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Acknowledgments
I would like to acknowledge the great staff at Wiley. You always make a good book great. Specific thanks go out to the technical and copy editors who worked hard to make this a great book. Thanks to all of you. Additionally, I would like to thank my family, who tolerated me through yet one more book and this one in particular as the writing schedule was definitely one that consumed a lot of my time. You are all amazing. Finally, I want to thank God for giving me the strength to write this book and undertake every other endeavor in life. Thank you.
About the Author
Tom Carpenter is a consultant and trainer based out of Marysville, OH. He is the founder and current Senior Consultant for The Systems Education and Consulting Company (SysEdCo). SysEdCo provides training on Microsoft technologies, wireless networking, security, and IT professional development. Tom is the author of several books on topics ranging from wireless network administration to SQL Server database administration and optimization. Tom holds several certifications, including MCITP: SQL Server 2008 Database Administrator, CWNA, CWSP, Project+, and several additional Microsoft certifications. He spends every spare moment he can with his amazing wife and children. You can reach the author by writing to .
Introduction
Windows computers are important tools used on modern networks. They are used to send and receive emails, create documents, and use intensive business applications. Computer support administrators are in high demand and modern technologies such as virtual desktops and cloud computing have only increased the importance of the support professionals job.
The Microsoft Technology Associate Certification
The Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) certification is a certification provided for entry-level professionals and those with long careers in the industry who have never acquired a certification credential. It includes three separate tracks: Information Technology (IT) Professional, Developer, and Database. The IT Professional track is for individuals pursuing work as administrators. The Developer track is for individuals pursuing work as programmers and software engineers. The Database track is for individuals pursuing work as database administrators and database developers.