elective credit ?

ranjitcool

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]

undomiel

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.

ranjitcool

So if i just do comptia a+ and network + i can term myself mcsa ?!!

undomiel

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.

ranjitcool

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

astorrs

+ 291 + an elective (which could be A+ and N+)

http://www.microsoft.com/Learning/mcp/mcsa/windows2003/default.mspx

mamono

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.

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exams/70-621.mspx wrote:

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?

undomiel

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?

Diminutive

maybe to get it on one transcript?

mamono

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.

Diminutive

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.

dynamik

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?

mamono

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.

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.

mamono

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 200
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]

ranjitcool

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

mamono

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. 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.