Starting out. Which way now?

[rg1]

I know this may sound like a cheaky thing to do, but can anybody give any brief suggestion on how to get to the bottom of the MCSE - MSCA training ladder, from an interested in IT and want to go further position?

Thanks.
RG1.

 

[Zelandakh]

MCSA is the sys admin side. Not as technical but good starting point. Learn about how to run servers without having the total knowledge of how the servers work.

Useful for people who do the admin on servers in large firms who don't need to strip down a server's software and solve that sort of thing but need to know user accounts, permissions, shares etc.

MCSE is an in depth IT engineer qual. Sorts the men from the boys and if done properly means you know how Microsoft products really work. Really down to the ground...

 

[FilthPig]

Read & experiment. I'd recommend picking up Mastering Windows 2000 Server by Mark Minasi. It's good for the beginner or the veteran. Starts simple on his explainations but gets into a lot of detail. Also pretty easy to read as far as technical books go.

If you can, get your hands on a couple PCs, a copy of Win2k Pro, and a copy of Win2k server or advanced server (evaluation maybe? - I think if you order one off MS's webpage shipping & handling is I think all you pay). Install yourself a server and a client and then you can do what's being described in the book(s).

Don't expect to be able to jump deep into the industry quickly. Most places won't hire somebody without IT experience (even if they're an MCSA/MCSE). Don't be afraid to get a tech support or other entry-level job until you've got some experience under your belt. Marc Creviere