New Visual Studio 2008 Certifications

Microsoft Learning have released six MCTS certifications on Visual Studio 2008. Two exams are required for each, just like for the 2005 track, and luckily the same code is required for all six, and it's the same core exam that was used for 2005 certifications.

The following core exam is required for all six certifications.
Exam 70-536: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 – Application Development Foundation

The actual certifications can be divided into two, ones which are the .NET Framework 3.5 versions of the previous tracks, and those wich are brand new technologies.

Similar to the previous ones are:

• MCTS: .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Forms Applications, Exam
• MCTS: .NET Framework 3.5, ADO.NET Applications, Exam 70-561
• MCTS: .NET Framework 3.5, ASP.NET Applications, Exam 70-562
  

Brand new technologies are:

• MCTS: .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Presentation Foundation Applications, Exam 70-502
• MCTS: .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Communication Foundation Applications, Exam 70-503
• MCTS: .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Workflow Foundation Applications, Exam 70-504

Most of these exams have not yet been released but should be available this month or next

Caching a WebService Call

<WebMethod(CacheDuration:=10)> _
Public Function HelloWorld() As String
Return "Hello World" & Now
End Function

The duration is defined in seconds.

MODL Certification Bootcamp

I've just finished attending my first ever Microsoft Offical Distance Learning Boot camp and I'm telling you it was excellent!! I must admit I was a bit apprehensive having to deliver a 30 minute presentation to what I was imagining to be a brick wall!!! Boy was I wrong I can honestly say it is certainly not a revamped E-Learning. First off, Microsofts Live meeting was an excellent tool for the job and I think without it, it just would not work. Engaging the others in the classroom with the annotation tools is just great, especially since I like to talk with my hands (go figure how you convey that over the web when they cannot see you!! ) Anyway I must say a huge THANK YOU to David Clarke at Toolwire who facilitated our session. You really have done a fantastic job of innovating the learning experience!! Also Ron and Henk were great MCT’s to deliver too, thanks for making the classroom so much fun. We really had fun with that highlighter tool I think!!!

Well now that the G(ather) part is ready, I can’t wait to see the EAR part come into place. The E-Learning is great, especially after having been prepped by the Virtual classroom. The online ‘Day in the life’ environment where you get to play on the ‘toolwire’ campus is also amazing. You get to use a real server and configure it with what you have learnt with a real life scenario all over the internet. Toolwire have put in over 1000 servers to support the hand’s on part!!!

Well I’ll certainly post more as this progresses, especially once the official result is out :) In the meantime check out the Microsoft Offical Distance Learning site for more details!!!

And these are the courses currently available.