Exam 70-673 TS: Designing, Assessing, and Optimizing Software Asset Management (SAM)

Published: November 4, 2008
Languages: English
Audiences: IT professionals
Technology: Windows Server 2008
Credit toward certification: MCTS

Skills measured
This 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. View video tutorials about the variety of question types on Microsoft exams.

Please note that the questions may test on, but will not be limited to, the topics described in the bulleted text.

Do you have feedback about the relevance of the skills measured on this exam? Please send Microsoft your comments. All feedback will be reviewed and incorporated as appropriate while still maintaining the validity and reliability of the certification process. Note that Microsoft will not respond directly to your feedback. We appreciate your input in ensuring the quality of the Microsoft Certification program.

If you have concerns about specific questions on this exam, please submit an exam challenge.

If you have other questions or feedback about Microsoft Certification exams or about the certification program, registration, or promotions, please contact your Regional Service Center.

Assess software asset management (SAM) programs by using the SAM Optimization Model (18%)
Define the scope of a SAM program assessment
Identify infrastructure groups and locations, estimated quantity of hardware and software assets, functional descriptions for each group, and key points of contact
Assess SAM processes throughout an organization
Assess infrastructure groups for the existence of documented SAM procedures, roles, and responsibilities
Assign maturity levels according to the 10 components of the SAM Optimization Model
Assign one of four maturity levels to each component
Perform a gap analysis between the current maturity level and the desired maturity level
Review assigned maturity levels, compare assigned maturity levels with desired maturity levels

Preparation resources
Software Asset Management Assessment
Microsoft inventory and assessment tools
SAM Assessment report workbook

Perform software license reviews (21%)

Collect and manage complete hardware and software inventories
Review an organization’s hardware and software inventory collection processes and data to ensure completeness
Validate inventory accuracy
Normalize software inventories and reconcile them against other data sources to verify the accuracy of specified license metrics, such as user counts based on HR employee records
Collect, validate, and manage license entitlement records
Gather, store, normalize, and validate license entitlement records; provide reports as needed
Perform a periodic reconciliation of software inventories and license entitlements
Reconcile software inventory data against software license entitlements data to determine and report license compliance status

Preparation resources
SAM and licensing
Taking inventory
Software and hardware spreadsheet template

Coordinate data collection technologies (21%)
Manage data collection
Identify machine type, agent installation requirements, collection schedules, and discrepancies between inventories; define data schemas; identify data storage locations; normalize the collected data
Coordinate data collection between operations groups
Facilitate data transfer and synchronization between various IT groups, validate data between these groups, and ensure that overall SAM processes are being followed
Manage data interfaces between disparate data sources
Identify the process of matching common fields, cross-referencing, determine whether an individual record in one data source requires the updating of other data sources by using manual or automated techniques; manage the data transfer process
Manage reporting
Gather requirements for general user and executive reports, generate and maintain periodic reports, maintain the infrastructure necessary for ad-hoc reporting requests

Preparation resources
Managing your data-collection packages

Design and manage a SAM program (19%)
Secure executive sponsorship
Identify stakeholders, create proposal materials, and obtain explicit executive authorization
Secure funding
Estimate operational costs in both consulting hours and employee time, create a project plan and budget, and obtain from each infrastructure group funding for each task that is associated with managing a SAM program
Design a SAM program
Identify resources and objectives for a SAM program, align resources with customer requirements and schedules, and coordinate acquisition strategies that may include optimization methods, such as software as a service (SaaS) and application virtualization
Implement a SAM program
Create a SAM stakeholder group to oversee the project; assess and benchmark the current state of SAM; implement technologies to support asset discovery; enhance purchasing processes to include storage and retrieval of license entitlement information; perform an initial license reconciliation; create policies, processes, and procedures to support SAM efforts; secure support from all associated departments; educate employees
Maintain a SAM program
Monitor adherence to the policies, processes, and procedures of an organization’s SAM life cycle; standardize SAM processes across all domains and organizational units; perform periodic license reconciliation; and provide ongoing SAM awareness training
Create and manage a SAM program improvement plan
Incorporate SAM analytical data into strategic IT and business unit planning; create detailed metrics and reports to measure SAM adoption, maturity, and adherence to plan; report return on investment (ROI), cost avoidance, and end-user satisfaction to all stakeholders; evangelize SAM maturity benefits

Preparation resources
Creating policies and procedures
Microsoft Licensing suggestions table
Maintaining SAM

Manage the software asset life cycle (21%)
Manage the acquisition process
Identify and manage approved and unapproved purchasing processes within an organization, identify suppliers, and manage software approval and receiving processes
Manage the deployment process
Validate the availability of software and licenses, select the correct media, specify the software identification characteristics, and track the deployment of software
Maintain assets
Manage software and hardware during the install, move, add, change (IMAC) processes throughout the software asset life cycle
Manage the retirement process
Identify hardware for retirement, retire software, harvest software licenses, decommissioning or destruction of storage media

Preparation resources
SAM Optimization Model
Software acquisition policy
Software use policy


QUESTION 1
How many years of experience do you have designing, assessing, and optimizing Software Asset Management (SAM)?

A. I have not done this yet.
B. Less than 3 months
C. 3-6 months
D. More than 6 months but less than 1 year
E. 1-2 years
F. 2-3 years
G. 3 or more years

Answer: A

Explanation:


QUESTION 2
Rate your level of proficiency with assessing SAM programs by using the SAM Optimization Model, including defining scope, assessing SAM processes throughout an organization, assigning maturity levels according to the 10 components of the SAM Optimization Model, and performing gap analysis between current and desired maturity levels.

A. Very High
B. High
C. Moderate
D. Low
E. Very Low

Answer: A

Explanation:


QUESTION 3
Rate your level of proficiency with performing software license reviews, including conducting inventories, validating and managing license entitlement records, and reconciling software inventories and report license compliance status.

A. Very High
B. High
C. Moderate
D. Low
E. Very Low

Answer: A

Explanation:


QUESTION 4
Rate your level of proficiency with coordinating technologies, including managing data collection, data interfaces between disparate data sources, and reporting.

A. Very High
B. High
C. Moderate
D. Low
E. Very Low

Answer: A

Explanation:


QUESTION 5
Rate your level of proficiency with designing, implementing, and managing a SAM program, including securing executive sponsorship and funding.

A. Very High
B. High
C. Moderate
D. Low
E. Very Low

Answer: A

Explanation:

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Exam 70-646 Windows Server 2008, Server Administrator

Published: April 3, 2008
Languages: English, German, Japanese
Audiences: IT professionals
Technology: Windows Server 2008
Credit toward certification: MCP, MCSA

Skills measured
This 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. View video tutorials about the variety of question types on Microsoft exams.

Please note that the questions may test on, but will not be limited to, the topics described in the bulleted text.

Do you have feedback about the relevance of the skills measured on this exam? Please send Microsoft your comments. All feedback will be reviewed and incorporated as appropriate while still maintaining the validity and reliability of the certification process. Note that Microsoft will not respond directly to your feedback. We appreciate your input in ensuring the quality of the Microsoft Certification program.

If you have concerns about specific questions on this exam, please submit an exam challenge.

If you have other questions or feedback about Microsoft Certification exams or about the certification program, registration, or promotions, please contact your Regional Service Center.

Planning for server deployment (15–20%)
Plan server installations and upgrades
Windows Server 2008 edition selection; rollback planning; Bitlocker implementation requirements
Plan for automated server deployment
Standard server image; automation and scheduling of server deployments
Plan infrastructure services server roles
Address assignment; name resolution; network access control; directory services; application services; certificate services
Plan application servers and services
Virtualization server planning; availability, resilience, and accessibility
Plan file and print server roles
Access permissions; storage quotas; replication; indexing; file storage policy; availability; printer publishing

Preparation resources
Guide for upgrading to Windows Server 2008
Installing Windows Server 2008
Install Windows Server 2008 server roles with Server Manager

Planning for server management (20–25%)
Plan server management strategies
Remote administration; remote desktop; server management technologies; Server Manager and ServerManagerCMD; delegation policies and procedures
Plan for delegated administration
Delegate authority; delegate Active Directory objects; application management
Plan and implement group policy strategy
GPO management; GPO backup and recovery; group policy troubleshooting; group policy planning

Preparation resources
Server Manager step-by-step guide: Scenarios
Delegating authority in Active Directory
Group policy planning and deployment guide

Monitoring and maintaining servers (20–25%)
Implement patch management strategy
Operating system patch level maintenance; Windows Server Update Services (WSUS); application patch level maintenance
Monitor servers for performance evaluation and optimization
Server and service monitoring; optimization; event management; trending and baseline analysis
Monitor and maintain security and policies
Remote access; monitor and maintain NPAS; network access, server security, firewall rules, and policies; authentication and authorization; data security; auditing

Preparation resources
Next-generation patch management: Introducing Windows Server Update Services
Performance and reliability monitoring getting started guide for Windows Server 2008
Server security policy management in Windows Server 2008

Planning application and data provisioning (15–20%)
Provision applications
Presentation virtualization; terminal server infrastructure; resource allocation; application virtualization alternatives; application deployment; System Center Configuration Manager
Provision data
Shared resources; offline data access

Preparation resources
Presentation virtualization with enhanced terminal services
Terminal services and Windows System Resource Manager

Planning for business continuity and high availability (15–20%)
Plan storage
Storage solutions; storage management
Plan high availability
Service redundancy; service availability
Plan for backup and recovery
Data recovery strategy; server recovery strategy; directory service recovery strategy; object level recovery

Preparation resources
Windows Server 2008—File and storage solutions
Windows Server 2008 high availability program
Backup and recovery overview for Windows Server 2008


QUESTION 1
You work as the Enterprise administrator at ABC.com. The ABC.com network has a domain
named ABC.com. The servers on the ABC.com network run Windows Server 2008 and all client
computers run Windows Vista.
The ABC.com network contains more than 3,000 computers. ABC.com wants to make use of
Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) updates. You thus need to setup the appropriate
storage mechanism so that it provides high availability.
Where should you store the WSUS updates?

A. In a storage subsystem as a RAID 10.
B. In a network load balancing cluster.
C. In a newly created Group Policy.
D. In a Distributed File System (DFS) link that is configured to utilize several replicating targets.

Answer: D

Explanation: You need to keep the updates on a Distributed File System (DFS) link that uses
multiple replicating targets. This will ensure that the updates highly available. The DFS contain the
following capabilities: views of folders and files, that is a virtual organization where those files
physically reside in a network.
Reference: Step 4: Set up a DFS share
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc708533.aspx


QUESTION 2
You work as the Enterprise administrator at ABC.com. The ABC.com network has forest with two
domains named us.ABC.com and uk.ABC.com. The functional level of the forest is set at Windows
Server 2008.
A new ABC.com security policy requires that the local guest accounts and administrator accounts
should be renamed. You have to ensure that the local guest accounts are disabled after it has
been renamed.
How can this be achieved?

A. By using a custom network profile.
B. By using a Group Policy object (GPO) for every domain.
C. By using a folder redirection on all the root domain controllers.
D. By using a ServerManagerCMD tool for the root main.

Answer: B

Explanation: You need to use Group Policy object (GPO) for every domain. With this you can
rename administrator accounts as well as renaming and disabling the local guest accounts.
Windows Server 2003 also permits you to modify the administrator account and guest account
names with a Group Policy.
Reference: HOW TO: Rename the Administrator and Guest Account in Windows Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816109


QUESTION 3
You work as the Enterprise administrator at ABC.com. The ABC.com network consists of a single
Active Directory domain named ABC.com. All servers on the ABC.com network run Windows
Server 2008 and all client computers run Windows Vista.
ABC.com has its headquarters in Chicago where you are located and a branch office in Dallas that
employs a number of helpdesk staff. You have to implement a new server named ABC-SR10 in
the Dallas office. The setup policy of ABC.com states that all helpdesk staff have the necessary
permissions to manage services. The helpdesk staff should also be able to configure server roles
on ABC-SR10. You need to accomplish this ensuring that the helpdesk staff have the least
amount of permissions.
How can this be achieved?

A. You should make the helpdesk staff, members of the global security group.
B. You should make the helpdesk staff, members of the Server Operators group on ABC-SR10.
C. You should make the helpdesk staff, members of the Account Operators group on ABC-SR10.
D. You should make helpdesk staff, members of the Administrators group on ABC-SR10.

Answer: D

Explanation: To add the helpdesk staff to the Administrators local group will give full
administrative access to an individual computer or a single domain. The user must be a member
of the Administrators group to change accounts or stop and start services or install server roles.
Reference: Using Default Group Accounts
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb726982.aspx
Reference: Securing the Local Administrators Group on Every Desktop
http://www.windowsecurity.com/articles/Securing-Local-Administrators-Group-Every-Desktop.html


QUESTION 4
You work as the Enterprise administrator at ABC.com. The ABC.com network has a domain
named ABC.com. The servers on the ABC.com network are configured to run Windows Server
2008 and the client computers run Windows Vista.
ABC.com has its headquarters in Paris and branch offices in London and Stockholm. You are in
the process of devising a file sharing policy to ensure standardization throughout the network.
Your policy needs to ensure that the ABC.com offices are able to access the files using the
universal Naming Convention (UNC) path. In the event of a server failure files should still be
accessible and the minimum bandwidth needs to be utilized.
You need to determine the components that need to be added to your policy?

A. You should add a DFS namespace that is domain-based and uses replication.
B. You should add the Hyper-V feature to your policy.
C. You should use failover clusters with three servers, one for each office.
D. You should add a DFS namespace that is server-based and uses replication.

Answer: A

Explanation: To comply with the CIO’s request, you need to use domain-based DFS namespace
that uses replication. To implement domain-based DFS namespace, the servers need to members
of the Active Directory domain. Furthermore, domain-based DFS enables multiple replications.
Multiple DFS replicas also provide some fault tolerance.


QUESTION 5
You work as the Enterprise administrator at ABC.com. The ABC.com network has a domain
named ABC.com. All servers on the ABC.com network run Windows Server 2008 and all client
computers run Windows Vista.
The ABC.com network contains a Windows Server 2008 failover cluster that in turn hosts a
database application. During routine monitoring you discover that the database application make
use of almost half of processor and memory usage allocated for it. You want to make sure that the
level of performance is maintained on the cluster.
How can this be achieved? (Choose TWO. Each answer forms part of the solution.)

A. By using the Windows System Resource Manager (WSRM)
B. The using event subscriptions.
C. By using the Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)
D. By establishing a resource-allocation policy for process-based management.
E. By establishing Performance Monitor alerts.

Answer: A,D

Explanation: You need to use Windows System Resource Manager (WSRM) and set up a
resource-allocation policy for process-based management. The Windows System Resource
Manager (WSRM) enables the allocation of resources, including processor and memory
resources, among multiple applications based on business priorities. You can set the CPU and
memory allocation policies on applications. Furthermore, Windows System Resource Manager
(WSRM) does not manage address windowing extensions (AWE) memory. It also does not
manage large page memory, locked memory, or OS pool memory.
Reference: Windows System Resource Manager Fast Facts
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/techinfo/overview/wsrmfastfacts.mspx

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