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There’s no better way to prove your competency a specific IT role than attaining the relevant certification.Thankfully, Microsoft is committed to ensuring you achieve all your certification goals hassle-free and propel your career to a whole new level within a relatively shorter duration.This article describes 70-461 exam which is one of the 3 exams required to attain associate-level Microsoft MCSA 70-461 Practice Test. As this credential continues to be popular around the world, you might be interested in learning more details about the registration and retake policy, and, most importantly, how to pass the exams.

70-461 Exam

Microsoft 70-461 exam: Querying Microsoft SQL Server 2012 is first of the 3 exams included in MCSA: SQL Server 2012/2014 certification path. The other two are 70-462 and 70-463. 70-461 exam authenticates the skills necessary to perform various tasks related to queryingMicrosoft SQL Server.

SQL Server 2012 is so important that almost all top organizations currently use it in most of their operations. What does this mean to job seekers? Well, it creates an implication that Microsoft SQL Server skills are currently in high demand. However, it shouldn’t be assumed that these organizations will employ anybody for the sake of filling up the positions.It is still necessary to possess the relevant skills to stand a chance of getting employed by these top organizations.

Productivity at the workplace matters for most organizations. Right? Thus, it is not surprising that hiring managers made the certification a basic requirement for such positions. Fortunately, attaining this certification is no brain surgery.With good preparation and hard  work, you can pass your certification exam at your first attempt.

Now, let’s see the details of 70-461 exam.

Validated Skills

70-461 exam validates your skills in a wide range of areas that can be summed up to four major sections. These include working with data, modifying data, creating database objects, and optimizing and troubleshooting.  Each of the aforementioned areas holds a specific weight in the ultimate exam.

Work with Data

This section makes up about 25-30% of the exam.It is known to test various aspects of SQL skills such as implementing sub-queries and data types, managing and querying XML data, data querying using SELECT statements, and implementing aggregate queries.

Modify Data

This section is 20-25% of the entire exam.It tests your ability to work with functions, combine databases, and create stored procedures. Besides, it also verifies if you can use UPDATE,DELETE and INSERT statements with regard to data modification.

Create Database Objects

Just like the second topic, this section also makes up 20-25% of the whole test. It specifically tests your ability to create DML and triggers, design views, alter DML triggers and views in addition to using T-SQL to create tables.

Optimize and Troubleshoot

This is the last part of Microsoft 70-461 exam that accounts for 25-30% of the whole test.Good knowledge of error-handling, optimizing queries, and managing transactions is mandatory in order to cope with this section.

Preparation Options

If Microsoft were a human being, then it would have been such a nice mother. A mother who is always committed to providing for her children even in the toughest moments. As a top certification provider, Microsoft is committed to ensuring you attain all your certification goals by passing 70-461 exam.

The company attempts to achieve this feat by providing a variety of useful resources to aid your exam preparation.Ranging from exam prep videos to instructor-led training, books, and practice tests, there’s is always something for everybody on the Microsoft official website.

Practice Test

Consider taking a Microsoft official practice test on the Microsoft website.Practice tests enable you to know the weak points that need much practice prior to taking your 70-461 exam. Evaluate your preparedness, learn how to manage your time during the test, and calm down before the actual exam – all with the help of practice tests.

Instructor-Led Training

Certified IT professionals will take you through 70-461 exam in just five days.The20461C: Querying Microsoft SQL Server course breaks down 70-461 exam into an easily digestible form for easy understanding.

Top Web Resources for your 70-461 Exam Preparation

With so many training platforms currently available online, there is never going to be a reason for failing your 70-461 exam.Combining the Microsoft preparation materials with the resources provided by other top websites is the best way to attain even higher grades.PrepAway website is just one of the many websites to find valid training materials for 70-461 exam.

Free Microsoft 70-461 Exam Questions

The updated Microsoft 70-461 exam questions are also found at the PrepAway website. Even though these questions are not the exact ones that you will meet in the ultimate exam, they give you a feeling of the actual exam environment and the possible question formats.In a nutshell, these exam questions are designed to help you pass your certification exam fast and hassle-free.

Enrollment

After successfully completing your exam training, you can register at the Microsoft website at any time.To enroll for the exam, you need to pay an exam fee of $165 after which you can take your exam from almost any location while being monitored by the proctored method via a webcam.

The last thing you can ever wish for is failing your exam because you were unprepared.For instance, you will have to wait for up to 14 days from the day of your first attempt to retake the exam while making a fresh payment of $165 for any retake. Not to mention the amount of time and other resources you will be wasting in the process.

Bottom Line

The ball is now in your court as they say.This article has extensively highlighted what you need to know about 70-461 exam to help you kick start your certification journey and achieve your goals in the long run.Upon completion of your MCSA: SQL Server 2012/2014 certification you can proceed directly to the expert-level MCSE: Data Management and Analytics. The journey can be challenging, but using the above tips will enable you to pass your exam quickly and make yourself relevant in the ever-changing IT industry.