E X A M   D I F F I C U L T Y • What to Know • Study Tips • MCDBA Articles • MCSE 2000 Articles • Discussion Board Rate Exam DifficultyVery EasyEasyAverageHardVery Hard

Microsoft’s exam 70-028, “Administering Microsoft SQL Server 7.0” is a core requirement for the MCDBA (Microsoft Certified Database Administrator) on SQL Server 2000 certification. It is designed for candidates who “administer a Microsoft SQL Server version 7.0 database.” There is no specific prerequisite for this exam.

Exam 70-028 is also an elective for these other certifications: MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) on Windows 2000; MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) on Windows NT 4.0; and MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) + Internet on Windows NT 4.0.

This exam is moderately difficult and costs $125 USD.
It may be taken from Pearson Vue or Thomson Prometric.

At one time this exam provided no pass score other than Pass/Fail, but this is subject to change. “Beginning with the release of the Microsoft Windows Server™ 2003–related exams, Microsoft will provide numerical scores on exams. By the end of September 2003, most exams will have the new score report format, which includes this numerical score... The new scale requires a minimum passing score of 700 on all exams. The maximum score on the exams will vary depending on the complexity of the skills being measured.” - Microsoft Exam and Testing Procedures FAQ

Note that Microsoft does not document the format of a particular exam: “Microsoft exams might include adaptive testing technology and simulation items. Microsoft does not identify the format in which exams are presented.” In the past, though, this exam was form-based multiple choice with around 52 questions.

This exam is scheduled for retirement on June 30, 2004

The topics covered by this exam include:

• Planning
• Installation and Configuration
• Configuring and Managing Security
• Managing and Maintaining Data
• Monitoring and Optimization
• Troubleshooting