Nice to be back! Now I need some advice!

Hello all,

I haven't posted on here for a while. I finally finished the school portion of my Associate's Degree and I am onto my Internship now. I have been very busy lately but I would like to attempt a couple more certs before I graduate (October) because my school reimburses me if I pass. As you can see, I do have my MCSE and would like to add the

and :m. My only issue is that I am wondering what would be the better choice to take right now for me. I don't do any e-mail related tasks at work, but at the same time I don't do any security related tasks either except for maybe some GPO stuff. Which do you guys think will be the easier road to take right now? I am looking to get as many done as I can while my school is still paying for them. I plan on taking the rest eventually anyway but that is when I will have more time to study for them.

Thanks in advance!

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Megadeth4168

Wow, tough choice! Both are in demand and good to know.....

I would honestly lean more towards the Security and the reason I say that is because it does not have to stop with MS technology. The topic of Security has a place in almost every technology and is an issue with pretty much every vendor. Just my 2 cents.

dynamik

Did you do 297 for your MCSE?

I'd say security is easier. Almost all of it comes from 291/293. Messaging is a whole different animal.

Edit: Welcome back and congrats on wrapping up your degree!

HeroPsycho

If it were me, I'd do the Exchange one, only because some people don't really credit MCSE: S as meaning you really know security. Often they look for other certs for that. However, being certified in Exchange often does help validate your Exchange knowledge with potential employers.

Magnum2544

Dynamik: Thank you!

The one thing that I like about security is that, like Megadeth4168 said, it doesn't have to end with MS. I would take the Security+ as a substitute for it, and I can always continue on to CISSP (some day, maybe) or something along those lines. However, the fact that it has the potential to be such a long path makes me think that it may be better to focus on knocking the 2 Exchange exams out, and then move onto security and just stay focused on security after I graduate.

I feel pretty knowledgeable with Exchange, and if I ask my boss, he will be more than happy to let me work on some Exchange stuff. Also, I am very good at self-study. I feel that I can knock out the 2 Exchange tests within the next month and a half. I have been studying for 284 now for a little while so I should be able to knock it out soon.

Let me know what you guys think about focusing on :M right now and :S afterward (since it is so expandable).

Also, if anyone feels like chiming in, I am considering pursuing my B.S. in Information Technology with Franklin University...and the program is 100% online. Any opinions? I've heard online is valued the same, if not more than traditional campuses because it suggests that the individual is capable of pacing themselves, working independently, and prioritizing.

I know it's alot, but please give me some feedback.

Much appreciated!