Just about to start my MCSE...

steve77uk

Hello

Not been on here since 2004 so hello again I still recognise some names from back then - suppose the title may be a bit wrong really as I have already done my 70-270 and 70-290 back in '04...

Anyway, my employer has given me the opportunity to go for my MCSE, they are paying for all of it (but they are also getting some funding too from the UK's skills council).

I have 25 days of classroom based training for the remaining 5 exams which I am looking forward to and also they have a few CBT's to go through. I also have Learnkey CBT for MCSE but it is the original version though... (i hope it will still do)

The course I have 18 months to do it in, but I am thinking that if I blast it, I could get it done in about 6 months. Maybe one month of studying and exam at the end with a few weeks here and there for breaks etc...

291 - I started to study for this, but IP addressing just does my head in. I am hoping these classroom based sessions will help me out with that. For an elective I am also going to do SQL Server 70-431 I think. Still to make up my mind about the design exam, but always wondered about security - which may look good on the old CV, but I have no intentions on going anywhere for the foreseeable future as I like it where I am now. We don't really look after networks, more we make our own software, I support and install it and fix it.

It is a bit weird as I am dreading it, I remember how hard it was the last time, but that was just through books.

I have seen other posts on here saying some folks have done it in 4-6 months - that is serious going that is.

I have been in IT properly since 2004, and have been an engineer supporting mainly small business server sites, hardly any multiple domain environments...

I will have to see how I get on I suppose...

It's quite a strange situation really as I am not a great Microsoft fan at all. In fact after I took my original exams, I got that fed up with it, I sold all my windows gear and replaced them with Apple Macs! After supporting Windows all day at work, it is a refreshing change to come home and not have to bother with any configuration!

Thank goodness for Virtual PC eh!

1MeanAdmin

People here call 70-291 "the Beast" for a reason
But there's nothing to worry about: you just have to spend more time in preparation than you did for 270 and 290.

I sold all my windows gear and replaced them with Apple Macs! After supporting Windows all day at work, it is a refreshing change to come home and not have to bother with any configuration!

I had the opposite situation: at my previous work after supporting Macs (servers and WS) for 3 years, I started to appreciate things in Windows and in general PC architecture that I previously didn't care about

Isn't it funny how that works?

undomiel

I didn't have such a rough experience with the 291 as most but you have to make sure you understand subnetting and DNS and DHCP. Wrapping your mind around those three will give you the core to push through this exam. RRAS would be next followed by IPSEC with WSUS for the icing on the cake. You'll want to do a night's refresher on the 290 by the way.

I haven't gotten sick of Windows at all but I enjoy an alternate experience, so that's why I run Linux on my desktop at home so I understand a bit of what you're saying!

steve77uk

I suppose the way I look at it is, I spend 8+ hours on the windows platform all day, fixing things, setting stuff up etc, and the Mac (or what ever alternative there may be) allows me to switch off from work...

Just got back from a training session, they have CBT led courses with mini assessments and a tutor on site to help you out.

I did a quick refresher of 290 and did not fair too well! - it is amazing what you forget!

But I would rather brush up on it now rather than not get something in the other 3 core exams...