It seems like nobody can get enough of Microsoft's e-learning offerings these days, particularly since new items keep popping up like mushrooms after the rain. The most recent free offerings in the e-learning area is a set of two clinics on Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2, as it's more familiarly known), one for IT professionals (particularly system and network administrators) and the other for software developers.
The particulars on these two clinics are as follows:
* Clinic 2851: Deploying and Administering Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 targets admins in enterprise and medium-sized business environments. The course covers security features, potential end user impact, deployment preparation and implementation techniques and post-installation management.
* Clinic 2853: Developing and Maintaining Applications on Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 covers how XP SP2 feature may impact applications, specifically in relation to Visual Studio .NET and SP2 development environment configuration issues.
I'm particularly intrigued with the first admin clinic, because it provides the first solid clues as to what one might expect on anticipated updates to exams that include Windows XP coverage (70-270 first and foremost, but also most of the Windows Server 2003 exams, including 70-291, 70-293, 70-294, 70-298, and 70-299). Topics like knowing and understanding SP2 security enhancements, related GPO settings and capabilities, detailed deployment considerations, and slipstreaming SP2 into new installations all seem particularly important in this regard.
Nobody can argue that the price isn't right, either!
If you have questions or concerns about MS certification, or suggestions for topics you'd like to see covered, please e-mail me at etittel@techtarget.com.
Ed Tittel is a long-time certification follower. He's series editor for Exam Cram 2, a popular assembly of cert prep books from Que Publishing, and a contributing editor for Certification Magazine. He also covers certification topics for InformIT.com, and numerous other TechTarget Web sites.
