My current path and goals

Sie

The path i am currently progressing is:

70-271 For MCDST
70-272 For MCDST

and

70-270 For MCSA
70-290 For MCSA
70-291 For MCSA

With MCDST as elective.

This is within about 14 month period.

What are peoples views on this?

What do you think of these exams if you have sat them?
Ie: Difficulty and question structure.

Webmaster

Well, 14 months should be plenty for those exams. There's also a lot of overlap between the first 4 exams you listed, so 6 months could still be very realistic. I.e. 6 to 12 months for MCSE is quite 'normal'. But, of course it depends a lot on how much time you can spend studying per day/week/month, and whether you work with the software.

Sie

I do work with the software on a daily basis including AD server admin and such like.

I thought it could be shorter but its being provided by a training company along with a couple of other qualifications NON-MS or Cisco etc thou.

Plus its being paid for by a government scheme so i guess i cant really complain. Just seems a long drawn out process to me but i guess working full time too wont help.

Im thinking after that i may either head for my MCSE or CCNA and get a broader cert base for networks and servers and not just one or the other.

Which is more beneficial? A lot of expertise in one area or some in lots?

strauchr

Does seem like a long course. Is it part time? What overall quals do you get at the end?

To answer your question on specialisation vs broad skills I think both is the answer. I specialize in MS products focusing heavily on AD but my broader skills in other areas help me not only land jobs but also in my day to day work. This broad skillset backed with a broad experience is very useful and can give you an edge over others.

I started off being broad with experience, getting my hands on everything I could - Netware, Notes, Cisco, NT, Exchange, Citrix etc. then focused towards MS products. I started with CNA and MCP and decided on MCSE after that but broke it up by doing CWNA, Diploma of IT and CCA throughout. I found it easier to break it up because the MCSE straight can bog you down.

The other advantage of revisiting the MCSE path after doing another vendor cert is that a lot of exams do overlap which forces to go back and refresh your knowledge for the real world. This is helpful as a lot of things you study for can be forgotten really easily. I swear RAID, logs and db placing, pagefiles on HDD etc. will be stuck in my head forever after learning them for Professional, Server, AD, Exchange exams.

I started onto CCEA but now I'm onto CCNA to break it up. Multiple specialisation. Maybe another way to go?

Long answer to a short question but I guess there is a lot to consider. I would say broaden your horizons beyond MS and experience what else is out there to decide what you want to eventually specialise in.

Sie

Yes it is part time.

I have to go at the speed of the course rather than my own speed so going to take much longer.

Outcomes will be

MCP
MCSA
MCDST

plus a couple of other things such as

City & Guilds Advanced Diploma for IT Practitioners
Advanced Apprenticeship
NVQ Lv 3

Currently doing 1.5 / 2nd line support in a global company for just over £8 ph. (Personally think this is not enough for what im doing but its experience im after and the scope of areas to gain knowledge in)

strauchr

Hmmm, I'm not too sure about this course? How much is it costing. If its cheap then probably worth it but those other 3 quals you list I am not sure they will help you. I am from Australia working in London so haven't heard of them before

If the training is quality and you are getting the experience from training then that is a good pace to set.

But £8 an hour. Oh man thats harsh. Is it in the finance sector? Finance experience is the way to go in london for the money.

Oh is it in London as well? Because you could not survive on that in London. But you are right it is experience, with a global company and after a year or 2 I would be getting out of there. Most Help Desk job will pay double that.

Sie

Its not in London, I wouldnt take a IT in London for that pay.

The other three quals arnt really worth much but cant hurt to be on paper, they are pretty much gained from doing MS certs plus a tiny bit extra.

Yeah its all training, workshops etc and is only part time really.
Havent really done enough of training yet to fine out how good it really is.

Cost? Nothing. Thats why i have to put up with the down sides.

I mean im getting the training (howvere mind numbing in areas i know as there are bout 6 of us) and the exams paid for so shouldnt grumble.

Theres scope for progression in the company aswell, as said they are global and support MOD contracts and many other government contracts aswell.

Plus once i have done certs etc they would be extremelly hard puished to justify the same wage.

strauchr

Sounds like your on a good wicket.

It may be painful to be going through the "dull" parts of the course and that it will take you longer than if you did it yourself as well working for a lower wage when you know you worth more but with that sort of career plan layed out in front of you you will be worth 3 times as much as you are now in 2 years time.

Good path, stick with it. I can't give you much insight into the exams as I did 2000 MCSE then updated to 2003 which were monster exams but from what I've heard MCDST is quite easy if you are already doing support, MCP Windows XP is alo relatively easy too. The rest will get a bit harder but by that time you should cope.