Too late to start the MCSE

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Possibility I could be out of a job in the next 3-6 months, so panic stations and I need to get some qualifications as all the jobs i've looked at all want MCSE, the problem is i know there about to change it to these new certs

Is it too late to start studying for it?

Thanks

Andy

 

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Of course not they are just now phasing out the Windows 2000 exams. You still have plenty of time to get your MCSE in 2003. You can get all this information right on Microsoft's site.

 

As Starke said, it's certainly not too late but how quickly you could finish such a qualification like the MCSE would very much depend on your experience level. If you are highly experienced in the field then there is no reason why you couldn't get int very quickly by paying for one of these bootcamp style courses. GL with finding a new job and your studies.

 

Thanks, I've worked in this job 3 1/2 years and in IT in total for about 9 years.

working in IT and then learning the Microsoft way for an example are two different things, not to mention i'm not very good when it comes to exams....

another issue i have is the cost factor, I have a pc at the mo, but it's getting all the other bits and bobs and fitting it in around my children and the wife...

Looking for some motivation at the moment....

Andy

 

Hi Andy,
You have said it rite there.....Once you have a family that should be enough motivation to get you through. By the way, there are ebooks online for free, and Sims. I am sure you can get your hands on these and study them on your own and then write the exams. This way you will save a chunk of cheese. The exams only cost $80 a piece.

cheers...

 

Um... Those 'ebooks online for free' may actually be written by one of our posters on here - he might have something to say about them being 'free' though...

 

The MCSE 2003 will be around for many years to come. They're just now retiring the MCSE 2000 exams! You've got plenty of time. Don't delay - start now.

Mikey doesn't like it when people steal his work. I'm pretty sure Josh and James don't like it too much either.

Further, free "sims" are usually braindumps. Using them is cheating. And most of the legit exam sims aren't free, so downloading them for free is piracy. Either way you go, it's unethical. If you want a high-quality exam sim, purchase it directly from the vendor (they can't legally be resold by individuals). Consider it an investment in your career.

 

all the exams can be upgraded to later or latest versions. For starters the MCSE is changing to MCTS at some point this year which is vista and server 2008 as opposed to xp and server 2003.

when i first read the thread i thought you was implying that the 3-6 months being the time span that you was leaving too late.

Grim

 

MCSE is not changing to MCTS. It technically is not changing into anything. The current most comparable certification is the MCITP.

 

As stated above, its not too late to start now. I am just starting my path to the MCSA (and then hopefully MCSE) I am taking the vista exam as a client because that makes more sense to me as its the most recent O/S, however the company I work at and the companies we are soon to support are still using server 2003 and will be for a long time, in fact we still have 8 servers due to be updated to 2003 from 2000.

As far as doing it on the cheap goes you can buy some study books from amazon, download VMware server and the trial server 2003 from MS and work though the exam stuff. there is loads of helpful blogs on the net about MCSE stuff and ITidiots have a large back catalogue of videos to check, and don't forget about your local libarary and CERTFORUMS!!! This is how I am studying at the moment but their is one large drawback... less time to spend browsing certforums.


good luck

 

ok i've got a 180 day trial of 2003 enterprise R2, vmware server i havent managed to get working right yet on Vista, any tips?

Problem i have is no XP clients, so im wondering what i can do?

Also need to find some material to give me an idea as to what i should be learning...

 

ok its being replaced or superseded

Grim

 

VMware runs terrible on Vista. The best virtual software to run on Vista is Virtual PC 2007, the speed difference is incredible. I prefer VMware usually but in this case it's too slow. In the case of having no XP clients, try downloading one of the VHDs Microsoft gives out for testing that contains XP then join it to your domain. I have tested this but I wouldn't see it wouldn't work, for example:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...90-958f-4b64-b5f1-73d0a413c8ef&DisplayLang=en

On the material you should be studying start with the first test which is Windows XP 70-270. All of the objectives for the test are listed right on Microsoft's website. Pick up a book on the test and start reading and follow the labs in the book.

 

Thanks Stark, the reason i was looking at the 290 first is a colleague recently took the 270 and failed and he was learning via paid for training, because he had not covered much server material, hence I was going to do the 290 first and then follow onto the 270...

I will download one of the premade VMs, will have to see if work will pay for a copy of vmware workstation as I might rebuild my work laptop with Fedora core 8 and then run XP/Vista in VMs

 

No; once you're an MCSE, you'll always be an MCSE. My MCSE+I won't ever be replaced or superseded in my signature.

 

So... because someone else failed an exam, you want to pursue a MORE difficult exam?

I'd recommend the 270 before the 290... but it's up to you.