What order?

tr1x

I'd like to get the MCSE this year, and I want to start on the easier exams first because of going to school full time and working full time. I have the client exam satisfied (70-680) as well as the elective. Which exam do you think I should start out on? It doesn't have to be the easiest one as long as it makes the most sense.

cyberguypr

Any particular reason why you are going for the MCSE instead of MCITP?

ptilsen

cyberguypr wrote: »

Any particular reason why you are going for the MCSE instead of MCITP?

I'm guess this:

tr1x wrote: »

as well as the elective.

The Comptia triad will more than satisfy electives for MCSE and MCSA. However, MCSA/E could get EoL announcements any time. I would expect it before 2014, if not 2013.

I think at this point, pursuing MCSE would be risky with working and going to school full time. As someone who went to school full time, worked full time, and achieved MCSA while doing so, I can tell you that's it's draining enough just to work and get certs, never mind even going part time to school. MCSE has some tough tests in it, and you really are risking it getting phased out before you complete it by taking this path.

More importantly, MCITP:EA is the way to go at this point. MCSE is still valuable, and I consider them on par right now, but MCITP:EA is going to have more real-world use, more value, and even more name recognition in the near future.

A mixed path might be to complete your MCSA, then upgrade it to get two MCTS certs (AD Conf. and Net. Inf. Conf.). This would get you four certs in three tests (MCSA, MCP, 2 x MCTS) , followed by two more tests to get two more certs (MCTS, MCITP). MCSA will still have value sitting next to MCITP:EA on a resume because it still gets some name recognition and shows your knowledge is not limited to the new stuff.

On the other hand, that path is one more test than you need to get MCITP:EA and as such will cost you more and take more time. The upgrade test is also more or less a two-in-one, so you'll ultimately spend just as much time studying. Basically, you're going to spend an extra 5-20 hours studying for this path and another $150+ on testing in order to achieve MCSA. That's not so bad, but conventional wisdom is that you should probably just go straight for 70-640 to start into MCITP:EA.

Psoasman

tr1x wrote: »

I'd like to get the MCSE this year, and I want to start on the easier exams first because of going to school full time and working full time. I have the client exam satisfied (70-680) as well as the elective. Which exam do you think I should start out on? It doesn't have to be the easiest one as long as it makes the most sense.

Are you using Server 2003 at work? If so, that's a good reason to pursue the MCSE. I took a look at the discontinued exams and you are good until September of 2012. Depending on your experience, you might have time. I'd do the 290 and 291 first. That will get you the MCSA. You could upgrade that to the MCITP: SA or continue on doing the 293, 294, and either 297 or 298 to obtain the MCSE.

Personally, I'd go the MCSA route, then upgrade to MCITP: SA, then do the 643 and 647 exams. Microsoft can and will change their minds about the exams and it would suck to have one exam left and have it discontinued.

tr1x

Thanks for the advice, guys. My reason for doing MCSE is because of the name recognition. I want to get MCITP eventually as well, but everyone (including a lot of people outside of IT) know what an MCSE is, whereas hardly anyone knows what an MCITP is. If as many people knew about the MCITP as the MCSE, I would have no desire to bother with the MCSE. I figure I could get the MCSE now before it retires and then just do the upgrade exams later. You have some good points though, and I may just get the MCSA for the reasons you've mentioned.

Psoasman, where did you see the retire date at? I had searched all over the Microsoft site as well as Google and couldn't find a solid date anywhere.