MCSE Confidence Level

teknologikal · July 2015

Good Morning Folks

So I am starting to study for MCSE, amongst other certifications. I work for a small\medium size company (around 100 employees) and I manage our systems along with our engineer. I am mostly responsible for 1st and 2nd level support. I manage some of the basic AD stuff. Some VMware\VMware View environment as well. I got the Mastering Windows 2012 book from Mark Minasi. I also have TrainSignal and CBT Nuggets training videos, plus other PDFs\eBooks on the subject. I am not in a rush. I will take as long as I need to do to master this. I have a lab environment, plus my live environment where I can apply my knowledge.

Here is my fear

I lack confidence that I will be able to learn all this stuff. I look at the book and there is just so much information that I feel overwhelmed. I don't want to start out by thinking I am going to fail and I am not a dumb person, but I am looking for some opinions and suggestions here. Is this something that just takes a lot of education, practice, and time, or do I have to be some kind of a genius to learn all this? I know its kind of lame question, but I do feel a bit overwhelmed that this is just too much too learn and understand. I am especially concerned about learning PowerShell commands. All the scripting\programming is giving me a headache just by looking at the information in the book.
Anyway, any thoughts here would be greatly appreciated

Thanks,
Felix

discount81 · July 2015

teknologikal wrote: »

Good Morning Folks

So I am starting to study for MCSE, amongst other certifications. I work for a small\medium size company (around 100 employees) and I manage our systems along with our engineer. I am mostly responsible for 1st and 2nd level support. I manage some of the basic AD stuff. Some VMware\VMware View environment as well. I got the Mastering Windows 2012 book from Mark Minasi. I also have TrainSignal and CBT Nuggets training videos, plus other PDFs\eBooks on the subject. I am not in a rush. I will take as long as I need to do to master this. I have a lab environment, plus my live environment where I can apply my knowledge.

Here is my fear I lack confidence that I will be able to learn all this stuff. I look at the book and there is just so much information that I feel overwhelmed. I don't want to start out by thinking I am going to fail and I am not a dumb person, but I am looking for some opinions and suggestions here. Is this something that just takes a lot of education, practice, and time, or do I have to be some kind of a genius to learn all this? I know its kind of lame question, but I do feel a bit overwhelmed that this is just too much too learn and understand. I am especially concerned about learning PowerShell commands. All the scripting\programming is giving me a headache just by looking at the information in the book.
Anyway, any thoughts here would be greatly appreciated

Thanks,
Felix

I feel like just reading for me isn't enough, I needed a lab set up for me to see everything in action.
With Virtualization it's so easy to lab at home now

NetworkNewb · July 2015

You have your MSCA Server 2012 right?

teknologikal · July 2015

No, I don't have any certs at this moment. I had an old MCP, but it expired a long time ago. I've been more hands on with learning, but want to do it the proper way and learn everything by the book, through the lab, and hands on in my current job since I am the IT manager and can pretty much do what I want here. I am not even concerned about the exams. I don't care about the exams. I care about learning and understanding everything and then applying it all in my current job, but mostly in the next job(s). I am also doing VMware later on since I already have some experience with it. As I stated in the original post, I am just a bit overwhelmed by all the knowledge. I don't mind studying my ass of day and night. My concern, and for a lack of a better word, is that I feel like I am not smart enough to learn this stuff

I've been in IT for almost 20 years, but its always been more on the client side and doing independent consulting for home users and small businesses. This is advanced stuff and I am trying to decide if this is something I want to do. Don't get me wrong, I love this stuff. I love technology. I just don't know if this something I can learn on the level I am supposed to understand it to get a much higher paying job. I am 38 and this is a time for me to decide, am I going to advance in what I am doing right now or is it time to change my career before its too late?

iBrokeIT · July 2015

My best advice for gain confidence is setup a home lab environment. Set it up, break it, fix it, tear down and start all over again. Then trying doing it with only powershell ect...

TestTitan · July 2015

I concur...a BIG lab, there is a LOT of content covered in each exam.

pjd007 · July 2015

IMO the only area that I struggled with was subnetting which I mastered for the exam but in the real world I'd probably just use a subnet calculator.

Essentially the exams are just a memory test, most of the concepts aren't difficult and if you use powershell etc. in your day job then you've got a good starting point so just focus on one exam at a time.

lsud00d · July 2015

As others have said, lab'ing is absolutely essential to cover all of the topics throughout the MCSE because it literally covers the gamut of MS technologies, which is anything and everything that could be encountered in an enterprise. With the MCSE, make sure to pace yourself--it's not uncommon for it to take 1-2 years so spread the exams out and continue to build on what you learned prior.

Basically, go look at the Windows Features & Roles list in Server 2012, and that is what you will be learning.

Louie1277 · July 2015

One thing you have is that you played with server 2012, and stuff. I do help desk on workstations, and other devices. I never really installed server 2012 or played around with AD. Since I been studying I have learned a lot from installing, and doing other stuff.

I took the exam twice already and failed. First time it was about 450+ and the second time I got close to 500 score. All you need is to move forward and not think about if you will pay it or not. Age doesn't really mater I been in I.T for about 15yrs myself.

Just start from scratch and move forward.

ed_003 · July 2015

practice always makes better.. i remember when i started with servers i was so lost and frustrated but i kept practicing and now im a lot better and still practicing

MCSE Confidence Level

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