The aim of the Microsoft 70-417 exam is to test the skills and knowledge of an individual needed for getting the MCSA: Windows Server 2012 certification.

The Microsoft 70-417 certification exam is intended for those IT professionals who would like to validate their Windows Server 2012 implementation skills. To qualify for this test, one must have already earned the relevant certifications regarding Windows Server XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000, or Windows Server 2008.

The 70-417 exam has been updated so that it covers the latest technology related to Windows Server 2012 R2. To ensure that it is achieved, Microsoft saw it necessary to breakdown the overall test into 3 individual exams: 70-410, 70-411, and 70-412.

• Exam 70-410: This exam is an update of Microsoft 70-417, which tests the candidates’ knowledge in a wide range of areas, including configuring features, server roles, and Hyper-V, administering and installing AD, as well as configuring and installing servers.
• Exam 70-411: The essence of this section of the Microsoft 70-417 certification test is to check whether you can configure and manage Group Policy and AD, configure network services, access, and a network policy server (NPS) infrastructure, as well as deploy and manage server.
• Exam 70-412: This exam is designed to ensure that the candidates are in a position to configure storage and file solutions, as well as network services. Besides, they must know how to implement disaster recovery solutions that guarantee business continuity, configure and guarantee high availability, and configure access solutions.

Preparing for this exam is not as easy as preparing for the other Microsoft certification tests. Due to the detailed nature of the test, the students are strongly advised to set aside considerable amount of their time for proper studying. In most cases, those who want to take the exam already have day jobs that keep them busy. You will find it necessary to squeeze out as much time as possible from this busy day to train properly.

The Microsoft 70-417 exam costs $165. In the event of a fail, one can retake it 14 days after the first attempt. In this case, he/she has to pay again.