As anyone that has attempted this before will know by now, preparing for this is a challenge. First off, we are not talking about any flagship product, such as Windows Server, Exchange, SharePoint, Lync, etc. Therefore, there is not a lot in the way of literature, examples, or coverage.
However, during my journey in learning about and at the same time managing and maintaining FIM, as well as architecting solutions for my organization, I have come across a wealth of knowledge that would presumably help anyone trying to meet the exam objectives.
First, let me talk literature.
I must say that the book by David Lundell and Brad Turner, FIM R2 Best Practices Volume 1: Introduction, Architecture And Installation Of Forefront Identity Manager 2010 R2 is a fantastic resource. I have swallowed this book whole, and find that my understanding of WHY something should be done a certain way as regards FIM is largely guided by the directions of this book. It is a joy to read, concise considering the material, and yet sheds light on topics seldom found in TechNet or in forums. I found the most benefits in the topics surrounding capacity planning, general architecture planning, and service account security implementation. I highly recommend going through the entire book as it will give you very solid foundation on the architecture, installation, and initial configurations of FIM and its client.
In addition, many best practices and overall discussion can be found in the book Microsoft Forefront Identity Manager 2010 R2 Handbook by Kent Nordstrom. I found many interesting points, including some consultant suggestions during configuring FIM, that helped understand FIM in a deeper way. I especially liked the chapters on the seldom discussed topics around certificate management and smart cards.
Obviously, there is TechNet, which does help:
However, I found the following community supporter sites to be critical in getting more real-world knowledge on FIM:
There may be others, but those are the ones I frequent most. Of special mention is the user group, originated and supported by The FIM Team (Bob Bradley, Carol Wapshere, and the like). Their leadership and pioneering in IdM has been inspirational as well as extremely insightful. Anyone serious about FIM should already know who they are.
Finally, there are events and classes held by the Oxford Computer Group and BrightTALK held very often that assist in general understanding of IAM current topics like attestation, BHOLD, and governance.
Of course, taking the initial foundation course 50382: Implementing Forefront Identity Manager 2010 is highly advisable as a starter: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en-us/course.aspx?id=50382b
All in all, I continue to love/hate this paradoxical journey towards mastering FIM 2010 and its related solutions. I feel like the above would definitely assist any who would attempt exam 70-158, or who would just like to get a firm grip on IAM on FIM 2010 in general.
Hope this helps!
-jose the admin
Good luck and let us now your experience after you've done the exam (within the NDA of course :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm going to get both of those books, thanks for this write-up. I'll get back on here after I also take the exam and give some details on difficulty and what not.
ReplyDeleteHello everyone, and thank you for your comments! :) What I can say is that the exam is reasonable so long as you have explored the exam points as described by Microsoft. I will say that newer elements found in R2, such as reporting, BHOLD, etc. are NOT on the exam, so really focus on the core elements and understand the sync service (what are the actual processes during sync, import/export, precedence, schema, rules, joins, etc. Also be fully aware of the portal and FIM service, polices, SSPR, PCNS, etc. It is all covered to some degree, so I say implement and test every feature you can to be fully prepared. I did pass in January! :)
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