Upgrading to MCSE Server 2012

zsaltzman

Just to make sure I have my head on straight, before I begin my road to MCSE Server 2012, does all of this sound correct? I found this would be my shortest path (4 tests instead of 5).

I currently have
MCTIP: Windows 7 Ent. Desktop Support Tech (and automatically received MCSA: Win 7)

To reach MCSE Server 2012
I need to pass:
686 (To receive MCITP: Win 7 Ent. Desktop Admin.)
417
413
414

Does the above path sound like a better idea than starting from scratch and passing 410,411,412,413, and 414 for the MCSE Server 12 cert?

tycoonbob

That will definitely get you your MCSE: Server Infrastructure.

My only concern for you is that the 70-417 is an upgrade exam relating to servers. While yes you can upgrade from the Windows 7 Ent. Admin cert to the MCSE: Server Inf, make sure you know the content. If you don't know servers, AD DS, DNS, DHCP, Certificates, Hyper-V, Etc...you may struggle. If you do, then you should look at taking the 410/411/412 separately.

zsaltzman

tycoonbob wrote: »

My only concern for you is that the 70-417 is an upgrade exam relating to servers. While yes you can upgrade from the Windows 7 Ent. Admin cert to the MCSE: Server Inf, make sure you know the content. If you don't know servers, AD DS, DNS, DHCP, Certificates, Hyper-V, Etc...you may struggle. If you do, then you should look at taking the 410/411/412 separately.

I have passed 70-640 (was planning on MCITP: Server Admin at the time) and also have a lot of hands on experience working in server environments, so I'm not concerned about that. Just want my shortest path to MCSE: Server Infrastructure.

Thanks for the feedback. I think I'll go with this shorter path...I'm hoping that the prep for 686 won't be as difficult since I still have most of the 685 material still in my head

tycoonbob

I think I struggled more with the 685 than the 686 (not that either was really all that difficult, tbh).

Why not finish up your MCITP: SA? I mean, I know it's not the newest...but lets face it, most companies will be running Server 2008 R2 for several more years. The exams expire in July of this year, and it would show that you have been working with previous versions too. Unless your job, or potential job, requires the MCSE: Server Infrastructure.

MrAgent

The exams dont expire themselves, the MCITP: SA title is expiring.

zsaltzman

tycoonbob wrote: »

Why not finish up your MCITP: SA?

I considered doing that (which would give me MCSA: Server 2008 as well). But if I'm going to take 2 tests, I'd rather take 686 and 417 to get MCSA: Server 2012. There's no upgrade path that I saw from MCSA: Server 2008 to MCSE: Server Infrastructure or even to MCSA: Server 2012, so that discouraged me. I would still have to end up taking 410, 411, and 412 in that case to end up at MCSE: Server Infrastructure, right?

The certs for "current" technologies don't carry that much weight with me (or with my current job), so I'd rather go for the 2012/MCSE certifications.

tycoonbob

No no...if you got your MCSA: Server 2008 (aka, MCITP: Server Administrator), then you could take the 70-417 upgrade exam and have your MCSA: Server 2012. Then take the 413 and 414 to have your MCSE: Server Infrastructure.

Slowhand

There is indeed an upgrade path from MCITP: Server Administrator to MCSA: Windows Server 2012, just not directly from the 2008-generation certs to the new MCSE paths. You take the 70-417 exam, it's the "universal upgrade" to 2012. The only reason I could recommend finishing up the MCITP - or MCSA Windows Server 2008 as the kids call it these days - is that you'd already be in server-mode, so to speak, and you'd just be building on your existing 70-640 knowledge while learning what you need from 70-642 and 70-646.

That's not to say going the MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Administrator then up the 70-417 ladder to the MCSA 2012 is a bad route to go. You'd just have to fill in more gaps on the server-side in terms of knowledge and studying, and probably spend a little more time with the 70-410/70-411/70-412 material so you'd have enough to pour through the 70-417 resources and sit that exam.

I put together a thread in our Windows forum a while back outlining the new certs and their upgrade path, if you need more info.

zsaltzman

Thanks all - I feel comfortable with all the various options now.

I'm going to stick with the original plan in order to take the least amount of exams (even though I'll be jumping around between desktop/server).

My current MCSA: Win 7 + Pass 686 + Pass 417 = MCSA: Server 2012

Then my goal will be:

Pass 413 and 414 = MCSE: Server Infr.

Boom.

Slowhand

Sounds like a solid plan. And, if you pass the 70-686 exam before July 31st of this year, you will also earn the MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Administrator title in addition to the MCSA: Windows 7 title. . . (which it looks like you already have.) Since they won't be taking the certs off your transcripts, it'll still be a perfectly legitimate thing to put ALL your Microsoft titles on your resume, even the duplicates, should you so choose.

MPerry

MrAgent wrote: »

The exams dont expire themselves, the MCITP: SA title is expiring.

They aren't expiring, they are 'retiring'.

Retired exams