Windows Server 2003 - Copy for lab / MCSA

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Hi all,

I completed my 70-620 a few months ago and now ideally i would like to work on 70-290 as the company i am with primarly use 2003 server.

Although i am not sure of the easiest way for me to get a copy of 2003 server for a home lab setup. From what i have seen you can still download the evaluation copy but there is no longer the possibility to register for the 180 day evaluation key. What are my best options to get a copy of Windows 2003 server for a home setup?

My other concern is how long the MCSA certifications and exams will be around for as imagine it will take me many months to just complete the 70-290 exam and then obviously the same again for the other exams. I have looked around for this but i can't find anything confirmed as yet. Even if i didn't have enough time to complete the full MCSA i would still like to work on the 70-290 exam before the 70-640 exam as that is where my current hands on experiance is.

Thanks for any help.

 

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The CD included with the MS Press Kit study guide will have an evaluation edition of Win Server 2003. Unfortunately, you have to buy the kit, so there is a monetary cost associated with your studies.

Regarding how much longer MCSA/MCSE will be offered by Microsoft, there's no official word, but MS has been retiring the elective exams for MCSA/MCSE over the past two years. The core exams are still available, but the choices for the single elective exam are dwindling. I would hazard to say that MCSA/MCSE will still be around next year.

Since MCSA involves 4 exams, spending three months on each exam is doable, even if your knowledge/experience is minimal. I've passed 4 exams for MCSE to date, and it's taken me on average 3 months per exam, and that's starting from a minimal knowledge base of all the topics.

 

If Microsoft follow their usual approach for certification retirement the MCSA/E will be retired when support for Server 2003 comes to an end (2015 I think). So you should have plenty of time!

As xmojo says you'll get an evaluation copy of server '03 with the MS Press kit, the only other way I know of to get hold of it for lab purposes is through an MS TechNet subscription which gets you access to a whole wealth of MS products for non-production use.

 

Any old servers at work with it installed on that you could play around on? Or ask work to give you a copy, they may have some spare licenses that are not currently being used etc...

I would have suggested the MS action pack, but it doesn't include server 2003 any more I believe (it's only the latest stuff).

One other angle could be to buy a cheap server and get an oem copy of 2003 to slap on it. Potentially pricey, but an investment in your future training / career.

 

Actually, that's their new policy. Their older policy, which covers the MCP, MCDST, MCSA, and MCSE tracks, makes no such correlation between support retirement and exam retirement.

Still, I would guess that there's still at least a couple years left in the track. But that's just a guess.

 

this might come in handy http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...9d-b4b8-4f73-99e3-c66f80e415b6&DisplayLang=en

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition VHD. I don't see the username and password on that page it's:
Username: Administrator
Password: Evaluation1

 

The MCSA/MCSE 2000 core exams were retired in 2008, so that's 8 years or so after the introduction of Windows 2000 to the market. So if Microsoft follows the same pattern for MCSA/MCSE 2003, well, we'll be looking at 2011 as possibly the end of MCSE. Let's hope not! At least not until I've finished my MCSE!

 

The difference is that there were only 3 years between 2000 and 2003... but 5 years between 2003 and 2008. Thus, I believe the 2003 exams will be out slightly longer.

 

Just wanted to say a big thanks to all the contributors.

I have ordered the 70-290 MS press kit book and will get cracking shortly using the evaluation copy that comes with it.

 

Regarding the 180 day eval version, I installed it last night and it now asks to activate within 14 days. Does this mean, I can not reinstall this on another pc ever? I also assume, that I will be able to reinstall the 180 day version after the expiry date, not just a one off?

 

One of my concerns with the 2003 press kit book was wether the CD was included or they just linked you to the MS site to download the evaluation copy of 2003 Server (which now just reroutes to the 2008 version) and if a activation key is required for the evaluation copy. Again if the 2003 server press book would send you to a link that is now not available for this key?