70-284 and 70-285 (Your all probably sick of the subject :))

Graham_84

Just when i thought MCSE was all done with one to go, i know realise to be MCSE:M i need to have 284 and 285.

What are these exams like?

Obviosly being an engineer im fairly comfortable with exchange. SingleSite/SingleStore etc, or up to 4/5 servers within the organisation. Only Standard edition though. Have never done multiple mailbox stores or backend/frontend etc.

Please say the 285 "designing and exchange org" is not another one of those casestudy ones?!?!

blargoe

285 is another one of those case study ones.

From what I recall, in addition to what you're probably familiar with in your environment, you need to be familiar with interoperability with and and migration from other mail systems like Exchange 5.5 and third party systems. Also, entry-level networking knowledge including routing, and a good understanding of Microsoft DNS.

HeroPsycho

Good understanding of how to make various components in Exchange 2003 highly available (multiple MX records, NLB, MSCS, etc.).

Good legit study notes...

net fresco
dot
com

danclarke

I have to say that they are the 2 toughest IT exams which I have taken so far.

I failed 284 the first time around. In part that was because I thought I could fit it in to a busy schedule and didn't leave myself enough time on the day. In part it was because the MS Press book left a lot to be desired.

The questions in 285 were more straightforward - and the study material is essentially the same as 284 - but there was a lot of data to take in in the case studies and a larger number of case studies than in 70-297. I took 2 1/2 hours to complete this exam: far longer than any other MS exam so far.

To paraphrase JFK, though, we do Exchange exams not because they are easy but because they are hard. I think that now, studying for 70-236, the time spent on Exchange Server 2003 was so worthwhile: Exchange Server 2007 holds no horrors.