Tips and Tricks for
Getting Vista Certified
1-800-COURSES
www.globalknowledge.com
Expert Reference Series of White Papers
Introduction
This white paper will explain the new certification streams for Windows Vista offered by Microsoft and the
launch of an exciting new Boot Camp offered by Global Knowledge: the Microsoft Certified IT Professional:
Enterprise Support Technician Boot Camp. It will describe the Boot Camp in detail—what areas of the
Windows Vista operating system you need to know in order to pass the exams, and what exams are required
for certification. Most importantly we are also going to tell you how to have success when attending a Boot
Camp, what tips and tricks you need to know to properly prepare, attend, and pass. But first, a little back-
ground information.
Before the MCITP Certification
The first specialized certification designed for client support personnel started a few years after Windows XP
was released and was called the Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician. The overall goal of this certifi-
cation stream was to certify desktop technicians could properly support Windows XP end users. This overall
skill set included the knowledge to run Windows XP with a good understanding of the core features plus the
ability to troubleshoot the Windows XP operating system and the bundled core applications such as Outlook
Express and Internet Explorer.
You were required to pass two exams in order to become an MCDST. The first exam, Supporting Users and
Troubleshooting a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System Exam (70-271), dealt with the operating system
installation, maintenance and troubleshooting. The second exam, Supporting Users and Troubleshooting
Desktop Applications on a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System Exam (70-272), tested you on overall con-
figuration and setup.
Passing these two exams made you a Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician as well as a Microsoft
Certified Professional; (passing just one certification exam awards you the MCP designation.)
Note: And you can still become an MCDST for Windows XP as these two exams are not going to be retired.
Microsoft will continue to support the MCDST; in fact Windows XP is due to be supported for a few more
years; even if you can’t purchase Windows XP, support will be around for five years or so.
MCITP vs. MCDST:What’s Changed?

Note: For the purpose of this white paper, we’re not going to discuss the consumer support technician certifi-
cation. Instead, we’re primarily going to focus on the MCITP: Enterprise Support Technician. We’re also going
to discuss the single exam that you can take that allows you to become a Microsoft Certified Technology
Specialist, a great starting point certification to get started with Windows Vista if, after reading this white
paper, you discover your skill set and experience might be better suited to this certification.
Regardless of what certification stream you choose, the Windows Vista certification exams are testing both
your book knowledge and, most importantly, your real-world experience with Windows Vista. In a nutshell, you
must demonstrate your expertise in deployment and maintenance of Windows Vista in either the consumer or
corporate world, depending on the certification you wish to achieve.
MCITP: Enterprise Support Technician
The global knowledge enterprise support technician Boot Camp is expecting two types of students; some stu-
dents will already be certified in Windows XP Professional, and will just require one exam, that’s the 70-621
exam. Other students will have good knowledge of Windows XP Professional but won’t have the MCDST certi-
fication; in this case, it will be necessary to take the exam, 70-622.
Copyright ©2007 Global Knowledge Training LLC. All rights reserved.
Page 3
Don’t have your MCDST? Start with 70-
622
If you haven’t taken the MCDST certification,
then your starting point is exam 70-622 Pro:
Microsoft Desktop Support – Enterprise.
Once you pass this exam you will be an MCITP.
The types of technical professionals focusing
on this exam have worked for a number of
years in an enterprise environment that already
uses Windows Vista. Microsoft expects that you
will also have experience with previous ver-
sions of Windows clients and also have some
background and experience in Windows Server
operating systems.

•Troubleshoot and configure user account control
•The new Event Viewer, and event forwarding
•Configure and troubleshoot network protocols, connectivity issues, wireless networking, and network
security
•Software restriction policy configuration and setup
•Windows imaging
•Upgrading your certification from MCDST to MCITP Enterprise Support
Microsoft anticipates that the technical audience for this exam will have experience with Windows XP; after
all, you already have a certification indicating this skill set. It is also assumed that you have experience with
Windows XP clients that are connected to a Windows Server, or Active Directory operating system. Combined
with this background you should have real experience deploying Windows Vista, configuring and setting up
security, and troubleshooting network connectivity issues.
Microsoft also expects that since you have several years’ experience working as a Tier -2 level, or perhaps a
lead desktop support technician role, that you won’t be rattled by a variety of troubleshooting questions of the
various levels of complexity. Expect the focus of this exam to be the ability to solve problems and not just
knowing where to start troubleshooting.
I’m an MCDST: Upgrade your MCDST Certification to
MCITP Enterprise
If you hold the MCDST certification, then passing the upgrade exam 70-621 PRO grants you the MCITP
Enterprise certification.
Note: If you work in an environment where it may be handy to have both the MCDST and the MCITP, then
you could first choose to take the two exams for the MCDST (Supporting Users and Troubleshooting a
Microsoft Windows XP Operating System Exam (70-271), Supporting Users and Troubleshooting Desktop appli-
cations on a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System Exam (70-272)), and then take the upgrade exam to
receive your MCITP enterprise certification
The 70-621 upgrade exam tests your knowledge on the following topics
• Installing Windows Vista
• Configuring and troubleshoot after installation issues
• Managing Windows Vista security
• Setup and troubleshoot networking