Microsoft MCSE

Microsoft’s Windows 2000 MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) … and Microsoft Windows Server System™. The Windows 2000 MCSE got its start back in April 2000 as Microsoft began to release exams on the Windows 2000 products. For the MCSE 2003, candidates must pass six core…

Just so you all understand where I’m coming from, it’s probably a good idea if I explain a little of my background. I have 12 years IT experience and recently moved into a management role. I supervise a team of 35 server and desktop specialists in an IT services company. I originally started in IT as a mainframe applications programmer. After four and a half years, I moved into networking and worked with OS/2 and LAN Server (IBM’s version of LAN Manager). Over time, I moved to working with NetWare, Windows NT and later Lotus Notes/Domino. I have been taking certification exams since 1994 and have passed more than 70 since then. (And yes, I did fail a couple along the way, if you want to ask me about those as well!) Although most of my career has been in Australia, I did spend a couple of years working as a consultant in San Francisco.

In this first column, I want to look at what options are available for those of you who have completed your MCSE. Although many people are delighted to have completed their MCSEs and very happy to finish the seemingly never-ending cycle of taking exam after exam, there are also many who would like to continue on to other certifications. Yes, there is something satisfying in learning a new subject and then passing an exam that verifies the fact that you do understand it.

The most common option nowadays seems to be Cisco’s CCNA certification, which requires passing a single multiple-choice exam. I personally don’t understand why so many are heading this way since I don’t believe that many people work with both routers/switches and Windows 2000. Unless you do, I think it’s a waste of time to dabble in other technical areas without the ability to get extensive hands-on experience. Sure, for one-person IT shops there is no choice but to know a little bit about everything. But, once the team gets larger, we typically need to specialize in technology areas. I suspect that one reason for the rush to the CCNA is the well-earned outstanding reputation of the CCIE vs. the MCSE, and the hope that a little of that shine will rub off on the participant. Not that I’m criticizing those who do this–I seriously thought about doing this myself a couple of years ago when I happened to be at a desk that had a spare router in it (it seemed like a great opportunity to get this certification). However, I realized that I would probably never actually configure a production router and, conceptually already understood what it did, so there would be little benefit to me in completing the exam.

For the vast majority of those who specialize in Windows 2000, I think there are three good options after completing the MCSE:

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CCNA, CCNP, Certification, MCSA, MCSE, MCSE Bootcamp
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