Fun with Longhorn Server and Kudos for MS Learning

Picture yourself lying on a sunny beach in Mexico. How did you get there? Well, you took the challenge to learn a little about Windows Server Longhorn (the successor to Windows Server 2003) and enter the Longhorn Champfest contest. If you’re interested in Longhorn’s virtualization, Terminal Services, Network Access Protection (NAP), and Web technologies, you can go to http://www.windowsitpro.com/longhorn/champfest/ and read up on the contest. Next you can go to http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver/longhorn/default.mspx and find out about the Longhorn technologies. Then you’re all set to take the quizzes and qualify to move on to the next round of play.

            Even though I’m not allowed to enter the contest, I took the quizzes. I think I aced the virtualization quiz and did OK on Terminal Services. We won’t talk about how I did on the IIS quiz. The quizzes are short and fun, and it’s a pretty painless way to learn a little about Longhorn. Try it and let me know what you think.

Microsoft Learning Is Learning

This week I have something good to report about Microsoft’s response to its customers. I like having good things to report.

Microsoft Learning was extremely quick to follow up on a complaint that the questions on test 70-291 were unrelated to study materials and real-life systems administration. Rob Linsky from the Microsoft Learning team personally worked with Greg, the person who had complained after failing the test twice. They went over the exam in great detail. As Microsoft told me, “

The goal is not only to ensure good customer service to Greg, but for the Microsoft Learning team to analyze his results [in comparison] to the preparation materials in order to identify specific gaps between the exam and the learning content so that, if need be, there can be corrective action. The Microsoft Learning team is also working with Tier 1 support to see if there have been any other complaints, to date this appears to be a one-off. The Microsoft Learning team is deeply committed to its customers and their satisfaction and success throughout the certification process.”

Greg told me he was actually quite surprised to hear from anyone at all after he complained. It’s nice to know that Microsoft Learning is working to ensure that the exams are hitting the mark.