Exam Profile MCTS 70-448: Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Business Intelligence Development and Maintenance

Date: Sep 11, 2012

This article profiles the Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Business Intelligence Development and Maintenance (MCTS 70-448), meant to be taken by those who are responsible for creating business intelligence (BI) solutions by using Microsoft SQL Server 2008 for their organizations. Pearson IT Certification provides a variety of exam preparation tools to help our customers in their quest for certification. As part of our service to you, we have developed this Exam Profile series. Each profile is developed based on the testing experience of one of our trainers or authors. You won’t get exact questions or answers, but you will get a real feel for the exam. Each profile describes question forms, trouble spots, hints for exam preparation, and recommendations for additional study resources. Find out what you can expect to see on the exam and how you can better prepare for it.

The 70-448 exam is meant to be taken by those who are responsible for creating business intelligence (BI) solutions by using Microsoft SQL Server 2008 for their organizations. The prerequisites that Microsoft recommends for those who want to take this exam are:

One to two years of experience working with the Microsoft .NET Framework
Two to three years of experience using SQL Server 2005 BI components
Six months to one year of experience using SQL Server 2008
Experience using the SQL Server 2008 Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS)
Experience using Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)
Knowledge of relational and multi-dimensional database schemas
Experience creating and deploying a cube in SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS)
Experience creating and deploying a data mining model in SSAS
Experience writing relational and multi-dimensional database queries
Experience creating and deploying SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) reports
Experience authoring and deploying SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) packages
Experience debugging, monitoring, and troubleshooting BI solutions

After you pass the Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Business Intelligence Development and Maintenance exam 70-448, you will have completed the requirements for Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS): SQL Server 2008, Business Intelligence Development and Maintenance certification.

Exam Details

Number of Questions: Approximately 50 questions (Since Microsoft does not publish this information, the number of exam questions may change without notice.)
Type of Questions: This test format is multiple choice.
Passing Score: 700

This passing score does not mean that you must answer 70 percent of the items correctly in order to pass the exam. The actual percentage varies from exam to exam and may be more or less than 70 percent. There is no penalty for guessing. No points are deducted for incorrect answers. If a question specifies that you must choose multiple correct answers, you must choose the exact number of correct answers specified in the question in order to earn a point for that item. Some of the questions on the exam may not count toward the calculation of your score. Microsoft will often throw a question in that is meant to gather data that will help them improve the exam.

Time Limit: 120 minutes
How to Register: You can register for the exam at Prometric.com

Trouble Spots

As with any exam, it will vary from person to person as to what is deemed to be difficult. Be sure you are familiar with each of the topics in the exam objectives listed below.

SQL Server Reporting Services[md]Reporting Services was initially released in 2004 as an add-on to SQL Server 2000. SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is a simply a report generation software system. SSRS is used to prepare and deliver a many different interactive and printed reports and is administered using a web interface. SSRS is included in Developer, Standard, and Enterprise editions of Microsoft SQL Server as an install option.
SQL Server Integration Services[md]SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is used to perform migration tasks. It can perform fast and flexible data extractions in a data warehousing environment. This is a tool that can be used to automate tasks such as maintenance of SQL Server databases.
SQL Server Analysis Services[md]Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services is part of Microsoft SQL Server. It allows data mining functionality for business intelligence applications. Analysis Services supports online analytical processing (OLAP) by allowing the user the ability to design, create, and manage multidimensional structures that contain data obtained from data sources such as relational databases.

Preparation Hints

Review the Exam Objectives below and make sure that you are familiar with them. The Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Business Intelligence Development and Maintenance exam is designed for those who have experience in this environment. Always check the Microsoft site for the specific exam you are going to take. In this instance, the site is http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exam.aspx?ID=70-448.

There are many web sites and blogs that can help you to research topics, but be careful to fully research the information you read. It is not advisable to try to find sites that list questions and answers for several reasons. First, you don’t know if you will be asked a specific question and second, the answers given in a blog may be inaccurate and third, you need to understand the information to adequately prepare.

When taking the exam, read each question carefully. Microsoft is notorious for adding a lot of unneeded information in their questions. Make sure that when you click on a choice, that it is really marked. Be careful clicking anywhere on the screen. I found that by inadvertently clicking near the scroll bar on the right of the screen, I actually changed an answer. You get a single piece of paper and a marker for writing. You can use a small amount of time before you even start the exam to make notes once you enter the test area. Sometimes there is even a questionnaire at the beginning of the test that does not count against your test time. You can even use this time to write down notes, facts, tables or other information by taking your time between answers.

Recommended Study Resources

MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-448): Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Business Intelligence Development and Maintenance (Self-Paced Training Kits) by Erik Veerman, Teo Lachev, Dejan Sarka

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Exam Objectives

The exam objectives are broken up into five different categories. The 70-448 exam measures your ability to accomplish the technical tasks listed below.

The percentages indicate the relative weight of each major topic area on the exam. The higher the percentage, the more questions you are likely to see on that content area on the exam.

The objectives for Exam 70-448 as stated by Microsoft are as follows:

Implementing an SSIS Solution (17 percent)

Implement control flow.

This objective may include but is not limited to: checkpoints; debug control flow; transactions; implement the appropriate control flow task to solve a problem; data profiling and quality.

Implement data flow.

This objective may include but is not limited to: debug data flow; implement the appropriate data flow components.

Implement dynamic package behavior by using property expressions.
Implement package logic by using variables.

This objective may include but is not limited to: system variables; user variables; variable scope.

Implement package configurations.
Implement auditing, logging, and event handling.

This objective may include but is not limited to: use system variables for auditing; use event handlers; propagate events; use log providers; data profiling.

Extend SSIS packages by using .NET code.

This objective may include but is not limited to: use the script task; use the script component; use custom assemblies.

Configuring, Deploying, and Maintaining SSIS (15 percent)

Install and maintain SSIS components.

This objective may include but is not limited to: implement disaster recovery for SSIS.

Deploy an SSIS solution.

This objective may include but is not limited to: deploy SSIS packages by using DTUTIL; deploy SSIS packages by using the deployment utility; deploy SSIS packages to SQL or file system locations.

Manage SSIS package execution.

This objective may include but is not limited to: schedule package execution by using SQL Server Agent; execute packages by using DTEXEC; execute packages by using SQL Server Management Studio; execute packages by using the SSIS .NET API.

Configure SSIS security settings.

This objective may include but is not limited to: MSDB database roles; package protection levels.

Identify and resolve issues related to SSIS solution deployment.

This objective may include but is not limited to: validate deployed packages; deploy packages and dependencies between servers.

Implementing an SSAS Solution (21 percent)

Implement dimensions in a cube.

This objective may include but is not limited to: translations; attribute relations; hierarchies.

Implement measures in a cube.

This objective may include but is not limited to: measure groups.

Implement a data source view.

This objective may include but is not limited to: named calculations; named queries.

Configure dimension usage in a cube.

This objective may include but is not limited to: implement reference dimensions; implement many to many relationships; implement fact relationships; implement role-playing relationships; define granularity.

Implement custom logic in a cube by using MDX.

This objective may include but is not limited to: actions; key performance indicators (KPI); calculated members; calculations.

Implement data mining.

This objective may include but is not limited to: implement data mining structures and models; query data mining structures by using DMX; data mining views.

Implement storage design in a cube.

This objective may include but is not limited to: aggregations; partitions; storage modes; proactive caching.

Configuring, Deploying, and Maintaining SSAS (17 percent)

Configure permissions and roles in SSAS.

This objective may include but is not limited to: server roles; SSAS database roles; cube roles; enable client application access; implement custom access to data.

Deploy SSAS databases and objects.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Deployment Wizard; BIDS; SSMS; SSIS Analysis Services Execute DDL task.

Install and maintain an SSAS instance.

This objective may include but is not limited to: disaster recovery

Diagnose and resolve performance issues.

This objective may include but is not limited to: use SQL Profiler; performance monitor counters; DMVs; Usage Based Optimization Wizard.

Implement processing options.

Implementing an SSRS Solution (17 percent)

Implement report data sources and datasets.

This objective may include but is not limited to: query types; dynamic data sources; filter location (dataset vs. query).

Implement a report layout.

This objective may include but is not limited to: apply conditional formatting; page configuration; headers and footers.

Extend an SSRS solution by using code.

This objective may include but is not limited to: custom .NET assembly; private code.

Create an SSRS report by using an SSAS data source.

This objective may include but is not limited to: MDX in an SSRS report; DMX in an SSRS report.

Implement report parameters.

This objective may include but is not limited to: databound parameters; multi-value parameters.

Implement interactivity in a report.

This objective may include but is not limited to: drilldown; drillthrough; interactive sorting.

Implement report items.

This objective may include but is not limited to: matrix; table; chart; image; list; grouping.

Embed SSRS reports in custom applications.

This objective may include but is not limited to: use the Windows Forms Report Viewer; use the Web Forms Report Viewer; use the SSRS Web service.

Configuring, Deploying, and Maintaining SSRS (13 percent)

Configure report execution and delivery.

This objective may include but is not limited to: subscriptions; report caching; schedules; snapshot history.

Install and configure SSRS instances.

This objective may include but is not limited to: deploy an SSRS Web farm

Configure authentication and authorization for a reporting solution.

This objective may include but is not limited to: configure server-level and item-level role-based security; configure Windows authentication and custom authentication.

Deploy an SSRS solution.

This objective may include but is not limited to: RS.exe scripts; Report Builder; BIDS.

Configure SSRS availability.

This objective may include but is not limited to: key management; migrate SSRS databases.

Where to Go from Here

After you pass the Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Business Intelligence Development and Maintenance exam, you may want to take PRO: Designing a Business Intelligence Infrastructure Using Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Exam 70-452.