Introduction
This book is written for IT professionals who want to earn the MCSA: Windows Server 2012 certification. This certification includes three exams:
- 70-410 Installing and Configuring Windows Server 2012
- 70-411 Administering Windows Server 2012
- 70-412 Configuring Advanced Windows Server 2012 Services
Exam 70-411, the focus of this book, serves as the middle exam in the path to the Windows Server 2012 MCSA for those who are not currently Microsoft certified in an earlier version of Windows Server. This book is therefore written specifically for IT professionals who want to demonstrate that they have the primary set of Windows Server 2012 skills, relevant across multiple solution areas in a business environment, to reduce IT costs and deliver more business value. Starting in January, 2014, this exam covers topics that include new features and capabilities introduced in Windows Server 2012 R2.
The three exams—Exam 70-410, Exam 70-411, and Exam 70-412—allow you to earn the Windows Server 2012 MCSA from scratch, without any prior certification. Together, these three exams include 18 domains of broader skills and 62 more specific objectives. Because the exams are intended for individuals who haven’t yet earned Windows Server certification, the exams test new features in Windows Server 2012 as well as older features that haven’t changed since Windows Server 2008 or even earlier.
The 70-411 exam tests six domains, and 22 objectives that comprise the core knowledge needed to administer a Windows Server 2012 R2 infrastructure.
In order to create a book that is a manageable study tool, we’ve focused on covering primarily the new features and capabilities of Windows Server 2012 R2, while not ignoring likely test subjects that were introduced in earlier versions of Windows Server. This book covers every exam objective, but it does not cover every exam question.
Only the Microsoft exam team has access to the exam questions themselves and Microsoft regularly adds new questions to the exam, making it impossible for us to cover specific questions. You should consider this book a supplement to your relevant real-world experience and other study materials. If you encounter a topic in this book that you do not feel completely comfortable with, use the links you’ll find in the book to find more information—and then take the time to research and study the topic. Valuable information is available on MSDN, TechNet, and in blogs and forums.
