are you MCSE ?

[KDF]

I recently took an RHCT course and passed RHCT exam (Redhat Certified Technician) and am now looking to get Microsoft certified. As I am in full time employment I would like to do this course through either distance learning or night classes , my employer paid for my RHCT course and I may be able to get them to pay for this one, if so I would happily do 9-5 classroom teaching. If I end up paying for it myself I would like to do the distance/night classes.

I have a few questions if you will endulge me...

Is anyone on here MCSE qualified, if so did you do official training and then the exam or did you just sit the exam ?

How long was your training ?


What costs are involved ?


Is the exam still multiple choice or do they have a practical exam like the RHCT ?


Did you fell the MCSE benifited your current job or did it enable you to find a new job more easily ?


Which company did you organise your MCSE/A through ?


Anything else you can think of thats worth mentioning to someone considering it ?

Thanks !

 

[Gareth]

interested to know this also.

 

[dk]

i am working towards it but its a very big task, not half as easy as it was a few years ago to get. It was felt it was too easy and you could pass from just doing a boot camp but they have got wise to this and now the exams require real world experience to pass.

To get the MCSE there are lots of exams you need to take, not just one, there are core and electives I think.

I have started with the W2K3 managing and implementing and have the exam to do i the next month. I have also got the networking exam to do but i did my CompTIA Network+ last month so shouldn't be too difficult.

Once you have a few exams i think you get MCP and them once you have all the exams you get the MCSE or MCSA depending on which one you go for.

I think it will realistically take around a year+ to do although it will depend on how much time you have to spare and how many retakes you have.

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcsa/mcsa_mcse.asp

 

[dk]

this is the windows 2003 MCSE

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

MCSA requires a lot less exams

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcsa/windows2003/

 

[Kelly_]

I've just started MCSA. It's a go at your own pace course which my employer is paying for.

 

[KDF]

Thanks for the info, so its like a point system, as you pass exams you get point eg

5 points = MCDST
10 point = MCP
15 points = MCSA
20 points = MCSE

Thats good that you can work at your own pace, ideally I would have liked to do actual classroom learning as I find you are more commited and learn quicker. I think initially I am going to do a MCDST and progresss from there.

 

[_Kenny_]

I really want to get into this too, but I don't think my employer would help me with the cost which is a pain in the ass.

 

[FlamingMonkey]

I recently took an RHCT course and passed RHCT exam (Redhat Certified Technician) and am now looking to get Microsoft certified. As I am in full time employment I would like to do this course through either distance learning or night classes , my employer paid for my RHCT course and I may be able to get them to pay for this one, if so I would happily do 9-5 classroom teaching. If I end up paying for it myself I would like to do the distance/night classes.

I have a few questions if you will endulge me...

Is anyone on here MCSE qualified, if so did you do official training and then the exam or did you just sit the exam ?

How long was your training ?


What costs are involved ?


Is the exam still multiple choice or do they have a practical exam like the RHCT ?


Did you fell the MCSE benifited your current job or did it enable you to find a new job more easily ?


Which company did you organise your MCSE/A through ?


Anything else you can think of thats worth mentioning to someone considering it ?

Thanks !

I'm an MCSE, I did bootcamp style learning, with Wave Technologies, basically work paid and it consisted of me getting a s**t rake of book through the post from them, which I read over a period of about 3 or 4 months I can't remeber exactly, once I was confident I could do the s**t, I was ready to do the 2nd part of it, where I spent 2 weeks going to Manchester everyday to do a day or so cramming with other students and a tutor and did the exams for each subject on the way along, luckily included with every exam taken I had a free retest, but never actually needed them I passed all 6 exams in 2 weeks

I have recently picked up the MCP thing again, I have got a new job which requires me to do both the SQL Admin exam, and the designing and impenting SQL databases within 3 months as part of my contract, last week I managed to pass the 228 Admin exam within a month and a half so im on track to get them both done for the 3 month marker.

All the 7 exams I have done have been multiple choice.

As for benefitting me it certainly did, my first company gave me a decent payrise, and my new company will pay me more if I pass the 2 SQL exams, it gives me the MCDBA
and helps them retain the certified partner role they have with Microsoft.

With regards to studying for the SQL exam I just used a Microsoft Press book, blasted that, took the exam sorted, this is the same way I'll be doing the 2nd SQL one.

 

[FlamingMonkey]

I really want to get into this too, but I don't think my employer would help me with the cost which is a pain in the ass.

Buy a book from Amazon for 30 quid and do one at a time, just make sure you do all the Excersises and try a few online tests before hand to make sure you are ready.

Oh and might be a little to short notice but Microsoft have an offer on at the moment if you register on their site you can get a 2nd shot at the exam if you fail it for free. the offer ends 30th June thou.