Rob Farley

Rob Rob Farley has been consulting in IT since completing a Computer Science degree with first class honours in 1997. Before moving to Adelaide, he worked in consultancies in Melbourne and London. He runs the development department in one of Australia's leading IT firms, as well as doing database application consultancy and training. He heads up the Adelaide SQL Server User Group, and holds several Microsoft certifications.

Rob has been involved with Microsoft technologies for most of his career, but has also done significant work with Oracle and Unix systems. His preferred database is SQL Server and his preferred language is C#. Recently he has been involved with Microsoft Learning in the US, creating and reviewing new content for the next generation of Microsoft exams.

Over the years, Rob's clients have included BP Oil, OneLink Transit, Accenture, Avanade, Australian Electorial Commission, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, the Royal Borough of Kingston, Help The Aged, Unisys, Department of Treasury and Finance (Vic), National Mutual, the Bible Society and others.

Did you mean to come here? My blog is now at http://msmvps.com/blogs/robfarley



10 November 2005

Glutton for punishment

Sometimes I think I must be crazy. Today I signed up for two more SQL beta exams (thanks Andrew for putting me up for it). If I do well, then by Christmas I'll end up almost having a bunch of new Microsoft certifications. I'm now doing 4 exams. Nov 30, Dec 2, Dec 14 and Dec 16 (the exams are 431,441,443 and 444 if anyone's interested - I forget which order).

There must be something wrong with me. I don't even feel like I know very much about SQL2005 (yet!). And I'm not even a current MCDBA, only a MCSD. And it's been 4 years since I did my SQL2000 exam. Hopefully they'll get the other two exams out there at some point, so that I can hope to get MCITP right under my belt.

I do plan to do the MCPD stuff at some point too, but I do want to get the SQL stuff sorted as well. I probably should've taken the MCDBA exams ages ago, but I just didn't get around to it. Registering for beta exams just kinda forces the point.

Looking at this page there doesn't feel like much that is out of reach. I've never really been interested in the sysadmin ones (MCSE, MCSA, MCDTS). MCT interests me, as does MCLC. And that only really leaves the Architect one. But that's a whole different ball game, and one I doubt I'm ready for yet.

Why do I do this? It's not like I call myself "Rob Farley BA, BSc, BComp(Hons), MCP, MCSD, MCAD, MCSD.Net" (have I forgotten anything? probably...) Does anyone actually put those letters after their name? One day I might join the ACS, so then I'd be able to put MACS on there too. Feels late, and I'm going offline now... to dream of sitting exams I'm not prepared for.

Posted by Rob Farley at 9:55 pm