Lost on the way to MCSA - help

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OK I'm lost

I'm halfway to my MCSA and have no idea what to do to fulfil the elective. Options I've considered are Network+(done the A+), MCDST and 70-624 (no materials yet). I'm trying to keep my elective relevant to my job but theres nothing that strikes me as the right choice.

Bit of background on me. I'm in second line support. Most of our infrastructure is virtualised (vmware). We use domino. Very mixed bed of desktop technologies as our main line of business is publishing so alot of macs and odd little software relics still used in publishing (tek and dvi files, total commander). I want to keep my choices as relevant to my current role as possible. I do have an interest in security but will not have any exposure to ISA even if I ask. To be honest I'd like to get a Redhat cert or do some Virtualisation stuff but sadly thats not really gonna be mcsa relevant and I like to finish what I've started.

Really its gonna come down to personal choice I guess but the problem is I need to choose soon. Not to keen on the idea of the network+. I read the book about two months ago and although interesting it had nothing in that was going to help me. I think reading it was enough to pick up the bits I was missing. I was also looking at the mcdst a while back and dont feel that its going to help me too much as its more geared towards first line

Argh I'm soo bloody lost now

291 is obviously next course of action but i want the elective out of the way while I build up more experience that will be useful to the 291. Maybe I'm missing something . . . . . . . clarity?

Your thoughts most esteemed people

 

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It's up to you but I would just get the N+ out of the way then because you have the A+ then that'l be the elective done.

 

Yes the N+ does make sense.

If you don't want to do the N+ then I would suggest you consider the Exchange Server exam. Although it's a pig, virtually every company uses and relies upon email. Although it may not be relevant to your current role, when you come to move on and look for a new position you will almost certainly find that every company has an email system, and it will most likely be an Exchange System at that.

 

Hmm I suppose the N+ would be a more relaxing option. I do like the Exchange suggestion and have considered it but with no exposure and time to get to know it i might give it a miss.

Be interesting to know what most MCSA's opt for as the elective

 

I did the A+ / N+ for mine. I have the MCDST as well, but I did that afterwards because I teach it at college.

I would recommend the N+ as a few others have also. Will defo help you out when it comes to some aspects of the 291 as WagnerK already mentioned.

 

Yep... I'd agree with the N+; besides, you're already halfway there with the A+ under your belt.

 

I did A+ and network+ options, as well as the 70-270/90/91 exams for my mcsa.

I intend to do the AD and exchange exams in the next year or so, once ccna is done and dusted lol

 

Looks pretty unanimous then

So whats the current N+ exam number and best materials for the job boys

Oh yeah and price. I know comptia can be a bit expensive.

And can i book through pearson or prometric or both

? ? ? ?

Hi Ho off to google I go

 

Well, I would do the N+ and then also the 291 after it.

It also depends on if you want to go further towards the MCSE as to what you should choose as your elective. If you don't plan to go further then by all means use the A+/N+ combination for it, but if you are going further then you can't do this.

You could take the 350 for your elective (ISA 2004) even though you wont get any live experience with it but you will get the MCSA+Security if you do take it.

 

I think he would need 2 security exams to get the Security rating on his MCSA Nugget.

 

Will probably be holding off on the MCSE. Cant see myself gettin in a postition where I'd need such advanced knowledge for a couple of years. I am second line but still very new to this.

By then I may be looking at the new range of certs anyways. Who knows? As I said earlier I'm interested in doing some study outside of MS certs and will probably do that once I've kicked the MCSA's arse.
Comptia and MS exams got me into this but now I'm developing interests in other areas besides the core technologys.

N+ it is for the meantime

Drafting the "oi pay for me to do this" email to my boss as we speak

 

Books ordered

sybex and exam cram

 

Regarding Network+ and the MCDST... certification isn't primarily so you can learn new concepts... it's to show that you already know the concepts. As a result, BOTH of them would be useful to you. I'd be surprised if you said you do *no* desktop support as a second-line tech... I helped with desktop support even as a senior network admin.

Ultimately, the choice is yours. Either... or both... would be worthwhile.

 

This is a good point and something I may have forgotten having spent so much time learning to get to this stage.

 

You're right Modey. I stand corrected. You can find the info here if anyone's interested.

 

Heh, well I looked it up because I'm about to do an ISA cert myself and thought I might get the Security designation on my MCSA, but I would need something like Security+ also.

That would fit in well though I think, as the Security+ can be used as an elective for the MCSE, so if I ever decide to go for that it would come in handy. I hear the Security+ is a bit of a slog to learn though.