MSCE Core design exams: Which to take?

[unc92sax]

I am a security admin for a large enterprise in the Charlotte area and am studying 70-294 towards my MCSE. After this exam I only have one to go. I just can't decide which to do; Security Design or AD/Network Design. I really can go either way right now as I am interested in security, networking, server support, storage, etc. I love it all. So I guess my question is, all things being equal, which is generally in higher demand?

(BTW, I also asked this on the MS exam forum.)

Thanks for any assistance.

unc92sax
MCSA, CCNA, Linux+, Security+

GO HEELS!

 

[kmcferrin]

I highly recommend NOT taking the security design exam unless you have taken (or at least studied for) the security implementation exam. All of the "design" exams build on the material from the "implementing and managing" exams that precede them. Having done the security design exam I can say that I would have had a very difficult time passing if I hadn't done the 70-299 first.

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCSE:Security 2003
MCTS:Active Directory
MCTS:Network Infrastructure
MCTS:Applications Infrastructure

 

[shoalcreek]

I got my MCSE on NT 4.0 in 2000. It was worthless.

 

[kmcferrin]

I'm sure it was, since in 2000 most people were transitioning away from NT4 towards 2000. You got certified on a platform that was at the end of its life.

NT4 had some other issues as well. It was the platform in use during the dot-com boom, so there were a huge number of boot camps and other services designed to help people who had no IT skills, knowledge, or experience pass the exams and get NT4 certified. According to Microsoft there are about 3.5 times as many people with NT4 MCSEs as there are on Windows 2003, and that illustrates just how easy it was to get an NT4 cert.

But more to the point, what does your NT4 MCSE have to do with questions about the 2003 MCSE?

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCSE:Security 2003
MCTS:Active Directory
MCTS:Network Infrastructure
MCTS:Applications Infrastructure