Archive for the ‘MCSE Certification Exams’ Category

MCSE Certification Exams

For most employers in the IT industry, a certification provides a means to assess the skill levels of an individual prior to recruitment and might in fact be a prerequisite for a particular job. The MCSE Certification Exams are very popular among systems engineers and administrators working in the Windows Server platforms, as passing them gives a stamp of credibility to their skill levels and knowledge. Currently, there are two tracks, namely for Windows 2000 and 2003. The core, elective and design exams for each of these tracks are different. In this article we will discuss the two MCSE Certification tracks, the upgrade path from MCSE 2000 to MCSE 2003, and the nature of the exams in greater detail.

The MCSE certification candidates for Windows 2000 track are expected to have a minimum of one-year networking experience. If the candidate fulfills this requirement he can take the MCSE certification exams for the MCSE 2000 track, which are a total of seven in number. These include the Core exams, which are five in number and two Elective Exams. Four of the five Core exams consist of operating system exams that test the skills of the candidates in client and networking operating systems. The other Core exam consists of a Design exam, which tests the candidates for design skills based on the Microsoft server technologies. The two Elective exams test the candidates for their proficiency in designing solutions based on Windows 2000 and implementing them. The testing objectives of MCSE 2003 are similar to MCSE 2000 and are outlined below.

As in the case of MCSE 2000, the prerequisite for taking the MCSE certification exams for Windows 2003 is one-year on the job experience in implementing and administering network operating systems and desktop operating systems. If a candidate is already certified in MCSE 2000, they can upgrade their certification to MCSE 2003 by taking only two additional exams. The exams for the MCSE 2003 track also consist of a total of seven exams of which six are Core exams and one is an Elective exam. The Core exams consist of four networking system exams, one client operating system exam and one design exam. As for the one Elective exam, it tests the candidates for solution design and implementation. There are also some third-party certifications, which are recognized by Microsoft as valid substitutes for MCSE 2003 elective.

The best way to prepare for these exams is for the candidates to take a number of practice tests based on the latest MOC (Microsoft Official Curriculum). Most of the candidates who take the exams find it difficult to complete all the questions in the allotted time. One of the reasons for this is that the questions are deliberately wordy and the candidates are advised to be aware of this and get to the crux of the questions as quickly as possible.