compTIA and MS

I recently completed my 290 and wanted some advice on how to proceed further. I also have the A+ that I got a couple of years ago. In order to expedite the process of me getting the MCSA, does anyone think that I should obtain the Net+ and have A+ and Net+ combined to count as an elective towards the MCSA/MCSE or I should concentrate on passing just MS exams? I would like to obtain my MCSA as quickly as possible (of course without cheating

). Advice is appreciated.

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Comments

Mishra

I don't think so. Your best bet is to just do the 70-620 for your elective as this will count toward your MCSA and MCSE.

AmpdChaos

wait... im pretty sure the Net+ and A+ work towards the MCSE also... stop me if im wrong..

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcse/windows2003/default.mspx

You can substitute one of the following Microsoft or third-party certifications for an MCSE elective exam.

Mishra

AmpdChaos wrote:

wait... im pretty sure the Net+ and A+ work towards the MCSE also... stop me if im wrong..

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcse/windows2003/default.mspx

You can substitute one of the following Microsoft or third-party certifications for an MCSE elective exam.

If you look under the 3rd party link you will see

•

Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA)
To receive an elective credit toward the MCSA certification, candidates must earn the CompTIA A+ credential and either the CompTIA Network+ credential or the CompTIA Server+ credential. Alternatively, candidates can earn the CompTIA Security+ credential.
•

Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)
To receive an elective credit toward the MCSE certification, candidates can earn the CompTIA Security+ credential.

Which the MCSE doesn't include A+/Net+

undomiel

70-620 would probably be best, especially if you're considering the upgrade to MCITP:EA further down the road. Rumour has it to be a pretty easy exam as well! If you're considering any specializations though then the Security+ would be good though because it will also knock off an elective towards the Security designation plus add an extra certification to your resume. 351 may be worthwhile for the experience. You could also consider the 284 or 285 if you're thinking about Messaging.

Not an easy task planning an exam route!

NinjaBoy

undomiel wrote:

...Rumour has it to be a pretty easy exam as well!...

The exam isn't easier in the sense of it's a "walk in the park", the exams (well so far all the MCTS/MCITP exams I've taken regardless of whether or not I've passed them) are easier in the sense of understandability and comprehension.

-ken

snadam

AmpdChaos wrote:

wait... im pretty sure the Net+ and A+ work towards the MCSE also... stop me if im wrong..

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcse/windows2003/default.mspx

You can substitute one of the following Microsoft or third-party certifications for an MCSE elective exam.

STOP!

a+ net+ count towards MCSA, but not MCSE

sec+ alone counts for both.

AmpdChaos

glad you stopped me because that what i was gonna use working towards MCSE

Slowhand

Aside from the listings on each, individual cert-page, here is the direct link to what third-party exams count towards which Microsoft Certification.

Essendon

snadam wrote:

AmpdChaos wrote:

wait... im pretty sure the Net+ and A+ work towards the MCSE also... stop me if im wrong..

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcse/windows2003/default.mspx

You can substitute one of the following Microsoft or third-party certifications for an MCSE elective exam.

STOP!

a+ net+ count towards MCSA, but not MCSE

sec+ alone counts for both.

This might be a bit silly, but I might as well ask to clear out my doubts.

You get the MCSE after you get the MCSA, right?

You progress in the following way: MCP -> MCSA -> MCSE.

So if something counted towards the MCSA, it obviously counts towards the MCSE. Correct me if I am wrong, but dont fly into a rage

dynamik

MobilOne wrote:

So if something counted towards the MCSE, it obviously counts towards the MCSE.

Obviously

Regarding your question, there are a few electives you can take that only count for the MCSE, so you could theoretically get your MCSE without getting your MCSA.

Sie

Also there are some electives that count for the MCSA and not the MCSE so be careful which exams you choose!!

Essendon

dynamik wrote:

MobilOne wrote:

So if something counted towards the MCSE, it obviously counts towards the MCSE.

Obviously

Regarding your question, there are a few electives you can take that only count for the MCSE, so you could theoretically get your MCSE without getting your MCSA.

You are quick to spot it, dynamik. That a glaring typo.

I'll rephrase it. If something counts towards the MCSA, it counts towards the MCSE too.

astorrs

Sie wrote:

Also there are some electives that count for the MCSA and not the MCSE so be careful which exams you choose!!

The only electives that count for the MCSA but not the MCSE, are the use of CompTIA A+/N+ or A+/S+. Everything else is OK.

Sie

astorrs wrote:

Sie wrote:

Also there are some electives that count for the MCSA and not the MCSE so be careful which exams you choose!!

The only electives that count for the MCSA but not the MCSE, are the use of CompTIA A+/N+ or A+/S+. Everything else is OK.

Dont forget the MCDST counts for only the MCSA and not the MCSE last time I checked.

astorrs

I never noticed that one before. Hopefully with the changes to the MCP program (MCTS, etc) this confusion is a thing of the past.

Essendon

Oh, yet another difficult task and of all things it is selecting the certfications! Jeez, MS doesnt let anything come easy to you

So now that I have the 290, I should go for the 291 and then the 293 and 294 because of the overlap and then perhaps the 620 and the security+ to follow. So that should get me:

1. MCTS (Vista)
2. MCSA
3. MCSA: Security ( I am not too sure about this .. )

After that probably I should go for some AD exams depending on whether I plan to go for Messaging/Security.

Seems like a plan? Anyone?

dynamik

That's a good plan, but you won't get MCSA:S. You'll need to do 299 or one of the ISA exams as well: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcsa/security/windowsserver2003.mspx

You probably know this, but 293 and 294 aren't parts of the MCSA.

Essendon

Damn, dynamik, man you got everything a click away. That link was helpful. I'll make sure to make you a job offer when I have my own company!

Hey, can I know in what order you took your exams. That should give me a idea of a path I could consider taking.

undomiel

Best be careful! He has had one crazy exam path.

dynamik

undomiel wrote:

Best be careful! He has had one crazy exam path.

He's right. It'll make your head explode: 290, 270, Sec+, 294, 293, 291, 299, 298. The latter two will hopefully be on there very soon

290 and 270 are interchangeable, and I prepared for 291/293 and 298/299 at the same time, so 294 is really the only one I took out of order. The official chronological list looks kind of crazy though.

undomiel

I look forward to a good write-up on the 298/299 as those are looming up in my future soon I hope.

hustlin_moe20

MobilOne, I'm taking a MCSA program at an accredited tech school and they're teaching it with the CompTIA exams as electives so I don't see anything wrong with it. Schools do it, you can too!

networker050184

Just because a school does it doesn't make it right. In the end the school is a business and they want your money.

Slowhand

hustlin_moe20 wrote:

MobilOne, I'm taking a MCSA program at an accredited tech school and they're teaching it with the CompTIA exams as electives so I don't see anything wrong with it. Schools do it, you can too!

There's nothing wrong with using third-party exams as electives. In fact, it's a good thing, since it gives you a little bit of a broader education than just "the One Microsoft Way". The thing to be aware of is that the A+/Network+ combo only applies to MCSA, while Security+ by itself can be used towards both the MCSA and MCSE. There's nothing wrong with taking Microsoft electives either, it's simply a matter of what your interests, situation, and motivation are.

Essendon

dynamik wrote:

undomiel wrote:

Best be careful! He has had one crazy exam path.

He's right. It'll make your head explode: 290, 270, Sec+, 294, 293, 291, 299, 298. The latter two will hopefully be on there very soon

290 and 270 are interchangeable, and I prepared for 291/293 and 298/299 at the same time, so 294 is really the only one I took out of order. The official chronological list looks kind of crazy though.

dynamik, out of curiousity, why did you take the 294 before the 291/293. And did you really take the 293 before the 291? It certainly makes the head wobbly

In addition, it was thinking of not taking the 270 at all and going for the Vista test instead. Does that seem right, I was thinking on the line that the 620 gets me an additional cert and counts towards the MCSE as well.

Essendon

undomiel wrote:

Best be careful! He has had one crazy exam path.

undomiel, can I please know what was your path to the MCSA? Though I hope it wasnt as crazy as dynamik's

undomiel

Mine was a very normal path:

Security+ -> 70-270 -> 70-290 -> 70-291 and on to the MCSE will most likely go as 70-293 -> 70-294 -> 70-298 and then top it all off with 70-299 for my MCSA:S MCSE:S.

Nothing strange about that one! Though I may on a whim opt for 298/299 before 293/294.

dynamik

I took 294 because I wanted to break things up a bit, and I didn't care when I got my MCSA. I had no exposure to AD prior to that, and I wanted to beef that area of knowledge asap. It would have been slightly easier if I had done 291/293 first, but it wasn't too hard to fill in the gaps.

Like I said, I studied for 291 and 293 simultaneously, and 293 was a taken a couple of days earlier because that's how the scheduling worked out (291 is longer and more difficult to schedule when things are busy). The same goes for 299 and 298. Assuming I pass both, 299 will beat 298 only by about 90 minutes.

The XP exam material is much more applicable for the enterprise than the Vista exam. The Vista exam is better suited for home/soho users where you have to do things like setup media center capabilities. I thought the Vista exam was a waste of time. However, it counts towards your MCSA/E and MCITP:EA, and those are the ones people will care about in the end, so I don't think it really matters. Just be sure you have a good handle on XP if you don't take that exam because it's still in use (and will be for some time) and important to know how to use it.

Edit: Undomiel, I would strongly encourage you to do 291/293 first. They contain a lot of security information that the latter two build upon. You will make things much harder on yourself if you do those first.

Edit 2: Whoops. My point's still valid, but I did misread what you wrote. The material in 293, especially certificates/pki, is a huge part of the security exams. You could probably get by without 294 if you're familiar with AD/GPOs.

undomiel

Already did 291, and 293 is just waiting on funding. I am leaning towards 298/299 though because I wouldn't mind getting that :S tacked onto my MCSA early on.

Plus, they look fun.

Essendon

undomiel wrote:

Mine was a very normal path:

Security+ -> 70-270 -> 70-290 -> 70-291 and on to the MCSE will most likely go as 70-293 -> 70-294 -> 70-298 and then top it all off with 70-299 for my MCSA:S MCSE:S.

Nothing strange about that one! Though I may on a whim opt for 298/299 before 293/294.

Hey, so you mean that Security+ -> 70-270 -> 70-290 -> 70-291 got you the MCSA?

Your path seems like the one that most people would take.

For a timeframe, if I put in a couple of hours every weekday and 6-8 Satday and Sunday, does the MCSA seem like a distinct possibility in say 4 months? I do have a decent lab setup at home, with a DC, a member server and XP, so I can be pretty hands-on. I believe my PC can handle it if I did put in another DC. It's got 2 gig o' RAM and 2.4Ghz Core 2 Duo with the free VMWare server from the vendor's website..?