Microsoft Certifications are one of the most widely acclaimed, pursued and achieved technical certifications in the IT industry. The demand for Microsoft Certified Professionals in the job market is increasing every year. According to the website www.mcpmag.com courtesy Microsoft Corp., the total number of Microsoft Certified Professionals has reached a figure of 1,305,514 by April 2003.

For further readings on the salary survey conducted by mcpmag for some certifications, visit the following URLs:

Salary Survey Regional Data: MCSE, Windows 2000

Salary Survey Regional Data: MCSA

Salary Survey Regional Data: MCSD

Microsoft offers a number of certification levels depending on specific areas of proficiency and nature of job. Some of the certifications pertaining to networking field are:

• Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP)
• Microsoft Certified System Administrator (MCSA)
• Microsoft Certified System Engineer (MCSE)

Each certification level has certain exams associated with it. You can decide the appropriate level of the certification exam based on your experience, skills, and interests.

• Microsoft Certification provides a standard method of testing employee skills. The certifications provide employers a valid benchmark for evaluating the employee's abilities. This will provide you the recognition and reward as per your expertise.
• Microsoft certifications offer prospective employers a baseline to judge your knowledge, skill and expertise in the field. Certifications can provide added advantage if you are at the same level of experience as another person without certifications.
• ertifications are a valuable tool if you have no or very little experience .The certifications that you hold can prove and reassure your employers and consultants about your knowledge in the field. This will help you secure good job prospects as well as negotiate a good salary.

The Microsoft certifications cater to the following audience:

• Network administrators
• Network engineers
• Systems engineers
• Security analysts
• Mail server administrators
• Operating system administrators
• Web server administrators
• Manager of information systems

To pursue MCSE certifications you should have at least one year of experience in:

• Implementing and administering a network operating system in environments with 200 to 26,000 supported users in approximately 5 to 150 physical locations.
• Implementing network services and applications such as file and print services, database services, messaging services, proxy server or firewall services, dial-in server services, and Web hosting.
• Implementing and administering a desktop operating system.
• Designing a network infrastructure.

Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) aspirants of the Microsoft Windows 2000 track are required to clear 7 exams including 5 core exams and 2 elective exams.

• Core Exams (5 exams required)

4 operating system exams : Aspirants must clear 1 exam from each set of operating system exams, that is, client operating system and networking system. Aspirants can complete the core operating system exams requirement by clearing four Windows 2000 exams OR 4 Windows XP Professional/.NET Enterprise Server exams OR a combination of both.

1 design exam : Aspirants must clear 1 exam that provides proof of expertise for design skills for specific Microsoft server technologies.

• Elective Exams (2 exams required)

The elective exams provide a valid and reliable measure of technical proficiency and expertise in solution design and implementation. MCSE aspirants should also have at least 1 year of experience implementing and administering a network operating system, implementing and administering a client operating system, and designing a network infrastructure.

NOTE: Individuals who have qualified for the MCSE certification on Windows NT 4.0 by February 28, 2001 will remain certified .

NOTE: Exams 70-219, 70-220, 70-221, and 70-226 may each count once as either core design exam or elective exam.

For other details, visit Microsoft's official Windows 2000 MCSE certification page at http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/mcp/mcse/requirements.asp

The Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) credential proves that you have the skills to successfully implement, manage, and troubleshoot the ongoing needs of Microsoft Windows 2000–based operating environments.

An MCSA aspirant should have at least 12 months of experience working with a desktop operating system, a network operating system, and an existing network infrastructure

MCSA aspirants are required to clear 3 core exams and 1 elective exam.

• Core Exams (3 required)
• Elective Exams (1 exam required)

Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) aspirants are required to clear 1 current Microsoft certification exam that provides a valid and reliable measure of technical proficiency and expertise. You can select any exam currently offered by Microsoft, with the exception of exam 70-058: Networking Essentials.

Microsoft has developed independent certification requirements for Microsoft Windows Server 2003. An aspirant can certify directly for MCSE/MCSA in Windows 2003 if they are new to certification process. If the aspirant is already a certified MCSE /MCSA in Windows 2000, then they can follow the upgrade path for Windows 2000 to secure Windows 2003 certifications. If the aspirant certifies in MCSE for Windows NT4.0, they can earn MCSE in Windows 2003 by following the upgrade path for MCSEs in Windows NT4.0.

Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) aspirants on the Microsoft Windows 2003 track are required to clear 7 exams or the equivalent including 5 Core exams and 2 Elective exams.

• Core Exams (6 exams required)
• Elective Exam (1 required)

NOTE: Exams 70-297 and 70-298 may each count once as either core design exam or elective exam.

Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) aspirants on the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 track are required to clear four exams or the equivalent that include three core exams and one elective exam.

• Core exams (3 required)
• Elective Exams (1 exam required)

An MCSA on Microsoft Windows Server 2003 has already met several of the requirements for the MCSE on Windows Server 2003 credential, which shortens the upgrade path considerably. To earn the MCSE on Windows Server 2003, the aspirant needs to clear 3 exams from the list below

• Networking : MCSAs on Windows Server 2003 has already cleared exams 70-290 and 70-291. Now they must prove their skills on the other core network exams, including exams 70-293 and 70-294.
• Client : If the aspirant has already taken either exam 70-210 or 70-270, no further action is required.
• Design : MCSAs on Windows Server 2003 are not required to prove design skills and hence no design exams are included for MCSAs. To become an MCSE, you must prove your skills by clearing either a Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003 design exam. If the aspirant has already taken a Windows 2000 design exam, he need not take any further exams.
• Elective : If the aspirant has cleared 1 of the exams from 70-086, 70-227, and 70-228 during MCSA certification, he need not take any further exams.

Microsoft has designed an upgrade path that will enable a current MCSA on Windows 2000 to earn the Windows Server 2003 credential in a time- and cost-effective manner. An MCSA on Windows 2000 simply needs to clear exam 70-292 to earn the MCSA on Windows Server 2003 credential. There is no additional core or elective exam requirements for the upgrade.

Microsoft has designed an upgrade path that will enable a current MCSE on Microsoft Windows 2000 to earn the Windows Server 2003 credential in a time and cost effective manner.

An MCSE on Windows 2000 needs to clear 2 exams i.e. 70-292 and 70-296 to secure the MCSE on Windows Server 2003 credential. No additional core or elective exams are required for an MCSE on Windows 2000.

For an MCSE on Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, the MCSE credential itself satisfies the elective requirement for the Windows Server 2003 track, putting an MCSE on Windows NT 4.0 one-step further on the upgrade path. The aspirant has to clear 6 core exams from the following:

• Core Exams (6 required)
• Elective Exam (None)

Most of the questions in the exam are multiple choices. The questions require the "best" answer from several close responses. Other questions may present an implementation scenario, requirements, and a proposed solution and then ask if the solution meets all of the requirements or combinations of the primary and secondary requirements.

Microsoft has introduced some testing innovations for the certification exams. Click on each item to learn more about it.

• Hot Area Questions
• Active Screen Questions
• Drag-and-Drop Questions
• Case Study–based Test Demo
• Exams with Simulations

The steps to prepare for Microsoft certification are:

• The MCSE exams are not easy as advertised in many websites. The MCSE certifications are tough, so p lan to put in a lot of time and effort getting ready for your certification exams. Get all information you can about the certification exams and then start working towards your goal.
• Get hands-on experience .The first step in the preparation for any Microsoft certification is hands-on experience with the related product. For MCSE, the aspirant needs to have at least a year of working experience and for MCSA, the minimum recommended time of experience is six months. If you are not working anywhere, it will help if you can volunteer your IT skill services to gain valuable experience.
• You can set up a small network at home to practice. Setting up the home network will give a great opportunity to learn. You can practice the lab exercises in the home network as and when you study. This will give you a better understanding of the theories, than just studying the exam guides.
• Get trained in the related product. If possible, try to get training in the related product in a Microsoft Authorized Training Centre. You can use training resources to supplement your skills and experience.  You can also use the Microsoft Official Curriculum for the related exam as well as Microsoft Press books that are available for the exam.
• Use the prep guide of the exam you plan to take and read it thoroughly. You should know the entire exam objectives covered in the exam prep guide.
• Use practice test software packages. Whizlabs Exam Simulators is an example. The advantages of using practice tests are:
  • They help you to assess your skill level by testing you in all the areas that the actual exam tests you.
  • They provide automatic feedback on all correct and incorrect answers with detailed explanations and reference sources for each answer.
  • They let you know the areas where you need to improve further by providing analysis results of the test.
  • They help you get familiar with the testing techniques of the actual certification exam by including a variety of questions and question types.
  • They prepare you for the real exam by providing questions that accurately simulate the questions and scenarios of the real exam.
  • They cover all of the exam objectives as specified on the Microsoft exam preparation guide and include a wide range of practice test titles to cover the content of most of the Microsoft exams
  • Practice test vendors will provide technical support for their products.
• Do NOT use Braindumps. Braindumps might help you get the certification, but you will lack important practical knowledge about the product. Hence, your prospects of landing a good IT job will be less.
• Once you are ready, you can take the exams at more than 800 authorized testing centers. More information or locations can be obtained by searching for the testing centers around the world at Sylvan Prometric Centers .

Useful Books on Microsoft Windows

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Core Requirement MCSE Training Kit , published by Microsoft Press, July 2000, ISBN 0735611300.
• Active Directory , 2nd Edition, by Robbie Allen, Alistair G. Lowe-Norris.
• MCSE Windows 2000 Core Four Boxed Set , published by Osborne Media Group - Global Knowledge Certification Press, August 2000. ISBN 0072126159.
• MCSE Training Guide; Windows 2000 Core Exams , published by New Riders, July 2000. ISBN 0735709882.
• MCSE Windows 2000 Core Requirements , published by Sybex, August 2000, ISBN 0782127630.

• Microsoft's Windows 2003 Server Home Page
• hat's New in Active Directory
• Windows Server 2003 Demos
• Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition

Some Other Beneficial Links

• Whizlabs MCSE Certification Exam Simulator
• Training and Certification Home Page
• MCMCSE
• Windows 2000 Magazine Web Site
• PC Magazine
• gocertify.com

Lavanya Suresh is a B.Tech (Electrical & Electronics Engineering) and a certified MCSE and CNA , working as an independent IT consultant in India.

Lavanya is also a highly skilled and experienced corporate trainer, specializing in the domain of Microsoft Windows Networking. She has authored several technical contents like articles, books and courseware for clients such as NIIT, NetG, ITT Technical Institute and many more.