Last week I got a beta exam invite for exam “70-688 Managing and Maintaining Windows 8” (in beta it is 71-688). As with most beta exams lately, you only have max two weeks to prepare and there are no books available yet that you can use to study. Therefore I start with looking at what skills are being measured and if there are preparation guides available. From there on I start looking for relevant learning resources for each subject and adding them to the skills that are being measured for easy future reference.
I hope it is useful for you as well.
Exam content and preparation information
- 70-688 Managing and Maintaining Windows 8 Skills Measured
- 70-688 Managing and Maintaining Windows 8 Prep Guide
Generic resources
- Windows 8 Techcenter (check the explore, plan and deliver tabs)
- Windows 8 IT Pro forums
- Gearing up for the Windows 8 launch: Best Windows 8 Resources
Skills measured updated with links to learning resources
Skills measured
This exam measures your ability to accomplish the technical tasks listed below.The percentages indicate the relative weight of each major topic area on the exam.The higher the percentage, the more questions you are likely to see on that content area on the exam.The information after “This objective may include but is not limited to” is intended to further define or scope the objective by describing the types of skills and topics that may be tested for the objective. However, it is not an exhaustive list of skills and topics that could be included on the exam for a given skill area. You may be tested on other skills and topics related to the objective that are not explicitly listed here.Skills being measured
Design an Installation and Application Strategy (25%)
- Design an operating system installation strategy. This objective may include but is not limited to the following design considerations:
- Windows To Go
- Operating system virtualization
- Native VHD boot
- Multi boot
- Upgrade vs. migration
- Windows 8 Upgrade Paths
- User State Migration Tool (USMT) Technical Reference
- Choosing a deployment strategy (high-touch, lite-touch, zero-touch)
- Install, Deploy, and Migrate to Windows 8
- Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit for Windows 8, Windows 7 and Internet Explorer 9
- Windows Deployment with the Windows ADK (Assesment and Deployment Kit)
- Design an application strategy for desktop applications. This objective may include but is not limited to the following design considerations:
- Application compatibility using Client Hyper-V
- Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
- Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) 6.0
- App-V
- Application updates
- Depends on used virtualization technologies.
- Group policy
- Windows Intune
- System Center Configuration Manager
- 3rd party software deployment tools like Altiris
- Application co-existence
- Depends on used virtualization technologies, infrastructure and how it is configured (RDS, VDI, RemoteApp, Hyper-V, etc).
- Application reputation
- Internet Explorer 10 management
- Internet Explorer 10 Technet including FAQ, Internet Explorer Administration Kit (IEAK), Internet Explorer Compatibility Inspector and Group Policies
- Design an application strategy for cloud applications.This objective may include but is not limited to the following design considerations:
- Microsoft Office 365
- Metro applications
- Restricting Windows Store content
- AppLocker
- Internal content
- Skydrive Pro
- Microsoft Azure
- Office 365, Sharepoint Online, Exchange Online, Project Online, etc.
- Design a solution for user settings.This objective may include but is not limited to the following design considerations:
- User profiles
- User State Migration Tool (USMT) 5.0
- Windows Easy Transfer (WET)
- Windows Live integration
- Folder redirection
- User experience virtualization (UE-V)
Maintain Resource Access (27%)
- Design for network connectivity.This objective may include but is not limited to the following design considerations:
- IPv4 and IPv6
- Name resolution
- Wireless
- Network security
- Network settings
- Design for remote access.This objective may include but is not limited to the following design considerations:
- Off-network use and management
- Windows Intune
- DirectAccess
- Locally installed apps
- VPN
- Metered networks
- VPN
- RDP
- See Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
- DirectAccess
- Remote administration
- Off-network use and management
- Design for authentication and authorization. This objective may include but is not limited to the following design considerations:
- Manage data storage.This objective may include but is not limited to:
- Resolve data storage issues
- Manage pools
- Manage data availability using BranchCache
- Manage data security.This objective may include but is not limited to:
- Manage share/NTFS permissions for storage spaces
- Configure EFS
- Configure security for removable media
- Manage BitLocker and BitLocker To Go
Maintain Windows Clients and Devices (27%)
- Manage hardware and printers.This objective may include but is not limited to:
- Resolve hardware and device issues
- Sync devices and resolve sync issues
- Monitor and manage print servers
- Manage mobile devices.This objective may include but is not limited to:
- Resolve mobility issues
- Manage mobile device policies including security policies
- NFC
- secure SIM
- remote access
- Manage mobile access
- Manage Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync in mobile devices
- Design a recovery solution.This objective may include but is not limited to the following design considerations:
- PC refresh/reset
- Windows 7 file recovery / Disk image backup
- Recovery drive / Windows Recovery Environment (WRE)
- System restore, can also restore using Windows Recovery Environment
- User files including local files
- Folder redirection
- Roaming profiles
- Skydrive Pro
- File history
- Windows 7 file recovery / disk image backup
- How Windows 8′s Backup System Differs From Windows 7′s
- Third party tools/cloud backup
- SkyDrive, and file history
- User profile settings
- Roaming profiles
- Application settings
- Roaming profiles
- Windows 8 / Modern UI apps
- Manage endpoint security.This objective may include but is not limited to:
- Resolve endpoint security issues
- Action Center
- Windows Defender
- Windows Firewall
- Support Questions about Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 for Configuration Manager and Endpoint Protection
- 3rd party security software
- Manage updates using Windows Update
- Windows Update
- WSUS (Windows Server Update Services)
- Configure Windows Update clients
- System Center Configuration Manager
- 3rd party tools like Shavlik or SolarWinds Patch Manager
- Manage client security using Windows Defender
- Manage client security using the Microsoft System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection client
- Configure application reputation / smart screen
- Resolve endpoint security issues
Manage Windows 8 Using Cloud Services and Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (21%)
- Manage clients by using Windows Intune.This objective may include but is not limited to:
- General information
- Manage updates and update groups
- Configure the company portal
- Monitor on-network and off-network machines
- Off-network machines refer to machines that are not connected to the corporate network. Instead they can be managed when they are connected to the internet using cloud services like Windows Intune.
- Manage asset inventory
- Manage public cloud services.This objective may include but is not limited to:
- Manage Windows Live services including Trusted PC, storage, SkyDrive/Live Mesh apps, and groups
- Implement Office 365 using the Office 365 Desktop Setup
- Manage Office 365
- Monitor and maintain clients by using MDOP. This objective may include but is not limited to:
- Remediate startup issues using the Diagnostics and Recovery Toolkit (DaRT)
- 10 IT Pro Pain Points Simplified with MDOP
- Monitor clients using System Center Desktop Error Monitoring (DEM)
- Manage the App-Vclient
- Manage BitLocker and BitLocker To Go using Microsoft BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM)
If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment.
