MCSA/MCSE Specialisations

[thebully]

Ok looking at my certification planner I could take 70-299 and upgrade my MCSA to MCSA Security. This would be good because it would also count towards MCSE Security when the time comes.

I could also take 70-284 Implementing and Managing Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 and become MCSA Messaging.

So here my question can you be MCSA Messaging and MCSA Security or MCSE Security and MCSE Messaging.

 

[mrdenny]

Yes you can.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000) / MCTS (SQL 2005) / MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005)

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

http://www.mrdenny.com

 

[Wishdiak]

thebully,

Agreed, you can. I took (and passed) 70-299 for the same reason, although the exam is no picnic. 70-299 makes 70-291 look easy.

Wishdiak
A+, Network+, Security+, MCSA: Security 2003

http://www.wishdiak.com

 

[thebully]

Hi Wishdiak thanks for the advice

Have you passed 298 yet? Can you offer any insights into these two exams, are they like the 70-291 and 70-293 in that they are best studied consecutively?

I think I might try for 299 and then 298 after 293 and try to get the security requirements out of the way if they are going to be the hardest part.

 

[Wishdiak]

thebully,

I haven't taken 70-298 yet. I'm still trying to get my MCSE core exams out of the way, and only took a detour to 70-299 to upgrade my MCSA.

That said, my understanding is that 70-298 is not as difficult as 70-299. 70-299 expects you to know a very granular level of detail about security technologies. 70-298, from what I've heard is more general, but I could be wrong.

One bit of advice that I've heard (and applied) is that one should take 70-299 before 70-298. Knowing the implementation of security well helps with the security design that is tested on 70-298. Or so I've heard from others who have done it.

If I could just get past 70-294, I'd be studying for 70-298 right now.

Wishdiak
A+, Network+, Security+, MCSA: Security 2003

http://www.wishdiak.com

 

[thebully]

Hi that does make a lot of sense to understand the granular details before taking an exam that looks at design. Are you having trouble getting past 70-294 then, are you finding it a hard exam?

For me I think that one will have me relying on a VMware lab since I don’t have much real life experience with multi domain forests in active directory. At work we use totally separate domains for each site and end up duplicating user accounts when we have users that need to use the resources of both.

This is something that I need to rectify I think and so far my studies haven’t really covered this in a lot of detail.

Still 70-293, 70-299 and 70-298 look like they will be more network and network security orientated and 70-294 more Abstract Implementation orientated and higher level e.g. understanding the nuisances of AD. Perhaps I should take the exams in that order 70-293, 70-299 and then 70-298 I think then my mind will be in the right mode and the knowledge from each exam will help towards the other.
Just one more thing, having passed on from taking MCSA level exams to the MCSE design level exams did you notice an increase in overall difficulty of the exam questions?

 

[Wishdiak]

Are you having trouble getting past 70-294 then, are you finding it a hard exam?

It's hard for me to say at this point. When I attempted it last Spring, I was working 2 jobs and had to schedule the exam between them. Now that I have the time to prepare, it might not be as difficult.

At work we use totally separate domains for each site and end up duplicating user accounts when we have users that need to use the resources of both.

That sounds like an excellent case for setting up a single forest, or an external trust. 70-294 covers both.

Just one more thing, having passed on from taking MCSA level exams to the MCSE design level exams did you notice an increase in overall difficulty of the exam questions?

I can't say that I did, but so far the only strictly MCSE exams that I've taken were 70-293 and 70-294. 70-299 still remains the most difficult.

Wishdiak
A+, Network+, Security+, MCSA: Security 2003

http://www.wishdiak.com