Microsoft exams

[RabbieBurns]

Im thinking of doing some MS exams. Whats the difference between the MSCA and the MSCE. How much do they cost? Do I just sit them online or do I need to do it through a center? Cheers!

[Gatt]

MCSA = Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator

MCSE = Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer

 

AFAIK, they all cost about £88.00 at the moment (Prometric)

the MCSA only requires 4 exams - MCSA on Windows Server 2003 Certification Requirements

the MCSE requires 7 exams - MCSE on Windows Server 2003 Certification Requirements

 

Passing a single exam makes you an MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional)

 

Once you pass an exam Microsoft email you with your Microsoft Certification ID allowing you access to the MCP site, and your transcript which gets updated each time you pass an exam), you also get to create your logo - so I have a nice MCP logo I can use now

 

I plan to get the MCSA first then do the extra exams for the MCSE

 

They all must be sat at a testing centre, Prometric seems to be the most common, not sure if Pearson VUE still do them?

[RabbieBurns]

Cool, cheers. I will look into doing the MSCA first. Ill have a look about here and see if anywhere does them. When you say £88 each, is that like 4x£88 and then 7x£88 ?

 

Ill get onto them soon, bored as hell just now. Cheers.

[rh91uk]

Ill have a look about here and see if anywhere does them. When you say £88 each, is that like 4x£88 and then 7x£88 ?

 

 

Yes - £88 per exam you take, so for MCSA 4 exams

 

When you book an exam with Prometric they give you a list to search for your nearest exam centre.

 

If you want any reccomendations for self study material, TranSignal stuff is always very good. Also ExamCram books.

[RabbieBurns]

I think ill be needing ebooks to be honest if they sell them, all ive got with me here is a laptop and a backpack, cant really be carting big books around with me. Gonna see if i can finish of my CCNA as well, but all my books for that are on a shelf back home too ;/

[rh91uk]

Definetly the Transignal stuff then. I got a load of their stuff off ebay which came on DVDS and were both lab books and video simulation tutorials.

[SYNACK]

If you are doing it in Australia it looks like they are AUD$180 each, here is a rundown of the MCSE course and the papers that you can choose to do:

MCSE Training - Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) - Microsoft Certification Training - SEEK Learning Australia

and here is one MCSA on Windows Server 2003 Certification Requirements

for MCSA, you just need papers that count for both if you want both.

 

The other thing to take into account is MSCE is really quite old now and is being phased out and replaced with the newer technology versions. You can do additional tests to upgrade your MCSE to the newer standards though. Additionally the MSCE is indefinate where as the newer ones are only valid for three years without recertification to combat the image that the MCSE papers have ended up with for some employers.

 

These are the new ones:

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/newgen/default.mspx

[cookie_monster]

I thought they changed the three year rule and it's now untill the end of the product lifecycle. I remember people saying that the early MCDST/MCTS/MCITP exams had the three year limit but when I did mine there was no mention of it. Edited June 1, 2009 by cookie_monster

[Kitkatninja]

I thought they changed the three year rule and it's now untill the end of the product lifecycle. I remember people saying that the early MCDST/MCTS/MCITP exams had the three year limit but when I did mine there was no mention of it.

 

The MCP/MCDST/MCSA/MCSE credential does not expire, the new MCTS/MCITP does retire at the end of the life of the product. Originally the MCITP was earmarked to be renewed every 3 years, however MS made a uturn on that and brought it inline with the MCTS.

 

For the laptop, make sure that it's powerful enough to run a few VM's (Servers as well as clients) if you're going to study for the MCSA/MCSE.

 

-Ken

[cookie_monster]

I thought that was the case. I'm not sure what the point is in retiring them at the end of the life cycle, they currently just stop offering the exams so people can't become certified on older products. Surely if somewhere is still running products that old and needs someone to migrate or whatever they can just ask for people that 'were' certified on Vista or whatever.

[RabbieBurns]

The MCP/MCDST/MCSA/MCSE credential does not expire, the new MCTS/MCITP does retire at the end of the life of the product. Originally the MCITP was earmarked to be renewed every 3 years, however MS made a uturn on that and brought it inline with the MCTS.

 

For the laptop, make sure that it's powerful enough to run a few VM's (Servers as well as clients) if you're going to study for the MCSA/MCSE.

 

-Ken

 

It will probably only run one at a time to be honest. Its just a wee compact business Vaio 11.1" .. Will work something out though.

[bulletproofbaba]

MCP/MCDST/MCSA/MCSE does not have a time limit, neither do the exam vouchers. I am studying these areas and have checked with my lecturer and IT institute. Best to do one section at a time, pass it and then move on otherwise there is lots of reading/referencing and confusion !! haha!! good luck to those who take it !

[RabbieBurns]

Ive recently been sent the "winter discount" prices from seek. And I dont think Ill be doing any of them. Way out my budget. Ah well.

[Kitkatninja]

MCP/MCDST/MCSA/MCSE does not have a time limit, neither do the exam vouchers...

 

Well the old track do not have an expiry date, but they do have a time limit as all exams. You can only gain the cred while the exams are still live.

 

The exam vouchers do have a time limit, 12 months from when bought. You can get "cheaper" vouchers that have an early expiry date.

 

-Ken

[mossj]

I'm also looking into getting a MCSA, but what level of difficulty are the exams?

 

For example I've been in IT Support for over a year. Almost exclusivly work with XP, exchange 03, server 03 (we have a server 08/some vista's). I can work with pretty much all of it, using common sense and knowledge (and very, very occasionaly the internet (usually troubleshooting the server/exchange)).

 

Would I need that much bookworming to get through the exam?

 

Are they more Technical, hands on? or horid written theory tests (I.E What does WAP stand for (p.s I know its Wireless Access Point) or what are the advantages of x over y?)

 

Also roughly how much does it cost to study if your doing it at home? on the cheap?

 

Thanks

Edited July 13, 2009 by mossj

[jamesb]

Multiple choice tests, with some simulations.

 

Books can be picked up from Amazon fairly cheaply, and its worth at least picking up the ExamCram and working through it.

 

While a lot of people say that the tests are easy and anyone could pass them I personally believe that without the background, you would probably have some difficulty. If you fail though you can always take a second shot, which gives you a free second attempt at the exam.

[cookie_monster]

While a lot of people say that the tests are easy and anyone could pass them I personally believe that without the background, you would probably have some difficulty.

 

The people who say that generally know the products well, if you don't it's hard anything is hard if you don't know the answers, simple as that.

The key is to read some test questions from exam cram and MS press this will get you in the MS frame of mind this is key as some answers may "seem" correct and indeed might be but MS might be looking for a certain answer probably related to how one of their products differ from other similar products (be it for better of for worse).

[big_nath]

I'm also looking into getting a MCSA, but what level of difficulty are the exams?

 

For example I've been in IT Support for over a year. Almost exclusivly work with XP, exchange 03, server 03 (we have a server 08/some vista's). I can work with pretty much all of it, using common sense and knowledge (and very, very occasionaly the internet (usually troubleshooting the server/exchange)).

 

Would I need that much bookworming to get through the exam?

 

Are they more Technical, hands on? or horid written theory tests (I.E What does WAP stand for (p.s I know its Wireless Access Point) or what are the advantages of x over y?)

 

Also roughly how much does it cost to study if your doing it at home? on the cheap?

 

Thanks

 

It depends on what you do in your day-to-day job . The client exam, either Vista or XP (70-620 or 70-270) you will probably find fairly easy. The other's depend on how much server work you actually do and to what level. I have recently certified as MCSA and i did these exams 70-270, 70-290, 70-291 and 70-284.

 

This is how i found them,

 

70-270 - Fairly easy, but still some suprises.

 

70-290 - I actually found this easier than the 270, but i do a lot of account administration.

 

70-291 - HARD, HARD, HARD. I don't have alot of experience with configuring DNS, DHCP etc.

 

70-284 - I found this one fairly hard also. But again i don't do that much exchange (just works most of the time).

 

The best books IMO are the MS press books, they come with a digital version of the book, exam voucher and some exam practice questions and it is probably a good idea to get some form of CBT too.

 

You will need to setup a test lab, i did this with VMware, as i don't have the space at home for physical machines.

 

For each exam i studied for about 2 hours a day (every single day) for about 2 month, then took the exam (the 291 and 284 took me about 3 months each).

 

Good luck!!!

Edited July 14, 2009 by big_nath

[mossj]

So it really depends on your RL experiance and they base there questions on situations rather than proper theory.

 

Would it be worth doing "Server 2003/Exchange 2003/XP/Vista" based courses considering the shift to "server 08/exchange 07/Windows 7(soon)"

[big_nath]

So it really depends on your RL experiance and they base there questions on situations rather than proper theory.

 

Would it be worth doing "Server 2003/Exchange 2003/XP/Vista" based courses considering the shift to "server 08/exchange 07/Windows 7(soon)"

 

Correct experience is key!

 

It depends what you use at place of work. If you have a 2k3 network then go down the MCSA/MCSE road. If you are on 2k8 then MCITP would be the path i'd choose. The same is true for the client exams if you use mainly Vista then do the 7-620 exam, if XP then do the 70-270.

 

If you choose the MCSA/MCSE path, you can easily upgrade to MCITP at a later date.

[mossj]

Thanks for all your help!

 

I think the route to go for:

 

MCSA specialization - MCSA Messaging on Windows Server 2003 - 4 exams

 

Then

Upgrade to Server 2008

MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Configuration - 1 exam (Same exam as below)

MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure Configuration - 1 exam (Same Exam as above)

 

Followed by

MCITP: Server Administrator on Windows Server 2008 - 1 exam

 

 

Should take a year or two to study for but I will have some extra money for working over the summer and need something to add to my CV.

Edited July 14, 2009 by mossj