MCSE 2003 Advice 1

[londonjack]

Hi Guys,

I am due to start studying to become and MCSE in the 2003 exams. My Company will provide CBT Nuggets video training and the manuals but I am concerned that this will be way to little info for me to pass the exams.

I was hoping for some advice on a number of issues. Firstly, will I need extra materials? What would you suggest?

Also, what order would be advisable to take the exams? Are there certain exams that would be best to take first to allow greater knowledge for the next exam?

How do you find the best way to study? Read materials and make notes and then refer back to those notes, or how else?

What kind of schedule would you put yourself under between learning an mcp and taking the exam? (Bear in mind I have a 6 month old baby and a full time mon-fri job so I can't spend every minute of the day studying).

Thanks in advance for any advice given. I am really looking forward to tackling this but there does seem a hell of a lot to learn.

 

[SimonDavies]

I would ask your company if they can provide you with either the MOC books (Microsoft Official Curriculum) or the Sybex books. If they can't I would definitely suggest that you invest in them yourself.

The CBT Nuggets are good things, you can use them to see how to do things and if you're unsure when reading the book. They really should be used as a brush up method to polish off your skills.
I would ask the company if they could provide the Learnkey material instead, it's much more indepth but obviously more expensive as well. Of course you can say to them that they are saving money by still having you at work so it's a good investment to them.

As for the order that's difficult. I would go for the 70-270 first (XP Pro) and then I am afraid I can't offer any more advice. Have a look at the posts here because they really are very helpful here.

I will let you know that I am crap at selfstudy, I have invested thousands in training material in my attempt to selfstudy and have failed (I lack the self motivation to really start). I prefer doing my training in a classroom environment. I have succeeded in gaining certain Novell exam passes my just reading the material and taking the exam and I would say I gave myself a couple of weeks reading before taking the exam.

I would also suggest asking the company to provide you with some self testing software. Companies like Transcender, Boson, Testout, Selftest Software are decent providers, before you attempt to take the test for real I would see if you can pass the practice exams successfully everytime, if you can't then fall back to the Nuggets and books to find out why you failed them.

The best way to study is to read and write notes, or mark the book to re-read chapters you weren't sure on. If you can do so, get a couple of machines to play with, failing that get your company to purchase VMWare, this is a virtual PC product, much better than MS Virtual PC as it can also be used for non MS products. Ensure that the pc you're installing it to has plenty of ram as each session uses up some of your physical ram. You should be able to get trial versions of Server2003 from MS to load onto the pc.

There is a hell of a lot to learn, I guess you're doing just the straight forward MCSE and not doing any specialisation? If you are specialising then you have to choose either Security or Messaging, I believe that's an extra 3 exams.

Just to let you know that you aren't alone. I am about to embark on my training.. mine is a tad harder as I am doing the MCSE and both specialisations, updating my Cisco and some Security courses as well. All in all I am off studying for 3 months. I have to do mine in the class room because of the reasons already mentioned.

Good luck.

 

[londonjack]

Thanks for the advice, I think I will definitely get the company to get the MOC books.

Good luck to you too.

 

[aftertaf]

especially the series on 2003, the MS books seem to be well written and have helped me, along with experience and classroom training, to get a few under my belt.

as for timescales to get the MCP.. it all depends on individual factors.
Past experience, time available, time needed...

what experience do you have with windows client and server systems, active directory, networking??
having hands on and theory gets you there quite a bit faster...


Aftertaf
if its not broken, fix it anyway - with luck you might break it and have an excuse

 

[lring]

I would consider asking your company if they would invest in Self Test Software or Test King (both available online) as well as study materials. I used a combination of study materials including Microsoft. I also built a server at home which was helpful for those features that I cannot do on the company servers since I am not a domain admin. The testing software is helpful as long as you make sure that you study the written material for those questions that you don't understand.

I studied about 40 hours for my fist exam (290) and passed with an 86 so I was happy with that. Now I'm on to 291.

These tests are difficult and I have over 25 years of experience.

 

[setnaffa]

TestKing has a reputation you might want to avoid...

I definitely recommend the MS Press books... but you'll need hands-on or braindumps to pass these exams... you'll need to have seen the screens and know how to use them...

I've been using a couple of Pentium II and III boxes with eval sw to populate my domain...

Good luck and let us know how you're doing!!

Setnaffa is an MCP-W2K (working on MCSE-W2K) with a few other certs, too...

 

[jvmcse]

setnaffa,

just wondering if you have completed your W2k mcse, or how many test you have left. I am also tring to finish up with W2k MCSE. I have four more test to complete. Tring to see how much time i have left before its not available any more.

jvmcse

 

[Wishdiak]

jvmcse,

As far as I know, there is no date that the MCSE on Windows 2000 Server exams will be retired, so you're not racing against the clock.

In fact, I've seen more demand for the 2000 MCSE than the 2003 MCSE. Once you finish the 2000 track, you can upgrade to 2003 with two exams and have both MCSE 2000 and MCSE 2003.

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

http://www.wishdiak.com

 

[jvmcse]

Thanks Wish. I am currently studing for the 218 exam. God willing, I will be a MCSE by the end of this yr.

jvmcse

 

[setnaffa]

finished MCSE last week... tougher than I anticipated... but it can be done... even if you're over 45... do not give up...

Setnaffa is an MCSA-2k3 (working on MCSE-2k3) with a few other certs, too...

 

[Wishdiak]

setnaffa,

Congrats! Time to update that sig to MCSE-2k3!

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

http://www.wishdiak.com

 

[setnaffa]

done, thanks! sorta absent-minded this week...

Setnaffa is an MCSE-2k3 (working on Messaging now) with a few other certs, too...

 

[aftertaf]

well done setnaffa...
i'll be joining you soon, i hope

Aftertaf

"Solutions are not the answer." - Richard Nixon

 

[jvmcse]

Congrats Setnaffa