skills development and career assistance programs as part of its offerings:

•Access to Career Assist. An offering through Microsoft Learning’s Second Shot Program. Second Shot gives individuals the opportunity to retake a Microsoft Certified Professional exam for free should they fail. The Career Assist Package gives individuals who register for Second Shot by June 30 the opportunity to purchase a Microsoft E-Learning Collection for $35 (U.S.) — a 90 percent price discount in most cases. The online programs provide specific tools to help users develop technical skills and prepare for Microsoft Certified Professional exams. The discounted collection purchased with the Career Assist Package will be available for 90 days after activation.

•Exam Crams. Quick study sessions to prepare individuals for Microsoft Certification exams.

•Live Meetings. Sessions with Microsoft technical specialists and legendary Microsoft Certified Trainers who will demonstrate technologies to enhance training and answer questions to enable individuals to prepare for examinations.

•Exam discounts. Opportunities to get certified on-site at events while saving up to 40 percent on exam fees.

More information on Microsoft Skills Week and local events is available at http://www.certificationweek.com.

(Info taken from Microsoft Press Release: http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2009/mar09/03-09SkillsWeek09PR.mspx)

If you have been following me on Twitter (which you will see on the bottom right of this page), you will know that I have been attending ComputerWorld’s Premier 100 IT Leaders Conference. (By the way, to see twitter posts relating to the conference, search on #p100)This has been a different kind of conference for me as the focus is the business of IT and not just the technology itself. The conference is in line with my studies, which is working toward a Master’s degree in Management Information Systems.

I have seen some great presentations from various CIO’s. The panel sessions yesterday were very valuable to me. The morning panel session focused on the economy and how it affecting doing IT. I especially like hearing from Viji Murali, Vice President for Information Services and Chief Information Officer, Washington State University and also one of this year’s Premier 100 IT Leaders. Since Ms. Murali is also from a public university, her comments had more relevance to my own environment. It seems that Washington and Florida (as well as most public universities) are all facing the same kind of budget crunch, as state funding dwindles in this economy.

The cloud computing panel yesterday afternoon will be helpful to me as I need to write a paper on the topic for one of my classes. I think the most important point that the panel agreed on was that cloud computing shows promise, but it is still in its embryonic stages. Cloud computing is good for projects that do not require much security.

My highlight from yesterday was a presentation by H. James Dallas. The presentation was entitled “The Need to Lead.” The presentation was Mr. Dallas’ advice to CIO’s based on his years of wisdom. His advice was good for anyone that wants to be a leader in IT.

I just wanted to post a blog update on the conference. I have taken a lot of notes and may try to post some of the ideas that I have recorded in my notes later. I will also publish a summary of today. But for now, back to the conference . . .

I just received the following phishing email message claiming to be from the Windows Live Team. If you receive this email, do not respond to it. Just delete the message.

Some of the indicators that this email is not legitimate include:

• Email address of the sender is a plain hotmail address
• Poor grammar, capitalization, and spacing.
• Asks for  too much personal information (Windows Live would not ask for your password, secret question, secret answer, and date of birth)

Here is the text of the message that I received:

Subject: Important Message Regarding Your Windows Live Account

From: Windows Live Team [zarjah@hotmail.com]

Dear Account User,
              This Email is from Windows Live Team Customer Care and we are sending it to every Windows Live Team Email User Accounts Owner for safety. we are having congestions due to the anonymous registration of  Windows Live Team accounts so we are shutting down some Windows Live Team accounts and your account was among those to be deleted.We are sending you this email to so that you can verify and let us know if you still want to use this account.If you are still interested please confirm your account by filling the space below.Your User name,password,secret question,secret answer,date of birth and your country information would be needed to verify your account.Due to the congestion in all Windows Live Team users and removal of all unused Accounts, Windows Live Team will be shutting down all unused Accounts, You will have to confirm your E-mail by filling out your Login Information below after clicking the reply button, or your account will be suspended within 24 hours for security reasons.
* YOUR NAME:
*USER NAME:
*E-MAIL ID:
*PASSWORD:
*VERIFY PASSWORD:
*ALTERNATE EMAIL ADDRESS:
*DATE OF BIRTH:
*COUNTRY/TERRITORY:
Warning!!! Account owner that refuses to update his/her account after two weeks of receiving this warning will lose his or her account permanently. We apologize.
Windows Live Team Account Service
Team Admin….

---

Access your email online and on the go with Windows Live Hotmail. Sign up today.

Check out this video from Tina Wood Summerford of Microsoft. This is the first of 30 weekly episodes going into the history of Microsoft.

For an accompanying timeline, you can go to:
http://channel9.msdn.com/shows/History/The-History-of-Microsoft-1975/