elective credit ?

ranjitcoolranjitcool Member Posts: 80 ■■□□□□□□□□
Can you guys help me understand what an elective credit means. so I DONT? have to take the tests if I am comptia certified ?


Certain specified CompTIA certifications can serve as alternatives to passing elective exams or specialization exams for select MCP certifications.


Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA)
To receive an elective credit toward the MCSA certification, candidates must earn the CompTIA A+ credential and either the CompTIA Network+ credential or the CompTIA Server+ credential. Alternatively, candidates can earn the CompTIA Security+ credential.


Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)
To receive an elective credit toward the MCSE certification, candidates can earn the CompTIA Security+ credential.

[/quote]
Cleared Network+, MCTS.
Want to clear - CCSA, CCNA, VCP for now.

Spending time @ www.itgrunts.com - Tech Juice, Not from Concentrate!

Comments

  • undomielundomiel Member Posts: 2,818
    You are required to take one elective exam for your MCSA or MCSE. You have a variety of exams you can pick from. There are also third party certifications that count in place of the elective exam. For the MCSA you can do the A+/N+ or N+/S+ combinations or the Security+. For the MCSE they only accept the Security+ in place of the elective exam.
    Jumping on the IT blogging band wagon -- http://www.jefferyland.com/
  • ranjitcoolranjitcool Member Posts: 80 ■■□□□□□□□□
    So if i just do comptia a+ and network + i can term myself mcsa ?!!
    Cleared Network+, MCTS.
    Want to clear - CCSA, CCNA, VCP for now.

    Spending time @ www.itgrunts.com - Tech Juice, Not from Concentrate!
  • undomielundomiel Member Posts: 2,818
    That will waive the elective. You still have to do the OS exam and the core exams. So that would be 70-290, 70-291 and also pick one of 70-270 or 70-620. Most people are recommending the 620 these days because it will also get you an MCTS certification as well.
    Jumping on the IT blogging band wagon -- http://www.jefferyland.com/
  • ranjitcoolranjitcool Member Posts: 80 ■■□□□□□□□□
    looks like i got the mcsa all wrong

    This is what i know

    for mcsa u need to have a 70-270 or 620 + 70-290

    am i wrong ?

    please correct me if i am

    thanks
    rj
    Cleared Network+, MCTS.
    Want to clear - CCSA, CCNA, VCP for now.

    Spending time @ www.itgrunts.com - Tech Juice, Not from Concentrate!
  • astorrsastorrs Member Posts: 3,139 ■■■■■■□□□□
  • mamonomamono Member Posts: 776 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Also, if you have your MCDST already, when you upgrade that certification to MCITP: Enterprise Support Technician then you also earn the MCTS:Vista if using the 70-621 Upgrade Exam. This exam covers the 70-620 requirement in all cases according to the Microsoft website.
    Note Exam 70-621 can be used as credit for any certification requiring Exam 70-620: TS: Windows Vista, Configuring, as a required or elective exam. In other words, Exam 70-621 satisfies the Exam 70-620 requirement in all cases.


    Question: Does anyone know if the CompTIA Security+ elective can be applied to MCSA/MCSE post de facto?
  • undomielundomiel Member Posts: 2,818
    Not quite sure what you're asking there mamono. Yes you can get your Security+ listed on your Microsoft transcript and it will be applied towards any applicable certification. But if you already have your MCSA/MCSE then why do you want it applied?
    Jumping on the IT blogging band wagon -- http://www.jefferyland.com/
  • DiminutiveDiminutive Member Posts: 102 ■■■□□□□□□□
    maybe to get it on one transcript?
    WIP: Win2008 MCITP Upgrade
  • mamonomamono Member Posts: 776 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Diminutive wrote:
    maybe to get it on one transcript?

    Yup, that's about it. It looks more impressive to the HR departments that screen resumes.
  • DiminutiveDiminutive Member Posts: 102 ■■■□□□□□□□
    The guys at MCPHelp@microsoft.com were pretty helpful merging my 2 MCP numbers and getting my old MCSE in NT to count as my elective for MCSA, I bet they'd help you out.
    WIP: Win2008 MCITP Upgrade
  • dynamikdynamik Banned Posts: 12,312 ■■■■■■■■■□
    Mamono: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/partners.mspx

    You can transfer them over at any time. If you do that, you might as well go for that security specialization, eh? ;)
  • mamonomamono Member Posts: 776 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Diminutive wrote:
    The guys at MCPHelp@microsoft.com were pretty helpful merging my 2 MCP numbers and getting my old MCSE in NT to count as my elective for MCSA, I bet they'd help you out.

    That's great! I'll keep that in mind. :D


    dynamik wrote:
    Mamono: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/partners.mspx

    You can transfer them over at any time. If you do that, you might as well go for that security specialization, eh? ;)

    My A+ and Net+ already satisfy the elective objectives. I wasn't planning on taking CompTIA Security+ until next year, but was considering obtaining MCSA 2003 this year. If it can be applied out of order, then that works out nicely. :D
  • mamonomamono Member Posts: 776 ■■□□□□□□□□
    ranjitcool wrote:
    looks like i got the mcsa all wrong

    This is what i know

    for mcsa u need to have a 70-270 or 620 + 70-290

    am i wrong ?

    please correct me if i am

    thanks
    rj

    Back on subject, you'll want to take the 70-620 because it can be applied to both MCSA/MCSE 2003 and MCITP 2008 series of certifications. That will mean you kill two birds with one stone.

    There are a number of ways to go about it.

    70-270 (WinXP) + 70-290 + 70-291 + CompTIA Security+ = MCSA:Security 2003

    70-620 (Vista) + 70-290 + 70-291 + CompTIA Security+ = MCSA:Security 2003

    or

    70-271 + 70-272 = MCDST
    MCDST + 70-621 (MCTS:Vista) = MCTS:Vista & MCITP: Enterprise Support Technician
    http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exams/70-621.mspx *Because 70-621 = 70-620...
    MCTS:Vista + 70-290 + 70-291 + CompTIA Security+ = MCSA:Security 2003
    http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcsa/security/windowsserver2003.mspx
    http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/partners.mspx

    The later route takes 2 more exams, earns 3 more certs on your transcript, and you now have 1 exam passed that applies to the new Microsoft 2008 certification series.


    MCSA 2003 > 70-621* (MCTS:Vista) + 70-648 + 70-643 + 70-647 > MCITP: Enterprise Admin (MCSE 200icon_cool.gif
    http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcts/windowsserver/2008/transition/default.mspx
    http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exams/70-621.mspx *Because 70-621 = 70-620...


    [quote=http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exams/70-621.mspx]Note Exam 70-621 can be used as credit for any certification requiring Exam 70-620: TS: Windows Vista, Configuring, as a required or elective exam. In other words, Exam 70-621 satisfies the Exam 70-620 requirement in all cases.[/quote]
  • ranjitcoolranjitcool Member Posts: 80 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Wow thanks for the detailed reply mamono..

    that made it clear.. also does the cert matter or the number of tests matter?

    as in some tests i can skip taking two tests by giving one and is that better to do so ?

    please let me know

    thanks
    rj
    Cleared Network+, MCTS.
    Want to clear - CCSA, CCNA, VCP for now.

    Spending time @ www.itgrunts.com - Tech Juice, Not from Concentrate!
  • mamonomamono Member Posts: 776 ■■□□□□□□□□
    ranjitcool wrote:
    Wow thanks for the detailed reply mamono..

    that made it clear.. also does the cert matter or the number of tests matter?


    sure, np dude. everyone tries to help each other here on this forum. :D some certs have more weight than others in the industry. it also depends on the company that you plan to work for. some companies value certain certs more than others. best method is to decide where you want o go and plan accordingly. some recommend doing job board searching for certain certs and compare the number of hits and salary target ranges. also keep in mind that some companies post requirements higher than what they are looking for, so sometimes its just guidelines rather than a requirement.

    ranjitcool wrote:
    as in some tests i can skip taking two tests by giving one and is that better to do so ?

    it depends on what you plan to take. you'll need to review the certifications that you are interested in and correlate what areas crossover. that's what I did when I came up with the earlier post. I am interested in that cert road map, so that's why I knew about it. If you starting out in IT, MCDST is a good starting point. Might help you go straight past help desk into desktop support. Getting MCDST actually earns you MCP, some people consider it a separate cert. So it can be viewed that by going through 3 tests, 70-271, 70-272, and 70-621, you get the following:

    MCP
    MCDST
    MCTS: Vista
    MCITP: Enterprise Support Tech

    That's 4 on your Microsoft Transcript. I'd say that's a great start to an IT career in Microsoft IT support. Though, most people get their CompTIA A+ as a starting point because many of the things that they discuss are considered fundamental and really help build a strong foundation for understanding the technologies to be supported. That's where I started and I would highly recommend it too.

    With regards to working in IT, keeping up with technology is part of the job. You either know it and keep up with it, or you will become obsolete. Best of luck dude! Keep it up.
Sign In or Register to comment.