Best Microsoft certification to complement CCNA/CCNP

Does anybody know which operating system, or Microsoft certification complements a CCNA/CCNP? I've always thought that Network Engineers have an operating system, or other systems that they will constantly come in contact with. I hope to get some more insight so any thoughts, ideas will go a long way. Thanks

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awitt11

Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuring (70-642) comes to mind. I have not taken any of the MS tests, so I can't give a full comparison.

Zartanasaurus

I'm biased, but I would complement it with Virtualization.

rwmidl

I would go with an OS (server or desktop) and then an AD Infrastructure. From a CCN* point of view, don't even waste your time with the Network Infrastructure portion of the Microsoft exams unless you are going for your MCSE/MCSA.

egrizzly

rwmidl wrote: »

I would go with an OS (server or desktop) and then an AD Infrastructure. From a CCN* point of view, don't even waste your time with the Network Infrastructure portion of the Microsoft exams unless you are going for your MCSE/MCSA.

thanks dude. that''ll work for perspective.

Slowhand

Speaking as someone who's been neck-deep in both the CCNP and MCSA/MCITP study material for a lot longer than I care to admit, I think you should perhaps think about looking at the MCSA 2008/MCITP: Server Administrator certification. For one thing, you're probably going to be able to knock the network infrastructure exam (70-642) out of the park in a very short amount of time, considering you would have plenty of experience with a good 40% of the material covered already. And you'll probably find that covering new ground, in the form of Active Directory on the 70-640 exam, will give a whole new, and useful, skillset to use even if you end up focusing primarily on routing & switching.

In the same spirit that I tend to tell just about all server admins, be they Microsoft or *NIX specialists, to at least go for the CCNA to get some networking skills under their belt, I think it's a great idea for someone with CCNP-level networking knowledge to delve into the server-end. Getting a thorough understanding of AD, though, is definitely well-worth the frustrations of learning "the Microsoft way" of network infrastructure topics when you already spent lots of time getting Cisco's methods beaten into your head.

netsysllc

Don't be fooled by the 70-640 exam, the focus is not networking but Microsoft network related services. Backups, monitoring logs over the network, AD related DNS and DHCP and so on. there is a few sections on ipv4 and ipv6 but small parts of the test.

ptilsen

Not being a CCNA, I still feel the standard MCSA/MCITP:SA track makes sense. Virtualization makes a lot of sense to -- Cisco or Hyper V. On the other hand, even the higher-level MS stuff (ie 70-643) makes a lot sense, because it gives you a deeper perspective of what kind of traffic will likely go over the network you're implementing. Really, in some positions I see a lot of value in having deep knowledge in both areas. It gives you a better position from which to analyze the types and speeds of circuits and the placement of servers.

Tackle

I might be biased as I've only taken the one but I'm familiar with some topics covered in the ccna and I think that the 70-642 would be a good Microsoft cert to compliment it.