Microsoft Certification Paths

Many people may already have a plan but to learn your plan or 'path' you have to know what is required first.

MCSA for Microsoft Windows Server 2003

My strategy and probably the most common is to nail the easiest Professional Certification exam first. 70-270, Installing, Configuring, and Administering Windows XP Professional is probably the easiest one to learn since it is the most used out of all of the operating systems. This meets the criteria of selecting 1 Client Operating System exam that is required for both MCSA, and MCSE.

Next on my strategies is the core networking operating system. 70-290 & 291 are both required for MCSA, and MCSE. But MCSA only requires those 2. MCSA only requires 2 Core Networking Systems exams, since the 70-290: Managing and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Environment and 70-291: Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure. are core exams... moving on.

1 elective exam to finish MCSA, to each his own. Click here for the complete details on MCSA. Personally I'm choosing the 70-284, which is an Exchange Server exam.

Once you complete all of these and pass, you graduate from an MCP to a MCSA, you get a fancy little card and a Microsoft Professional Portal login and you're preparing for the other 3 exams required to finish MCSE.

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2 Additional Core Networking Systems exams; 70-293: Planning and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure and 70-294: Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure.

1 Core Design exam; 70-297: Designing a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory and Network Infrastructure or 70-298: Designing Security for a Windows Server 2003 Network.

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Checklist	MCSA	MCSE
70-270	Client
70-290	Core
70-291	Core
70-293		Core
70-294		Core
70-298		Design
70-284	Elective

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MCTS Server 2008 Details Coming Soon

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My personal certification preferences, in this order over a span of 5 years.

70-270, 70-290, 70-291, 70-284, 70-293, 70-294, 70-298, 70-620, 70-640, 70-642, 70-643, 70-646, 70-647, N10-004, 640-802, 640-553, SY0-101, OFFSEC101, CEH, L|PT, CISSP

Note:
640 = Cisco Exams
70 = Microsoft Exams
CEH & LPT = EC-COUNCIL
CISSP = (ISC)² Exam
Others = CompTIA exams