Microsoft Certifications

Microsoft Certification: The New MCTS Tracks And Exams By Chris Bryant

2006-03-06T02:53:00.000-08:00

Microsoft is revamping its certification tracks, and will eventually retire the familiar MCSE certificatons. The new certification setup is much like Cisco's, where there are specialist certifications to go along with the more general CCNA, then mid-level certifications such as the CCNP, and then a more-advanced practical exam modeled somewhat after the coveted CCIE certification.

Microsoft's new specialist exams are the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) exams. As of March 2006, there were five separate MCTS Tracks. Three of them deal with .NET Framework 2.0; these are the Web Application, Windows Applications, and Distributed Applications certifications. Each of these separate certifications requires the candidate to pass two exams. There is also a one-exam SQL Server 2005 certification, as well as a BizTalk Server 2006 single-exam certification.

The initial question is "Why is Microsoft doing this?" According to their website, MS feels that IT hiring managers today have a tough time deciding which computer certifications best identify job candidates who best meet their needs. I know it's easy to take verbal shots at Microsoft (it'll be an Olympic sport one day), but this new series of certs does have appeal for hiring managers, which can only help qualified candidates. Instead of the more-general MCSE, which does still suffer from the overcertification of NT 4.0 MCSEs back in the day, these more-specific certifications will make it easier for the job candidate to prove that they can do the job - and easier for the hiring manager to make an informed decision.

Microsoft hasn't announced the track that will eventually replace the MCSE, but this track will be revealed with the next client-server Windows release. It's up to you to stay informed of these changes, so I recommend you visit Microsoft's certification website often. "I didn't know" isn't much help once a certification expires!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage , home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials! Pass the CCNA exam with Chris Bryant!

Passing Your MCSE Exams on the Road to Microsoft Certification By James Croydon

2006-02-18T23:54:00.000-08:00

To earn the Microsoft certified systems engineer certification and to prove expertise in designing and implementation of the infrastructure for business solutions based on the Microsoft Windows 2003 platform and Microsoft Windows Server system, MCSE exam is the best medium.

MCSE exam is held to improve the expertise in designing and implementing Windows Server 2003 and other issues related to it. In order to take an MCSE exam one needs to go through a fourteen-day MCSE training boot camp that helps in successfully becoming an MCSE. They use custom developed curriculum that is designed to provide both exam preparation and practical technology skills, ensuring that the examinee shall be ready for the performance based testing Microsoft has introduced in their certification programs. Experience instructors have been arranged who posses many years of experience of working wit Microsoft operating system and technologies both in the field and in the classroom.

Computer labs are designed using genuine PC technology, which provides each student having the ability to access various Microsoft operating systems simultaneously on their desktop. Due to this facility provided for MCSE exam, students can access any time to practice for the exam throughout in order to maintain their progress and determine the areas that require further study of those Microsoft operating systems.

Different kinds of resources are provided to both students and instructors under this boot camp while preparing for MCSE exam. These resources are based on web and also distribute them after and before the classroom session so that both of them can share information. The online forum assists them to analyze different methods of programming. These centers are available for obtaining the certification goals. Pre-class preparation is essential to ensure complete success in an MCSE exam.

In the beginning materials and instructions are handed out which define as to how to prepare for the exam. In addition to this, as earlier mentioned one gets to access online resources, which provide detailed course information, and additional preparation resources. These resources related to the discussion forums and private questions posed to the instructors also help in preparing for the MCSE exam as they help in clearing doubts and difficulties.

The boot camp for MCSE exam is set up to ensure the success rate for the examinees as well to prepare them before beginning of the classes. One testing voucher per MCSE exam is included with the course material. It ensures that the examinee is not misled. The limitation for the MCSE exam is provided during the class. Cost of retaking is borne by the examinee in case if he is unable to appear on the scheduled date. Also, if one feels that he would not be ready to take one or more exam during the boot camp then vouchers are handed out to enable the examinee to take the exam at a later date. This course can be retaken at free of cost but the testing fee and the courseware fee is not included. The validity for retaking the exams stands for six months.

The candidates should have at least one year of experience in using Windows NT, Windows 2000 Server or Windows 2003 server in a networking environment to be eligible to attend the boot camp for the MCSE exam. Along with this there are several other pre-requisites for taking the exam. The candidate should have the knowledge of general networking concepts, IP addressing and sub-netting Active Directory Networking services. This gives the opportunity to brush up on technology skills and fill in any gaps in the knowledge base.

James Croydon, Microsoft Certified Professional and MCSE Courses Online advisor - focusing on MCSE Online Training and MCSE Certification Courses

MCSE Certification - Better Than Novell? By Michael Russell

2006-02-12T08:41:00.000-08:00

In this article we're going to cover the pros and cons of getting a Microsoft Certification as opposed to getting a Novell certification. To start with, the arguments as to which networking software is actually better will no doubt go on for as long as these two companies are in business. The purpose of this article in not to determine which system is better. The purpose is to point out the differences between the two in relation to how easy or hard it will be to get a certification and hold a job.
The first glaring difference between a Novell certification and an MCSE certification is the intensity of the courses required for each certification. As was pointed out in an earlier article, to get an MCSE one has to take seven exams, five core exams and two electives. The courses for these exams are long and difficult. The length of time, obviously, to get an MCSE is astronomical. On the other hand to get a Novell CNE certification requires only five exams. Two less exams may not seem like much but considering each course can take you months you're talking about taking about a half a year off your training time. So this needs to be considered when choosing between the two.
The next thing you need to take into consideration is the operating system itself. Because an MCSE is a windows based certification and Microsoft Windows is pretty much the most popular operating system on the market, that means you will have more software written by third party vendors made especially for windows products. So getting an MCSE will make your life a lot easier in the actual work environment because you will not be dealing with as many compatibility issues as you will if you become a Novell CNE and end up working with NetWare. Suffice it to say, your life will be far from easy when it comes to making things work.
Then there are the exams themselves. Naturally everyone will have their own opinion on this but the general consensus is that the Microsoft Exams are easier because they are dealing with operating systems that we are already more familiar with because of our everyday working knowledge of Windows. Novell NetWare is not as intuitive and most say that it requires more "learning" than Microsoft.
Then there is the issue of getting your job. The truth of the matter is, more people use Microsoft products, not so much because they are better but because of the tight hold they have on the market. So getting a job with an MCSE is going to be a lot easier than getting a job with a Novell CNE. The main reason for the dominance of Microsoft networking versus Novell is because of the file and printing services which have always been a problem with Novell.
If you are looking for perfection in either case you have got a long wait. Both networking systems have their pluses and minuses. As a networking professional one needs to decide what is most important when choosing which direction to take, ease of use or ease of passing your exam.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to MCSE Certification
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How To Prepare IT Certification ExamsBy: Bruce Zhang

2006-02-12T08:40:00.000-08:00

Preparing IT certification exams is a significant undertaking whether you're just out of college or have been in IT field for years. IT professionals are continuously demanded to acquire new knowledge in order to perform well on their jobs as new technology in IT industry emerged at a pace that has never been seen before. While tests in colleges emphasizing on measuring the systematic understanding of theoretic foundation of a subject, industry certification exams focus on evaluation of hands-on experience.

Thorough planning before the exams will boost your confidence, increase chance of success, and save time of preparation in your certification exams.

1. Assess whether you're ready

To answer the question of whether you're ready to pursue a particular IT certification - MCSE, MCSA, MCSD, CCIE, CCNA or CCNE certification, you may want to examine the questions from the latest certification exams to identify the gap between what you've known and what you need to know. It's not advisable to prepare an IT certification exam heavily based on working on actual certification questions or braindumps, but braindumps do offer values in preparing your tests. You'll learn the format of the exams, the scope of the exams and your weakest link in the subject.

2. Plan when you'll be ready

One certification usually requires the pass of several tests. Once you've made up your mind about taking the certification exams, the plan of when to take those tests depends on your career needs, domain knowledge, hands-on experience, availability of study materials and availability of your time to prepare the tests. Besides the official certification guide and reading materials published by vendors or authorized organizations, there're numerous other helpful learning materials available online or in print.

Use of Computer Based Training software is a very effective way to speed up your IT certification preparation. For instance, CBT Planet (Computer Based Training Planet) provides IT professionals comprehensive vendor-co developed self-study IT courses, by Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco, SAP, Linux and more.

3. Prepare the exams step-by-step

a) Briefly scan all chapters of official publications and make a detailed plan.
b) Study the materials chapter by chapter in details and take notes.
c) Review your notes and summarize all chapters.
d) Take sample exams
e) Work on your weak spots.

Now, you're ready for your IT certification exams.

Copyright @2005, Bruce Zhang

About the Author:

Bruce Zhang has over 10 years of experience in architecting and developing large-scale Web-based applications, and designing enterprise strength databases. Computer Based Training http://www.cbtplanet.com/ has been a value tool for gaining new IT knowledge in his career.

Microsoft Certification 101 By Natalie Aranda

2006-02-12T08:37:00.000-08:00

In the current job market, Microsoft certifications represent one of the richest and varied spectrums of job roles and responsibilities, which are embraced by industry professionals worldwide, that earning a specific credential provides an objective validation of their ability to successfully perform critical IT functions in a wide range of companies and industries.
Microsoft certification is the top effective way to achieve goals in long-term IT careers, being at the same time a useful tool for companies to develop and retain valuable IT professionals.
The following certifications are aimed for network administrators, network engineers, systems administrators, IT engineers, information systems administrators, network technicians, technical support specialists and other IT professionals currently working in complex computing environment of medium-to-large organizations.
- MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) certification A Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer credential qualifies an IT professional to effectively plan, maintain, implement, and support information systems in diverse computing environments using both the Microsoft Windows 2003 Server and the Microsoft .NET integrated family of server products.
To qualify prerequisite is completion of network+ or documentation of equivalent experience for at least one year on Windows 2003, implementing and administering a network operating system
- MCAD (Microsoft Certified Application Developer) certification The Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD) credential provides industry recognition to professional developers who build applications using Microsoft Visual Studio. An MCSD candidate should have experience equivalent to one or two years of deploying, building, and maintaining applications.
This certification is designed for individuals who intend to pursue the skills necessary to develop Windows-based applications using Microsoft Visual Basic .NET, Microsoft ASP .NET, and for those interested in developing XML Web services-based solutions.
- MCSD (Microsoft Certified Software Developer) certification The Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) for Microsoft .NET credential is the top-level certification for advanced developers requiring as prerequisite an MCSD for Microsoft .NET and two years of experience developing and maintaining solutions and applications.
This refers to the professional who designs and develops leading-edge enterprise solutions, using Microsoft development tools and technologies including also the Microsoft .NET, a certification to gain the knowledge, skills, and validation needed to be recognized as an expert with Microsoft products and technologies.
- MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Analyst) certification The Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) credential will provide you with skills to successfully manage, implement, and troubleshoot the needs of Microsoft Windows 2003–based operating environments.
This certification requires a prerequisite completion of network+ or documentation of equivalent experience.
- MCT (Microsoft Certified Trainer) The Microsoft Certified Trainers (MCTs) are technical and instructional experts in Microsoft technologies, products and solutions. They are in charge of Learning Solutions for partners who are required to use a Microsoft Certified Trainer when delivering training using Microsoft Business Solutions courses or official Microsoft Learning products.
Natalie Aranda writes about technology and learning. Certifications training often help pass certification exams. A MCSE certification qualifies an IT professional to effectively plan, maintain, implement, and support information systems in diverse computing environments using both the Microsoft Windows 2003 Server and the Microsoft .NET integrated family of server products.