Meryl's Notes Blog

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You won’t see people sweating while doing 100 push ups, running in the pouring rain and taking their physical fitness beyond their limits. There is no bugle blowing at 5:00 AM. Heck, no one dresses alike at geek boot camp. It may not have such physical challenges, but it’s demanding like a traditional boot camp with a different focus.

For 14 straight days, geeks and geek wanna-bes gather in a classroom for a crash course on the subjects covered in the camp. Subjects depend on the selected session. Paul attends the session covering Windows 2000 network, server, administration, and security; MS SQL Server; and Windows Server 2003 upgrade. He takes two exams on exam day in the following order:

70-210 and 70-214
70-215 and 70-220
70-217 and 70-218
70-216 and SYO101
70-228 and 70-229
70-292 and 70-296

For details on the exams, go to Microsoft’s Certification Web site. The odd exam ID is from CompTIA and it covers Security+. The exams start easy and progress to the hardest.

First week

The class spends the first four days learning real world solutions and doing labs based on real world situations so they could apply what they were learning. Afterwards, they return to their rooms to do more learning by reading until their eyeballs fall out.

How’s this for irony? Everyone in the class is an experienced IT professional except for one person who receives a job with Microsoft during the first week of the class. This guy has no or expired certification, but his knowledge of three languages landed him the job.

The night before the test, it isn’t surprising to find a student up until 3:00 AM studying. The fifth day is test day and everyone passes, feeling more energized and ready to tackle more tests. More reading, and then tests again the next two days.

Everyone passes again. Only twice during this boot camp do two students fail, but they immediately re-take the test and pass. This is allowed under Microsoft’s rules and the school’s rules. The students begin racking up new titles all in one week… MCP and MCSA. To them, it feels longer. A few days after the first week, they gain more titles: MCSE, and MCSE Security +.

The toughest tests

Then comes MS SQL. This is a monster for the class because they have to learn some programming and the students are into networking and servers. Luckily, they’ve got a teacher who knows his stuff and gives them what they need and no more. The teacher has over 30 certifications, owns several businesses and plans to start a school.

On MS SQL test day, I anxiously wait for the news of the test results. This is the second longest wait with the last test day being the longest of them all. Finally, I get an email from Paul who announces he is an MSDBA! I breathe sigh of relief that had to have been heard throughout the third floor where I work.

By now, Paul is burned out. For the first time in almost two weeks, he doesn’t have to study and crashes early that night. The teacher has told the students he has taken the Windows Server 2003 tests four times before he finally passed. Before you call him an idiot, understand a couple of things: he did it on his own and Microsoft made 2003 tests the hardest to keep the number of certified individuals low.

The last day

Paul stays up till 3:30 AM studying for the 2003 tests, which occur on a Satuday. I know his test starts at 8:30 AM and how much he has to take it. An hour after when I thought he should have been done, I have yet to hear from him and grow uneasy. Finally, I hear from him and he reports he has passed one and failed the other. Immediately, I slump.

He makes me feel better by telling me everyone in the class has failed one test. He sends an email saying he will leave shortly. With all three kids at home, I leave the computer to do the usual mom stuff. He calls a few minutes later and my daughter talks to him. She tells me that he wants me to check my email. I told her I already know he failed one test and yadda yadda. She repeats.

Back to the computer, I find another email from Paul with the subject: Teacher’s name, that SOB (jokingly!). The message says, “Everyone passed. He pulled the wool over our eyes.” I scream and tell the kids their Dad has passed. The older two clap and cheer. Note: though everyone has passed, some pass by the skin of their teeth with the minimum score needed.

Final thoughts

Yes, it’s an expensive course and thankfully, we receive a loan to pay for it. It is worth it. When you’re a busy adult with kids, it’s difficult to make time for a regular class once or twice a week, do homework, and take a test. A boot camp is like quickly pulling a band-aid off. It hurts for a minute and it comes with the bonus of nine certifications. How it affects his career will come in a future article after he wakes up.

List of exams taken:

Exam 70-210: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional

Exam 70-214: Implementing and Managing Security in a Windows 2000 Network Infrastructure

Exam 70-215: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows 2000 Server

Exam 70-220: Designing Security for a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network

Exam 70-217: Implementing and Administering a Microsoft Windows 2000 Directory Services Infrastructure

Exam 70-218: Managing a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Environment

Exam 70-216: Implementing and Administering a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Infrastructure

SYO101 – CompTIA Security+

Exam 70-228: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition

Exam 70-229: Designing and Implementing Databases with Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition

Exam 70-292: Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment for an MCSA Certified on Windows 2000

Exam 70-296: Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment for an MCSE Certified on Microsoft Windows 2000

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