MCSE: Out With The Old

Having an MCSE next to your name can open doors that would otherwise be closed. My MCSE Certification has helped me get job interviews and writing gigs, plus it has helped with my street cred in the IT world.

Another nice thing about the MCSE is that it will never expire, not even when the exams are discontinued (let’s hope, that in the future, the MCSE will be a sign of experience and longevity and not a sign of age).

But the MCSE is getting old, the technology is starting to go out of fashion and companies are looking for candidates with updated skills and new sets of letters after their names.

MCTS & MCITP: In With The New

Just in case you haven’t been following along, Microsoft has introduced two new certifications:

• Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS)
• Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP)

The MCTS demonstrates knowledge on a particular technology so it is possible to get several MCTS designations, one for each technology you test on. The MCITP certification requires 3-5 MCTS exams, depending on which track you choose.

The MCTS expires when the technology it is based on is out of mainstream support. The MCITP will need to be renewed every three years. Because these new certifications expire, having one will be a sign of keeping current and being up to date with changing technologies.

Learn more about the Server 2008 MCITP Certifications.

Certification Options for MCSEs

If you’re currently working with Microsoft technologies and would like to continue on that route, than the MCTS and MCITP is the logical upgrade path for you to take.

If you’re not working with Windows or simply looking for a change, there are other certification options for MCSEs.

CompTIA Network+ Certification

The Network+ certification consists of only one exam and covers core networking concepts such as wires and network topologies, the OSI Model, TCP/IP protocols and the like. You’ll learn the fundamentals that every IT professional should know like how to set a default gateway, DNS and basic IP addressing, routing and wireless networking, using networking command line tools, performance optimization and hands-on networking tools such as the multimeter and cable testers.

Why would someone with an MCSE want to get the Network+ certification?

Well for starters, the Net+ is a vendor neutral certification so you’re not going to be limited to just Microsoft information. And if you haven’t been keeping up with the latest changes in networking technologies, studying for the Network+ will be a nice way to refresh your skills and knowledge and fill in any gaps.

Learn more about the CompTIA Network+ Certification.

CompTIA Security+ Certification

Security is on everyone’s mind, now more than ever, which is why it’s also one of the most in-demand areas in the IT field. CompTIA’s Security+ certification is required by most companies in the health care and financial industries and the federal government.

Security professionals also enjoy a higher pay scale than the average System Administrator, and there are simply more opportunities for individuals with security credentials.

Security+ Certification requires a single exam and will allow you to build skills in implementing organizational security, system security, email security, web security and more, all with a vendor neutral focus.

Learn more about the CompTIA Security+ Certification.

Cisco CCNA Certification

Cisco’s CCNA is a very popular certification that allows you to obtain a wide range of job titles including: associate network technician, network specialist, associate network engineer and others.

There are two paths to obtaining the CCNA cert; you can take a single composite exam: CCNA 640-802, or two exams: ICND1 640-822 and ICND2 640-816.

Although it is considered an entry level certification, the CCNA covers a number of advanced networking topics. On your exam you will have to describe how a network works and actually configure a switch in a test lab. You will also need to know how to configure, verify and troubleshoot routers on Cisco devices.

The CCNA is a popular option for MCSEs because it opens up new opportunities and for many, it is a nice change of pace.

Learn more about the Cisco CCNA Certification.

VMware VCP Certification

IT professionals with virtualization and cloud computing skills are in high demand as companies and organizations are trying to bring more efficiency and cost savings to the IT department. Eventually, it will be an expected skill of every sysadmin because of the widespread adaptation of virtualization technology.

The VCP (VMware Certified Professional) certification is still pretty rare, especially compared to Microsoft or Cisco certifications. So if you’re looking for a good way to stand out from the crowd and work with some cutting edge technologies, then virtualization is the path to go.

Learn more about the VMware VCP Certification.

Coming Full Circle: Upgrading Your MCSE

That leads us back to Microsoft Certifications. Maybe an updated Microsoft Certification is the most logical step for MCSEs after all.

By taking just one Microsoft exam you can get your MCTS (and add some new letters to your name). The MCTS on Windows 7 Administration is a good choice as many organizations are moving to the new OS.

The MCITP upgrade path for MCSE’s also looks very promising. Those who hold an MCSE or MCSA on Server 2003 can take the expedited route to the MCITP Certification and earn multiple MCTS certifications by passing a single upgrade exam.

The upgrade exams include:

• Exam: 70-648 Upgrading Your MCSA on Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008, Technology Specialist
• Exam: 70-649 Upgrading Your MCSE on Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008, Technology Specialist

By passing exam 70-648 (for MCSAs) you complete the requirements for two Server 2008 Certifications:

• MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Configuration
• MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure Configuration

By passing exam 70-649 (for MCSEs) you complete the requirements for three Server 2008 Certs:

• MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Configuration
• MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure Configuration
• MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Application Platform Configuration

Both the 70-648 and 70-649 exams also count towards you MCITP Certifications, whether you want to go the MCITP Server Administrator or MCITP Enterprise Administrator route.

To complete your MCITP Server Administrator credential after completing the upgrade exam you will only have one exam left:

• Exam 70-646: Windows Server 2008, Server Administrator

To complete your MCITP Enterprise Administrator credential after completing the MCSA/MCSE upgrade exam you will need to pass two exams:

• Exam 70-647: Windows Server 2008, Enterprise Administrator

and one of these:

• Exam 70-620: Configuring Microsoft Windows Vista Client
• Exam 70-624: Deploying and Maintaining Windows Vista Client and 2007 Microsoft Office System Desktops
• Exam 70-680: Windows 7, Configuring

Take a look at the MCITP exam requirements to learn about the difference between the two MCITP certification routes and what you’ll need to do to achieve them.

Time to Update Your MCSE

As my colleague has pointed out in a previous article, there will be considerable value in being both MCSE 2003 and MCITP 2008 certified as many organizations are moving to Server 2008 and need IT pros who are proficient in both technologies. The combination of MCSE and MCITP might be the new hot ticket in the certification arena.

Related posts:

• MCSE vs MCITP: Is the MCSE Still Worth It?
• Lesson 10: Server 2008 MCITP Certifications
• Why Getting Your MCSE Now Is Still A Good Idea

Which one is more valuable?  Which one is going to get you a better job?  Should you get your MCSE certification or go for the new MCITP?

These are all valid questions and they are not easy to answer. You have to keep in mind that one certification may work great for one person, and it may not work out so well for another. 

To make the right decision, you really need to take some time, evaluate your situation and your current position, and come up with a solution that will work for you. To help you get started I would suggest to take into consideration your current job situation and ask yourself these questions:

• Is my company still using Server 2003?  If so, for how long?
• Am I going to be involved with Server 2008 migration?
• How long do I plan on staying with my current company?
• Do I plan on getting a new job?
• Do I want a promotion?
• Do I want to completely change my career?

All these questions (and few more that you might come up with) will help you determine which certification path to go with. But here, let me clarify some info for you guys; let’s start with Windows Server 2003.

Windows Server 2003 MCSA/MCSE

The MCSA and MCSE certifications are very similar. In fact, 4 specific exams required for your MCSE will get you your MCSA in the progress. Then once you pass 3 additional exams you become MCSE certified.

So there are 4 exams required for the MCSA and 7 exams for the MCSE. As you can see the MCSE certification is a little more desirable than the MCSA because it’s more advanced and you’re required to know more (plus you need to pass 3 additional exams).

MCSA Exam Requirements

To become MCSA certified you are required to pass the following exams:

• Exam 70-290 – Managing and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Environment
• Exam 70-291 – Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure

And one of these two elective exams:

• Exam 70-620 – TS: Configuring Microsoft Windows Vista Client
• Exam 70-270 – Installing, Configuring, and Administering Windows XP Professional

Plus one additional exam, which is also an elective exam, from a list of about 20 exams to choose from. Here is the complete list — just make sure you’re looking at the Elective Exams under MCSA on Windows Server 2003.

This makes it a total of 4 exams — two required and two electives — to obtain your MCSA on Windows Server 2003.

MCSE Exam Requirements

Once you get your MCSA you will only need to pass the following 3 exams to become MCSE Certified:

• Exam 70-293 – Planning and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure
• Exam 70-294 – Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure

And one of these two:

• Exam 70-297 – Designing a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory and Network Infrastructure
• Exam 70-298 – Designing Security for a Windows Server 2003 Network

For more information on the MCSE requirements, exams and their objectives, check out this page.

Windows Server 2008 MCTS/MCITP

Just like with MCSA and MCSE, the MCTS and MCITP certifications are also closely connected. You get one certification on your way to another, except that you earn your MCTS title after passing only a single exam. This is the complete list of the Microsoft exams that you can take to earn your MCTS credential.

It’s also good to know that by passing two of the MCTS exams, you get two MCTS certifications with two specific titles. For example, if you pass the Windows Vista – Configuration (70-620) Exam and the Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Configuration (70-640) Exam you have two MCTS certifications:

1. MCTS: Windows Vista, Configuration
2. MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuration

And you can continue to earn your MCTS certifications as you pass additional MCTS exams.

So … how do you earn your MCITP? 

MCITP Exam Requirements

Well first let me mention that there are two MCITP certifications for Windows Server 2008: MCITP: Server Administrator and MCITP: Enterprise Administrator.

For the MCITP Server Administrator Certification you will need to pass:

• Exam 70-640 – TS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuring
• Exam 70-642 – TS: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuring
• Exam 70-646 – Pro: Windows Server 2008, Server Administrator

For the MCITP Enterprise Administrator Certification you will need to pass:

• Exam 70-640 – TS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuring
• Exam 70-642 – TS: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuring
• Exam 70-643 – TS: Windows Server 2008 Applications Infrastructure, Configuring

Plus one of these:

• Exam 70-620 – TS: Configuring Microsoft Windows Vista Client
• Exam 70-624 – TS: Deploying and Maintaining Windows Vista Client and 2007 Microsoft Office System Desktops

And the final exam:

• Exam 70-647 – Pro: Windows Server 2008, Enterprise Administrator

Notice that exams 70-640 and 70-642 are required for both the Server Admin and Enterprise Admin certs (so it’s probably wise to start with those two exams). The MCITP Enterprise Administrator, like the MCSE, is a bit more advanced and as you can tell, it requires more knowledge and more testing.

If you’re interested in learning more about the two Server 2008 MCITP Certs check out:

• Video on Server 2008 MCITP Certifications
• What’s the difference between MCITP Certified Server Admin and Enterprise Admin?
• How To Become a Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) Server Administrator

The “Other” MCITP Certifications

I know this is a little off topic, since we are talking about Windows Server certification paths … but I thought I’d mention it anyway.

You can get MCITP certified in SQL Server, Exchange, Windows Client and Microsoft Office Project Server — not just Windows Server. There are several options when it comes to earning your MCITP and it really depends on your personal interests and what you would like to do in the future.

Do you like doing support work and see yourself working at a Help Desk? (I worked at a Help Desk and really enjoyed helping people, it was also a really good experience for me.) If so, then the MCITP: Enterprise Support Technician might be the right choice for you.

If you enjoy working with databases then consider one of the SQL Server MCITP’s — there are 6 to choose from!

There are even two choices for your Server 2008 MCITP cert, that I mentioned above, so it’s a good idea to learn as much as you can about the different MCITP certifications before you decide which one is right for you.

Check out the MCITP list from Microsoft to learn more about your choices when it comes to earning your MCITP certification.

The Final Question: MCSE or MCITP?

Option 1: MCITP

To make the right decision, first consider your situation.

If you only passed one of the required MCSE exams and you don’t currently work with Server 2003 (or plan on working with it in the near future) then it might be more advantageous for you to switch over to Server 2008 and start working on your MCITP.

Option 2: MCSE

However, there are many people that already started working towards their MCSE but, for whatever reason didn’t complete it. Should they just abandon their MCSE path and switch to the new MCITP?  Well, it depends.

Think about the questions I posed at the beginning of this article and consider how many exams you still need to complete to earn your MCSE.

At this point it becomes a no brainer — if you already passed 5 of the exams and have only 2 left then you might as well finish your MCSE, since you have already invested a lot of time and effort (not to mention money) on this certification path.

Option 3: MCSE & MCITP

There are advantages to going this route — you earn your MCSE on Server 2003 and then take the additional upgrade exams to earn your MCITP on Server 2008.

The upgrade paths are an awesome shortcut. With an MCSE on Server 2003 (sorry Server 2000 doesn’t qualify for this upgrade) you can earn 3 MCTS certifications by passing a single upgrade exam:

• Exam 70-649 – TS: Upgrading Your MCSE on Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008, Technology Specialist.

After that you need only one exam to earn your MCITP Server Admin:

• Exam 70-646 – PRO: Windows Server 2008, Server Administrator

Or two exams to earn your MCITP Enterprise Admin:

• Exam 70-620 – TS: Configuring Windows Vista Client

or

• Exam 70-624 – TS: Deploying and Maintaining Windows Vista Client and 2007 Microsoft Office System Desktops

and

• Exam 70-647 – PRO: Windows Server 2008, Enterprise Administrator

Here’s some additional information on upgrading your MCSE to MCITP on Server 2008.

Where to Find MCSE and MCITP Training?

Whatever your decision is going to be — whether you want to finish up your MCSE or go for your MCITP — we got you covered! 

We have training videos that will help you earn both your MCSE and MCITP certifications. We also have training for those of you who are interested in the upgrade path from MCSA/MCSE on Server 2003. 

I took the 70-640 and 70-620 exams after watching our videos, just to test our instructors (I know, I’m evil ) and I passed on first try — and so can you!

Here are links to all of our Windows Server 2003 and 2008 training videos:

MCSA/MCSE Server 2003 Training:

• Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Training
• Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure Training
• Windows Server 2003 Security Training

MCTS/MCITP Server 2008 Training:

• Windows Server 2008 MCITP Server Administrator Training Package
• Windows Server 2008 MCITP Enterprise Administrator Training Package
• Upgrading Your MCSE on Server 2003 to Server 2008 MCTS

Time to Decide and Get Windows Server Certified!

No more excuses! No more procrastinating! No more wasting time!

The new MCITP’s have been out for over a year now and it’s time for you to take action — either finish up what you already started on your MCSE path (then take the upgrade exams to earn your MCITP) or, if you think that completing your MCSE is a waste of time then start working toward your MCITP.  Either way, it’s time to make a decision and get certified.

I hope that my article will be able to help you make the right decision and remember, you can always post your specific situation in the comments below and I will try to help you as best as I can! Good luck!

Related posts:

• Dust Off Your MCSE: The New MCTS & MCITP Certifications Are The Future
• What’s the difference between MCITP Certified Server Admin and Enterprise Admin?
• Why Getting Your MCSE Now Is Still A Good Idea

I’ll explain in detail what the MCTS and MCITP certifications are and which exams you need to pass to achieve each certification. I will also talk about how you can obtain the MCITP: Server Administrator and MCITP: Enterprise Administrator certifications if you’re just starting out and what the upgrade paths are for those of you with a current MCSA or MCSE.

Here’s what’s covered in this video:

• New Server Certifications for Network Admins — MCTS, MCITP: Server Administrator, MCITP: Enterprise Administrator
• Upgrade paths — MCSA to MCTS, MCSE to MCTS, MCSA to MCITP, MCSE to MCITP
• Cool new Server 2008 features — for those of you who are new to Server 2008 you’ll be able to get a taste of what’s new including virtualization, multicasting, failover clustering, next generation TCP/IP, and much more

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Related posts:

• Dust Off Your MCSE: The New MCTS & MCITP Certifications Are The Future
• MCSE vs MCITP: Is the MCSE Still Worth It?
• Lesson 8: Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services