Design exam question

sterlingbluesterlingblue Member Posts: 19 ■□□□□□□□□□
in MCSA / MCSE on Windows 2003 General
Hey folks,

I'm trying to pick my design exam, it's the last one I need to take before I get my MCSE :)


Any thoughts on which one I should go for?

285 - Exchange 2003 Design
297 - AD design
298 - Security Design

Thanks in advance!
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Comments

  • DevilsbaneDevilsbane Member Posts: 4,214 ■■■■■■■■□□
    I'm choosing 298 with the intent to do the 299 and security+ and have MCSE:S
    Decide what to be and go be it.
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  • skylineskyline Member Posts: 135
    I would suggest 297 as your final MCSE exam.

    285 Exchange / 298 Security are more part of there selective specializations.
    Goals for '11
    MCITP: EA
    ITIL
    CCNA

    Studying:
    MS press book 70-680
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  • sterlingbluesterlingblue Member Posts: 19 ■□□□□□□□□□
    skyline wrote: »
    I would suggest 297 as your final MCSE exam.

    285 Exchange / 298 Security are more part of there selective specializations.

    I've heard some bad things about 297. that it's a death trap :)

    It it really as hard as folks make it out to be?
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  • Mojo_666Mojo_666 Member Posts: 438
    The 285 was a killer Exam, the worst ever, I hated every second of it, do not do that exam unless you really want MCSE Messaging, but maybe all the design exams are like that ? icon_neutral.gif
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  • PsoasmanPsoasman Senior Member Member Posts: 2,687 ■■■■■■■■■□
    I would look at it this way: which will benefit you more? I did the 298, it was tough, not so much as the questions, but the timed part. I felt a bit rushed and the format is set up with several testlets, each of which is timed and you can't go back later.
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  • gatewaygateway Member Posts: 232
    I take it you have done the 294... it's not in your cert list :)

    I'd go for the 298 next!
    Blogging my AWS studies here! http://www.itstudynotes.uk/aws-csa
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  • motogpmanmotogpman Member Posts: 412
    If you plan on going to WGU, make sure to look at the requirements. I think that they require 297 instead of 298 if you are going to use the MCSE 2k3 instead of the MCITP certs for credits. I'll double check this when I get a moment. Otherwise, I think the 298 would overlap a lot of topics from 290/291/293.

    I am thinking about taking both though.
    -WIP- (70-294 and 297)

    Once MCSE 2k3 completed:

    WGU: BS in IT, Design/Management

    Finish MCITP:EA, CCNA, PMP by end of 2012

    After that, take a much needed vacation!!!!!
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  • sterlingbluesterlingblue Member Posts: 19 ■□□□□□□□□□
    motogpman wrote: »
    If you plan on going to WGU, make sure to look at the requirements. I think that they require 297 instead of 298 if you are going to use the MCSE 2k3 instead of the MCITP certs for credits. I'll double check this when I get a moment. Otherwise, I think the 298 would overlap a lot of topics from 290/291/293.

    I am thinking about taking both though.


    I'm not familiar with the WGU acronym :) Could you elaborate?
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  • earweedearweed Member Posts: 5,192 ■■■■■■■■■□
    sterlingblue wrote: »
    I'm not familiar with the WGU acronym :) Could you elaborate?
    Western Governors University... A lot of people from here are going there (online) largely based on the fact that certs transfer as credits allowing people to complete their degree more quickly.
    No longer work in IT. Play around with stuff sometimes still and fix stuff for friends and relatives.
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  • fly2dwfly2dw Member Posts: 122 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Personally I don't see any point in doing 285 now. You might as well go with 297 and 298 depending on your requirements (I am going for 298 as I have completed 299) and then start looking towards Exchange 2007 or 2010.

    You can argue that if your company uses Exchange 2003 then go for 285, however I think sometime very soon you will have to move to 2007 or 2010 so you might as well start or pick up from there. You will be in a better position to upgrade your Exchange infrastructure.
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  • sterlingbluesterlingblue Member Posts: 19 ■□□□□□□□□□
    fly2dw wrote: »
    Personally I don't see any point in doing 285 now. You might as well go with 297 and 298 depending on your requirements (I am going for 298 as I have completed 299) and then start looking towards Exchange 2007 or 2010.

    You can argue that if your company uses Exchange 2003 then go for 285, however I think sometime very soon you will have to move to 2007 or 2010 so you might as well start or pick up from there. You will be in a better position to upgrade your Exchange infrastructure.

    I'm an Exchange engineer who works for Microsoft :) We are using 2010

    I need to upgrade my exchange 2k7 certs to 2010 as soon as I finish the MCSE track (don't like studying for different things at the same time. I'm thinking that 297 is going to be more useful for me to be honest.

    I thought the 285 might be an interesting path since I have migration/ co-existance experience including Domino, Groupwise, Ex5.5,2000,2k3 and now E12-E14.

    But the more I think about it I hardly touch 2k3 anymore so it's not really that useful whereas I'm in the directory all the time.

    Thanks for the advice!
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