Hello, and welcome to Pluralsight. This module is entitled
AZ‑801 Exam Preparation and Protocol.
My name is Tim Warner. We have four learning goals in the second
module of the course. One, to expand your content knowledge; two, to
help you obtain practical experience; three, to develop your
test‑taking skills; and then finally, four, to determine your next
steps for certification.
As I've mentioned in the previous module,
this Introduction to Exam AZ‑801 bookends and complements, does not
duplicate, what I gave you in the AZ‑800 introduction. Please plan
on watching both of those intro courses regardless of which exam
you're currently studying.
I've developed this London Tower Bridge metaphor for
certification study over many years of experience as a test
taker and as a technical instructor.
The conceptual understanding for our purposes in the Windows Server Hybrid
Administration skillset means that we're relying principally on the Microsoft
Docs, and, of course, there's this Pluralsight training. This is the theory
that you need to understand to be successful in your careers, of course, but
then in a narrow sense on this certification. We also have practical skills.
This is applied conceptual understanding. Even though the Microsoft exams don't
currently, at least as of this recording in December 2021, have
performance‑based labs, ultimately, you need to know how to do the work. Having
just the conceptual understanding might get you through some technical
interviews,
but ultimately, either you know how to do the work or you don't. Practice
exam review, and note I'm not talking about illegal brain dumps, but
legitimate practice exam simulations, allow you to bridge conceptual
understanding with practical skills through the lens of the Microsoft
computer‑based testing instrument.
I've seen plenty of people, unfortunately,
over the years go into an exam session smiling and come out crying
because whereas they might have had lots of experience,
both hands‑on and conceptual experience,
they were blown away by the way that Microsoft
attempted to assess their knowledge.
So in summary,
I want you to think about balancing these three
interdependent skillsets, and don't neglect any of these three as you prepare for your exams.