OCS R2 Training Materials

Microsoft has released an OCS R2 learning Portal – you can find this at:  http://www.microsoft.com/learning/ocs2007/r2/default.mspx. It contains some training resources for OCS R2. However, the page is both already out of date, and is short on links. I have some more details to add to this page:

The OCS R2 Resource Kit is now available. I The book is good, but it appears rushed and needed a better technical editing. I am hoping to provide more assistance to the team writing the Wave 14 Resource Kit – but more about that (and about Wave 14) in due course.

The learning portal talks about an R2 exam – this is the same exam number as for RTM. This means that if you have already passed the earlier exam there’s no need to re-sit it. According to MSL the exam objective domain has not changed – but the questions have. Early experience with the updated exam suggests MSL needs to review and revise the exam as a matter of some urgency (which I understand is happening). So unless you REALLY need to take the exam now, I’d hold off a few weeks (months?) until those updates are completed. And if you DO need to take it now, ensure you train with a firm that understands the new exam and can help you to pass. Naturally, I’d suggest Global Knowledge.

The portal  discusses a three-day OCS R2 Ignite workshop. This is available and it a very good course. It’s needs three days however. I love delivering this material.

R2 is now in the field and customers should start to evaluate it. If you have not yet deployed OCS at all, R2 is a natural next step, but you should still evaluate it hard and carefully – make sure it is able to meet your requirements. If you have already deployed OCS RTM, you may not want to take on the work needed to upgrade to R2 – you will need a new OS platform and some extra hardware in order to carry out the upgrade. Waiting for Wave 14 may be preferable – but that depends on your requirements.

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