Server 2003 MCSE

JæKæ

Well lads,

I'm planning on doing an oul MCSE. So we're looking at 6 exams and one elective?
I plan on studying myself, both from doing practice tests and studying some materials I downloaded. I don't intend paying to do the courses.
I did the 'Managing and Maintaining Server 2003 Environment' course a year ago. I didn't do the exam, as they look like a right pain with all the trick questions, multiple choice qs etc.
But now I'm thinking I need an MCSE to get anywhere. I have 3 years experience with Server 2003, Exchange, AD etc.

Anyone go down the route of 'self-teaching' for these materials? Are we talking a lot of time that needs to be put in? Roughly.

Cheers

Feelgood

JæKæ wrote: »

Well lads,

Are we talking a lot of time that needs to be put in? Roughly.

Cheers

Depends on how disciplined you are with your study, by the sounds of things you not seen you didn't sit the exam after the course!!.

If you put the effort in every night, morning and waking hour you could get this done in 3-6 months....

If your serious about your career in I.T., fcuk MCSE's and spend the time studying networks, Unix or Oracle. Theres a million and one MCSE's out there, you sound focus on something that will give you a niche, unless of course you are interested in a career with Windows?.

JæKæ

Cheers, any specific course you would recommend?

Static M.e.

The MS exams arent that hard, you just need to learn\understand what they are asking you. Its often more tricker finding out what they are asking rather than the actual question.

You should try one of the easier MS Exams to get you use to what the exams are like, try the XP or Vista 620 exam to begin.

I only self study

If your serious about your career in I.T., fcuk MCSE's and spend the time studying networks, Unix or Oracle. Theres a million and one MCSE's out there, you sound focus on something that will give you a niche, unless of course you are interested in a career with Windows?.

Their are also a million and one windows jobs out there... but I know what you mean, working in a niche environment can get you better rewards but your jobs are also somewhat limited.
In my personal opinion, I find their is a huge mindset difference between someone who studies Network \ Databases \ Windows \ Unix \ Progamming although I can see the appeal for each.

OP, self study is a very viable option but it does require alot of commitment on your behalf. Although you do have 3 years Exp which will stand to you.

If you do go MCSE, I would start now incorporating exams from the New Microsoft exams tracks (MCTS) and use them in your MCSE 2003, that way you can easily upgrade in a few years if you decide you want too. Go on to the MS site and build a plan of the exams you plan to take, post it up here and ill have a look though it and see if I can add in some easy ones. Not all MS exams are the same as you can imagine.

tk123

JæKæ wrote: »

Anyone go down the route of 'self-teaching' for these materials? Are we talking a lot of time that needs to be put in? Roughly.

Cheers

I'm on exam 6 now - 2xAD and the Client exam to go - i left the client exam til last incase i go lazy and left it at MCSA!! It does take up a lot of time - well it does for me anyways. My method (thats worked so far) is to try and cover one chapter per evening or if it's really long winded I'll split it up. I have those index sticker things and mark anything i think is needed (or has exam tip beside it ) after that i hit the practice tests and figure out what I need to go over again or if I need to look up chapters in different books or practice with servers. In my last exam - 70-293 the MS book was a bit crap for some of the topics like PKI so I covered a few of the chapters from the Syngress book... I was using CBT nuggets for the first few exams but I've grown a bit bored of them now - I find that I take more in from the books. Def do one of the easier ones like 70-290 to get a feel for what to expect in the exam. They're not really 'trick' questions - really if you know your stuff the right answer will be screaming at you. Also you'll find there's a lot of crossover in the exams as well so as you progress thru them some topics easy enough..

Ginger

I am just finishing my MCSA, only have 70-291 to do. But I am a dev and I am finding this exam hard as its a while since I worked in AD design.

I have done all self study, with books, VMs and access to a massive commerical AD if I need to see concepts in practice.

You need to be dedicated and have access to the software.

_CreeD_

VMWare Server and Msoft's 3 month Eval download of Server 2003 should sort your lab worries for free.
Even if you plan on going other routes, e.g. Cisco, you will often still have some interaction with Microsoft Server products - whether it's as simple as understanding their typical network traffic patterns or using CA and Radius services it definitely helps to have the MCSE knowledge.

JæKæ

Right, here's what I'm gonna tackle.
The 4 core networking ones, obviously:
70-290, 70-291, 70-293, 70-294
Core OS exam:
70-270 - XP

Out of the core design ones, I would rather the security one, 70-298, but is it much 'harder' than the AD one, 70-297?

Out of the elective ones, I'm thinking Exchange 2003, 70-284

Any thoughts? Most places just seem to require an MCSE (of any description), so I might as well choose the easiest path.

Any recommended example tests?

_CreeD_

JæK&#230 wrote:

Any thoughts? Most places just seem to require an MCSE (of any description), so I might as well choose the easiest path.

No offense but with that attitude you shouldn't bother. Certs are a necessity these days but If you have no personal interest in the material don't waste your time, find something else you might actually like studying.

kippy

JæKæ wrote: »

Right, here's what I'm gonna tackle.
The 4 core networking ones, obviously:
70-290, 70-291, 70-293, 70-294
Core OS exam:
70-270 - XP

Out of the core design ones, I would rather the security one, 70-298, but is it much 'harder' than the AD one, 70-297?

Out of the elective ones, I'm thinking Exchange 2003, 70-284

Any thoughts? Most places just seem to require an MCSE (of any description), so I might as well choose the easiest path.

Any recommended example tests?

Check your PM box.

Ginger

Maybe you should look at doing the MCSA route first which is only 4 exams.

2 Core 1 client & 1 elective

You can do the following

70-290 & 70-291
70-270 (XP)
70-620 (Vista)

That will give you an MCSA 2003 with MCTS Vista Config as well. From there you can see what specialisation you want to get into..

As _Creed_ said tho, designing it around the easiest just to get the certs is a bit pointless, part of the objective is to learn something here.

Practice exams.. only 2 legit ones out there are MeasureUp and SelfTest. But Transcender are also good. Testking are now legit due to legal wranglings but only for MS exams. Most of the others are in the either braindumps or unethical category

Use this to find out if any of your sample test providers are actually not legit, which as you all know if found will invalidate your test and most companies will ban you from sitting an exam with them again

JæKæ

Cheers, I may do the MCSA. I definitely won't be doing the Vista option though.
Anyone know the name of a useful Linux Sys Admin certification?

Ginger

RHCP .. i think

The Vista exam is possibly the easiest MS ever produced.. Its the entry level client exam..

You could do the SQL Server 2005 exam as well as your elective. I used the vista client exam as my client requirement as I already had the elective covered a couple of times due to other certs.

JæKæ

You're thinking of the chilli peppers! RHCE is it? Red Hat?
Is linux+ some half arse cert then, like A+?

Ginger

Chilli peppers .. linux .. alll the same to me.. its also 8:30 in the morning

Linux+ couldn't tell you about, but its from the makers of the A+ so I am guessing similar vein.

RHCE is teh Redhat one, I think Novell and LPI also do Linux based certifications..

Try this http://gocertify.com/faq/linuxfaq.shtml

_CreeD_

In the states the RedHat series are seen as higher end, the Linux+ has a little visibility but not much, the LPIC-1 is really becoming the defacto entry Linux cert (it's tougher than Linux+ but less so than the RHCA).

light123

Feelgood wrote: »

If you put the effort in every night, morning and waking hour you could get this done in 3-6 months....

If your serious about your career in I.T., fcuk MCSE's and spend the time studying networks, Unix or Oracle. Theres a million and one MCSE's out there, you sound focus on something that will give you a niche, unless of course you are interested in a career with Windows?.

Is each exam really this hard, ie 3-6 months???
Also I would be very interested in doing Linux Certs as I like using linux but I have no experience whatsoever. Would I get a job in that direction if I had a cert?
thanks,
Julian

Static M.e.

light123 wrote: »

Is each exam really this hard, ie 3-6 months???

No, I presume he\she is talking about the full MCSE.

From anyone I have to talked about linux certs the general opinion seems to be that for Linux \ unix jobs its more based on experiance than certs.

Windows is different its more based on certs, HR will look at your cv for an MCSE or CCNA as a minimum for the average Job.

light123

Hi,

Does it take 3-6 months for a mcse exam?

Also how long should it take to do Security+ and Network+ ?

Can people write in how it took them to complete these, thanks,

light123

Static M.e.

light123, its all very relative to what you know...

My first MCSE took 6 to 12 months because I had to learn everything as I went, I didn't have sufficent backround knowledge to grasp alot of the Design exams, it was difficult for me and put me off doing exams for another year after I completed it.

My last MCSE (MCITP/EA/SA) took me about three months to complete, I was waiting for the EA \ SA exams to be released.

Just reread your last answer, just to clarify an MCSE is 7 exams.

Sec + \ Network + about two weeks each

light123

ok that makes sense.

Now does having Security+ and/or Network+ help at all in getting work as I am having major trouble getting work

thanks

Static M.e.

They could help if you are looking for a junior position.

What type of Job are you looking for?

What stage are you at? just finished College\leaving Cert\Fas Course\looking for a change in carear.. the list goes on

Its all very vague at the moment and hard to give to any sort of decent advice.

You should create a new post similar to this one

Jaoibh

Hey

If your thinking of doing the MCSE at the moment or MCSA make sure you sit the vista one. At least if you decide to do your upgrades to MCITP you wont have to do it again. any of us unlucky gits who have completed the MCSE course and plan to upgrade have to do an additional Vista course before we can qualify