Fantastic Four aka four (+1) fantastic resources for MCSA Windows Server 2012 (Updated)

By Sarah Morgan

Do you want to get the knowledge and skills needed to use Windows Server technology and earn your MCSA as well? Well, with the help of these resources you can do just that. Follow these sites and blogs and you’ll always be up-to-date on cloud-optimized networks, applications, and web services related to Windows Server 2012. 

Whether you’re interested in the latest virtualization features, new storage capabilities or networking management you’ll find useful content on the following sites. What’s more, you will also find exam tips and preparation guides that help you pass your exams and get your certification.

Microsoft Virtual Academy

Who could possibly be more resourceful than the very creators of the certification? Microsoft Virtual Academy (MVA) offers a wide range of resources to help you learn and prepare for your MCSA Windows Server 2012 exams.

With MVA, you have the opportunity to attend free online seminars and training, where Microsoft’s experts will answer all the questions you may have.  Depending on whether you’re interested in Windows Server 2012 or the R2 version, you’re able to choose from topics, such as:

• Networking Fundamentals
• Understanding Active Directory
• Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials
• Windows Server 2012 R2 Virtualization
• Server Management and Automation

Prepare for Exam 411 with Microsoft Virtual Academy: 


For the full list of topics and online courses, visit Microsoft Virtual Academy.

Windows IT Pro

Windows IT Pro is the home to all the latest tips and news on Microsoft products, such as Exchange Server, SharePoint and of course Windows Server. Whether you’re looking for information about data protection, Hyper-V, disaster recovery or virtualisation, you’ll find it on here.

The latest articles on Windows Server 2012 featured news about testing Active Directory performance, installing .NET Framework 3.5 and using PowerShell to list RDS Sessions.

Apart from news, Windows IT Pro also hosts a forum, where industry professionals can exchange ideas and help each other by sharing tips and best practice. 

Are you preparing for your MCSA Windows Server 2012 exams? Watch this hour-long exam prep video to help you with Exam 70-410.

Born To Learn – 90 Days to MCSA

Born To Learn is Microsoft’s training and certification community and similarly to MVA, it offers a great deal of free resources directly from Microsoft and certified IT pros. The site features news, blogs, study groups and resource wikis for various exams. 

With the "90 Days to MCSA" initiative, you can dive in today and start preparing for your MCSA Windows Server 2012 certification. You can find exam prep videos for all three exams – Exams 410-411-412 – exam relevant discussion forums and resource wikis to help your preparation.

KeithMayer.com 

Keith Mayer is a Senior Technical Evangelist at Microsoft. With over 17 years of experience in leading complex IT projects, Keith is a certified professional in Microsoft technologies, such as Private Cloud, Windows Server, SharePoint, System Center, Hyper-V and Exchange.

Keith’s blog is a part of Microsoft’s TechNet Blogs and it features news, step-by-step guides, TechNet radio recordings, conference coverage and tons more!

If you’re looking for the latest updates to PowerShell and Hyper-V or free study guides for new MCSA exams, this blog is definitely deserves a bookmark.

Are you interested in some Windows Server 2012 tips and tricks? Watch this video:

UPDATE (29/05/14)

Due to popular demand here's one more excellent source for the latest news, tips and tricks on Windows Server 2012 R2: MGBleeds

MGBleeds is written by Mike Brown, Firebrand's Senior Microsoft instructor. Mike has almost two decades of experience in the IT industry, so his articles about Dynamic Access Control,  Hypver-V Virtual Switch Security and Failover Clustering are definitely a must-read for all Windows Server enthusiasts and IT pros.

Make sure you follow Mike's blog, as well as his Twitter profile @mgbleeds for the latest news on Microsoft's hottest products.

About the Author:       
Sarah writes for Firebrand Training on a number of IT related topics. This includes exams, training, certification trends, project management, certification, careers advice and the industry itself. Sarah has 11 years of experience in the IT industry.