Using the Electives to Determine Your Specialty
Most of the MCSE training options give you six exam options. Although you can choose from more than six elective exams, the companies that produce training materials produce materials for only two of what they see are the most popular electives: Internet Information Server (IIS) and Exchange. If you want a specialized area of focus, you might have to dig to obtain the knowledge you need to pass those exams. Finding materials outside of Microsoft's products for applications such as SNA, Systems Management Server (SMS), and SQL Server will be more difficult. But if you want to focus on one of these areas, make the extra effort. Let's look at some of the topics you can specialize in.
Systems management. Individuals certified in SMS are in high demand. Outside the MCSE realm, SMS technical trainers are also in demand. Because SMS and SQL Server are tied tightly with one another, you need a strong background in both. I recommend both 70-018: Implementing and Supporting Microsoft Systems Management Server 1.2 and 70-026: Systems Administration for Microsoft SQL Server 6.5. I recommend that you have strong knowledge, possibly even certification, in all desktop operating systems you are working with.
Database administration. If you want to specialize in relational database administration, consider taking a few additional certification exams to strengthen your skills. Take exam 70-026 and a more advanced exam, such as 70-027: Implementing a Database Design on Microsoft SQL Server 6.5. You might want to go beyond these two exams to master all facets of Microsoft's Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) solution. You can get certified in front-end applications and development tools such as Visual Basic, Excel, and Access.
Let me also mention the use of non-Microsoft back ends. If you have experience with other vendors' products such as Oracle, DB2, and Sybase SQL Server, you'll have a competitive edge over applicants who have only Microsoft SQL Server experience. This approach usually benefits you even if a potential employer uses a database management system (DBMS) platform you are not familiar with. You have demonstrated versatility and crossplatform knowledge.
Mail and messaging services. With every major release of Exchange, Microsoft releases a new exam. The two most recent exams, 70-076: Implementing and Supporting Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0 and 70-081: Implementing and Supporting Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5, offer certification for these credentials. These exams are thorough and require not only the knowledge of Microsoft proprietary technologies but also demonstrated knowledge of standard messaging technologies such as X.400, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), and Post Office Protocol (POP) 3. If you are planning to specialize in Exchange, you might want to nail down all client messaging and groupware products such as the Microsoft Exchange Client, Fax Clients for Windows 95 and NT Workstation, Outlook, and Outlook Express.
To strengthen your skills, study equivalent products from other vendors such as Lotus and Netscape. Although Microsoft has positioned Exchange to go head to head with these competing products, not all organizations have jumped on the Microsoft bandwagon in this area.
Internet services. Specializing in Internet services is a wise move in light of the rise of Internet popularity for Microsoft products. Several exams can help you strengthen your Microsoft Internet credentials. The TCP/IP exam is a must for establishing a core skill set of TCP/IP internetworking. I also recommend that you take one of the two IIS exams: 70-077: Implementing and Supporting Microsoft Internet Information Server 3.0 and Microsoft Index Server 1.1 or 70-087: Implementing and Supporting Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0. Because Internet security, address sharing, and caching are often issues in Internet-connected sites, you might want to become certified in Microsoft Proxy Server. Two exams are available for Proxy Server: 70-078: Implementing and Supporting Microsoft Proxy Server 1.0 and 70-088: Implementing and Supporting Microsoft Proxy Server 2.0.
On the client side, Microsoft now offers an exam for deploying, installing, and managing clients running Internet Explorer (IE) 4.0. This exam, 70-079: Implementing and Supporting Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 by Using the Internet Explorer Administration Kit, was in beta when I wrote this article.
If you want to specialize in Microsoft Internet Services (either through a specialized MCSE or using the Microsoft Certified Internet Specialist program), you must demonstrate knowledge of both server and client applications. Exam 70-079 is the only exam that certifies an Internet Client program. For full-scale Internet and intranet design, I recommend that you obtain skills in HTML and ActiveX.
In December 1997, Microsoft introduced a certification for Internet Services called MCSE + Internet. The requirements include the MCSE exam requirements plus a few add-ons. For a list of the requirements, visit Microsoft's Web site (http://www.microsoft.com).
Host connectivity. If you have experience in SNA networks, OS/400, or any environment that still uses mainframes and minis, you can specialize in host connectivity. This major will help you through many front doors. Microsoft has two exams for its SNA Server package: 70-013: Implementing and Supporting Microsoft SNA Server 3.0 and 70-085: Implementing and Supporting Microsoft SNA Server 4.0. These courses are not popular electives because obtaining practice time in an SNA environment is difficult. You will find little certification assistance outside Microsoft's official curriculum. Because Microsoft does not offer a separate SNA or IBM mainframe integration track, if you want to specialize in this area, you must strengthen your skills with other third-party products such as Rumba, KEA, or EXTRA! Mainframe.
Presenting Your Credentials
When you share your resume with a prospective employer, include a copy of your Microsoft Official Transcript. You can obtain a copy of this document from Sylvan Prometric--the company that administers Microsoft certification exams--but usually you will receive an updated copy of your transcript as you pass each exam. Also, keep a list of satisfied clients and or former employers who can validate your skills. Affiliation with corporate-independent professional organizations such as Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), or Network Professionals Association (NPA) never hurts an applicant.
Avoid going into a job interview with nothing more than exam questions memorized. Adding a specialty to your credentials might make the difference. And if you are certified, don't be surprised if you don't get that high-paying job without significant networking experience.
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