An Overview of Microsoft 98-364 Exam and Tips to Prepare

Have you always wanted a career in technology and didn’t know where to start? Earning a Microsoft Technology Associate certification can be a great beginning point. MTA certifications are broad and validate core skills in a specific technological area. For instance, for database enthusiasts, the entry-level exam you should consider is Microsoft 98-364. Passing this exam earns you an MTA certification in database fundamentals and you could decide to continue learning and enhancing your skills as a database developer or database analyst.

Examsnap.com  you can decide whether to take this exam, it is crucial for you to know what to expect. This is important for every aspiring IT professional. You don’t want to begin your certification journey only to realize that a certain path wasn’t right for you. Here is a detailed look at what Microsoft 98-364 exam entails and some tips that can help you ace it easily. 

The database basics learned in this exam are based on Microsoft SQL Server. However, most of the skills earned can be applied to any relational database. The exam is available in a variety of languages including English, simplified and traditional Chinese, Italian, Korean, Russian and Spanish, just to mention a few. It costs $127 and you can expect to find various types of questions testing both theoretical knowledge and your hands-on prowess with the related technologies. 

This Microsoft exam can be delivered through academic or commercial outlets. If you a student or trainer in an academic institution and want to book your exams, you should register with Certiport. For people who are already working and continuing with education, you will sign up with Microsoft and use commercial outlets to learn. Then, you can schedule your exam with Pearson VUE.

Some of the topics you will cover are described below. It’s important to note that each topic area has some weight attached to it and this will be demonstrated by the number of questions you find in the exam.

Under this topic, you will be introduced to a table, its fields and records as well its relationship with data stored in a database. You will also learn about relational database and management systems. It’s a topic that carries about Prepaway 20-25 percent of the exam and will also cover data definition and manipulation languages (DDL and DML, respectively). 

This chapter delves on selecting data types, creating tables and views as well as creating stored procedures and relevant functions. Among the questions you find in the exam, 20-25 percent of them test your knowledge in this subject.

This topic covers the key points about database security that you should know. You will know the reasons behind securing a database, what objects you can or should secure, and the roles of different user accounts. You also cover backup types and database restore. You should prepare to answer 10-15 percent of the total questions related to database administration.

Under this topic, you will learn about database normalization, three types of keys used in database and indexes. The exam contains 15-20 percent of questions about data storage.

If you are going to store and retrieve information in a database, you should know how to work on it. This exam will contain approximately 25-30 percent of questions about selecting, inserting, updating and deleting data from either single or multiple tables in a database.

By completing this exam and passing, it will be expected that you know fundamental database concepts, can create database objects, store and manipulate data and administer a database. 

The level of preparation you undertake before sitting for a test will determine the results. For this exam, Microsoft offers two training options. You could choose an instructor-led training that takes about 3 days. Instructor-led learning may happen in a classroom by registering with a Microsoft training partner within your area. Another option is to choose a recorded instructor and learn at your pace. You could also prepare using Microsoft’s official teaching content which includes exam practice tests. 

Since you are seeking to find in-depth training and hands-on labs for your practice, consider other resources. For instance, in Examsnap, Amazon, and ExamSnap, you will find resources like exam dumps, books and training courses that you can use for learning and practice. The most important consideration here is to find resources that are trustworthy. 

There are many good reasons for considering this course. As mentioned earlier, you gain entry into a technology field that is related to databases. Once here, you could pursue higher certifications and enhance your career. 

Currently, Microsoft credentials fall under three categories – fundamental, associate and expert (earlier they include MTA, MCSA, MCSE, and MCSD levels). New role-based certifications have been presented, thus, on the fundamental level, the following three certifications are available: Microsoft Certified Dynamics 365 Fundamentals. Microsoft 365 Certified Fundamentals, and Microsoft Certified Azure Fundamentals. Though some certifications, such as MCSA Cloud Platform, MCSA Linux on Azure, MCSA Windows 10 among many have been retired, and some are going to be retired, the MTA certification, as well as some MCSA and MCSE credentials, are valid and you can opt for them. Having fundamental skills places you in a better position when considering higher certification paths. Thus, with MTA credential, you can apply for the certification for the higher level, for example, MCSA SQL 2016 Database Administration. For that, you’ll need to pass two exams 70-764 and 70-765.

Besides, people skilled in technology earn well. According to Payscale, the least-paid certified database professional earns an annual salary of about $79K, according to PayScale website. Top companies absolving professionals skilled in this area include BT Americas Inc., Microsoft Corp, Bank of America and others.

With MTA certification comes a Microsoft Certified badge. This badge showcases your achievement. Additionally, professionals with such a badge get active job postings relevant to the certification and skills attained. 

Passing Microsoft 98-364 exam and gaining MTA certification proves your prowess in core concepts of database administration. Since Microsoft retired a majority of their old courses and have rolled their new role-based certification program, earning your MTA now means you are being exposed to the latest technology in the field. You will gain handy skills that you can apply in your current database-related role.