620 good as elective for just one of MCSA/E?

amp2030

Hi all,

I just passed 270 a couple of days ago and I wanted to do 620 next as it's again an OS I'm familiar with (and also gives an MCTS).

I see it's available as elective exam for both MCSA and MCSE, but there are other electives listed on the MS site with the mention "5Exams 70-089, 70-227, 70-228, 70-284, and 70-350 can count toward both the MCSA and MCSE elective exam requirements."

I suppose since 620 isn't on the list that I can only use it once as elective? I know they say it can't be used as elective and core client, but has anyone here been able to apply 620 as elective towards both their MCSA and MCSE?

I will take it regardless, even if it means a longer path to MCSE, I'm just curious.

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mamono

Since you just took the 70-270, it should be a breeze to take the 70-271 and 70-272 to get MCDST. Then you could take the 70-621 to get MCTS:Vista and MCITP:EST. 70-621 counts as credit for all instances of 70-620 whether it be a core requirement or an elective.

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.

RobertKaucher

If you take the 270, 620, 290 and 291 you will achieve your MCSA.

If you take the 270, 620, 290, 291, 293, 294 and then 297 or 298 you will get your MCSE.

You may not use the 620 as both a client exam and an elective. This means that 620 + 290 + 291 does not get you your MCSA.

Nem

That hurt my head

If one has A+, Net+, Security+, and 270..

What would be the fastest way to MCSE?

and...

Which path would be the quickest way to MCSA/E with the most certs like MCDST etc?

TIA!

HeroPsycho

You can't use electives to fulfill core requirements. Comptia exams can be used as an elective only.

Yes, 70-620 can be used as an elective. However, you're selling yourself short. Do an enterprise level application exam like Exchange, SQL, Sharepoint, ISA, etc. Much better for your career.

RobertKaucher

Nem wrote:

That hurt my head

If one has A+, Net+, Security+, and 270..

What would be the fastest way to MCSE?

and...

Which path would be the quickest way to MCSA/E with the most certs like MCDST etc?

TIA!

A+ and Net+ (or Sec+) + 270 + 290 + 291 = MCSA
Sec+ and 270 + 290 + 291 + 293 + 294 + 297 = MCSE

You may not use A+ and Net+ as electives for MCSE, but that does not matter as you have Sec+. See this page for more info:
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/partners.mspx

Since you have Sec+ I would take 290 + 291 + 293 + 294 + 351 + 298 and get MCSE Security

RobertKaucher

HeroPsycho wrote:

Yes, 70-620 can be used as an elective. However, you're selling yourself short. Do an enterprise level application exam like Exchange, SQL, Sharepoint, ISA, etc. Much better for your career.

I second that!

dales

RobertKaucher wrote:

Nem wrote:

That hurt my head

If one has A+, Net+, Security+, and 270..

What would be the fastest way to MCSE?

and...

Which path would be the quickest way to MCSA/E with the most certs like MCDST etc?

TIA!

A+ and Net+ (or Sec+) + 270 + 290 + 291 = MCSE
Sec+ and 270 + 290 + 291 + 293 + 294 + 297 = MCSE

You may not use A+ and Net+ as electives for MCSE, but that does not matter as you have Sec+. See this page for more info:
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/partners.mspx

Since you have Sec+ I would take 290 + 291 + 293 + 294 + 351 + 298 and get MCSE Security

A+ and Net+ (or Sec+) + 270 + 290 + 291 = MCSE

Errr, surely thats only the MCSA as the A+ and N+ together are counted as your elective all 3 ms exams are core requirements for MCSA plus one elective (or pair in CompTIA's case) gets you MCSA.

RobertKaucher

dales wrote:

Errr, surely thats only the MCSA as the A+ and N+ together are counted as your elective all 3 ms exams are core requirements for MCSA plus one elective (or pair in CompTIA's case) gets you MCSA.

Yes, you are correct! I will edit my post, thank's for the catch!

gorebrush

RobertKaucher wrote:

HeroPsycho wrote:

Yes, 70-620 can be used as an elective. However, you're selling yourself short. Do an enterprise level application exam like Exchange, SQL, Sharepoint, ISA, etc. Much better for your career.

I second that!

I third it!!

amp2030

Thank you all for your replies

mipouk

sorry to resurrect an old thread, and i have had a look but cant find this on the site anywhere so...

If you have the MCSE 2003 which includes the 70-620 as your elective, would this count when going for the MCITP Enterprise Administrator? Ive seen the sticky about upgrading and it mentions 2 exams plus the 70-620 OR another. would i have to take this other exam?

Ta.

dynamik

mipouk wrote:

If you have the MCSE 2003 which includes the 70-620 as your elective, would this count when going for the MCITP Enterprise Administrator?

Yes. You'll just need the upgrade exam and the EA exam.

phil21080

I just passed the 70-620 exam for the MCTS:Vista certification.

That, along with my A+ and Network+ counts as TWO requirements satisfied towards the MCSA 2003.

the 70-620 counts as a core O.S. and the two CompTIA count as the elective exams.

would it be more beneficial to continue the two exams 70-290, 70-291 to get the MCSA which Microsoft has said is NOT getting retired, or go towards the 2008 Server Administrator or 2008 Enterprise Administrator?

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

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcitp/windowsserver/2008/enterprise/default.mspx

dynamik

Unfortunately, the MCSA isn't nearly as prestigious as the MCSE, so if you're going to do the 2003 track, you should really aim for the MCSE. Another unfortunate thing is that the A+/Net+ combo only counts for the MCSA, not the MCSE.

I think it's going to be a tough call for you. When are you planning on putting this to use? The MCITP is still relatively new and unknown and Server 2008 isn't nearly as widely used as 2003. Are you working with either now?

tallguy12

I have A+ and N+. I am looking at 290, 291, and 620. If I am reading right, that equals MCSA.

But what I want to add to that is at the very least 236. If I go with that also, does that equal something else? Or some twisted combination? I might also consider 237 and 238. Exchange is something I've worked extensively with and 2007 seems to be the most in demand from what I've seen.

I am thinking 620 instead of 270 because it looks immensely easier than 270. My reasoning? I haven't seen 98 in AGES and rarely see 2000 anymore. I doubt I even have a copy of either for a VM. I do have copies of Vista Business and Ultimate for testing. Granted, more companies use XP and will not upgrade to Vista. I understand that. I'm thinking I'm pretty good at XP but have no desire to review how or why to convert from FAT32 to NTFS. Who does that anymore in practice? I also have no desire to cover some of the other material in 270. I was about to take it 4 years ago when I scored a job that didn't need it. I am at the point where MCP or MCSA would look good on the resume to appease the automated scanners.

Any advice, thoughts? In summary, I would end up with the following: 620, 290, 291, 236. I already possess A+ and N+. What's that add up to be? A real cert or some twisted combo?

dynamik

You'll just end up with an MCSA. However, 236 will be an acceptable elective for the MCSE while the A+/Net+ combo will not.

Also, keep in mind that easier isn't always better. 620 is really geared towards home users (i.e. material related to Media Center, etc.), and you'll still miss out on a lot of important topics, such as ACLs, performance monitoring, deployment, etc. Vista isn't used anywhere near as much as XP, and it probably won't be for quite awhile. There are benefits to going with Vista, such as it counting towards the MCITP: EA and giving you a head-start on Windows 7. I just wouldn't write off 270 as useless or obsolete.

tallguy12

dynamik wrote:

...keep in mind that easier isn't always better. ...you'll still miss out on a lot of important topics, such as ACLs, performance monitoring, deployment, etc. Vista isn't used anywhere near as much as XP, and it probably won't be for quite awhile. There are benefits to going with Vista, such as it counting towards the MCITP: EA and giving you a head-start on Windows 7. I just wouldn't write off 270 as useless or obsolete.

Oh, I am not writing it off completely. I still see the value in it. The important topics, yes I would miss out on. But in remembering my studies from 4 years ago (I haven't pulled the books out again yet), there were a lot of upgrade from 9x or 2k and that's just not done in practice much anymore.

I was thinking toward the MCITP:EA. If I take 270 to get the SA, I still need to take 620 to get the MCITP:EA, right? If that is the right way to read it, I might conclude that it is cheaper to do the 620 alone. I have 7 years of working with XP on the job but only 2 using Vista. Unemployed and cheap go together well.

What I wish there was is a 2003 cert with Exchange 2007 concentration. I am seeing a lot of E2k7 requirements out there right now. I have that experience. It would be nice to back it up with a cert. I have yet to see W2K8 in production, only seen and worked with it in test labs and virtual environments.

dynamik

As far as the older OSes in 270 goes, you might have to know something basic like which OSes an upgrade is supported from and things like that, but it was a very, very small portion of the exam.

Yes, 620 would definitely be a more economical route to take if you're planning on doing the EA.

Well, 236 will also give you an MCTS (essentially the new MCP) in Exchange, but you can't use it for MCSE: Messaging or anything like that. 236, 237, and 238 will make you an MCITP: Enterprise Messaging Administrator though.

yankee_racers

Hi, I found this thread doing a google search and it has been really an interesting thread and this seems like a great site!

I do have a question though and wonder if any of you folks can clarify something for me. I have my A+, Network+, and just recently got my MCDST. I am scheduled to take the upgrade exam 70-621 early next week.

The way I understand it from what I have gathered online is that the 70-621 can count for the 70-620 as a requirement for the MCSA. Now, if I use the 70-621 to get the MCITP EST can I still have it count towards the MCSA Core exam on client operating system requirement?

Lets say I have my MCSA. Do I have to take 70-290 and 70-291 again to get my MCSE or do I take them once and they count for both the MCSA and MCSE?

I always assumed I only needed to take them once, but I read somewhere earlier today that a test can only count towards one certification. Which way is it?

Thanks a lot for your help and advice you seem like a very knowledgeable group here.

amp2030

You only need to take 290 and 291 once, they will count for both MCSA and MCSE.

Daniel333

It would over lap, so your 70-290 and 70-291 would apply toward both your MCSA and MCSE. Really, you would remove the MCSA from your resume once you have the MCSE anyway.

Someone interested an easy MCSA consider this path for their MCSA
70-620 >> 70-270 >> 70-290 >> 70-291

and if they wanted their MCSE they would just take these...
70-293 >> 70-294 >> 70-291 >> 70-297

In both cases the 70-620 would be the elective for MCSA and MCSE. There is nothing stopping you from applying the 70-620 multiple times, execept for the client/elective portion of the MCSA/MCSE certs, which is why you, in this case would also take 70-270.

from the 70-620 site...
Exam 70-620: TS: Configuring Microsoft Windows Vista Client: counts as credit toward the following certification(s):
Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP): Consumer Support Technician
Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP): Enterprise Support Technician
Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) on Windows Server 2003 and Microsoft Windows 2000
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) on Windows Server 2003 and Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP): Enterprise Administrator

Slowhand

mipouk wrote:

sorry to resurrect an old thread, and i have had a look but cant find this on the site anywhere so...

If you have the MCSE 2003 which includes the 70-620 as your elective, would this count when going for the MCITP Enterprise Administrator? Ive seen the sticky about upgrading and it mentions 2 exams plus the 70-620 OR another. would i have to take this other exam?

Ta.

And here I thought my saying it half a million times, in just about every MCSE/MCITP thread would have been enough.

yankee_racers

ok I get it, thanks for clarifying that for me.

I didn't realize I would only need 2 exams to have my MCSA until I read this thread... Thats pretty cool (assuming I pass the 70-621 I have scheduled Mon.)! I was planning on taking the Security+ exam in about a month so I will probably just take the extra exam to get the MCSA: Security whenever I get to that point.

dynamik

yankee_racers wrote:

ok I get it, thanks for clarifying that for me.

I didn't realize I would only need 2 exams to have my MCSA until I read this thread... Thats pretty cool (assuming I pass the 70-621 I have scheduled Mon.)! I was planning on taking the Security+ exam in about a month so I will probably just take the extra exam to get the MCSA: Security whenever I get to that point.

You'll need another security exam for MCSA:S, but the Security+ will work as an elective for the MCSE while an MCDST and A+/Net+ will not.

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcsa/security/windowsserver2003.mspx

yankee_racers

oh yeah I can see what I wrote wasn't very clear. I meant that since I was already planning on taking Security+ all I would have to take is one extra security exam that I hadn't already planned on taking.