70-646 Windows Server 2008, Server Administrator - PASS!

Wow, this was hard. The 70-649 upgrade exam seemed pretty easy compared to this. But a pass is a pass.

And that is almost the end of the certification road for now. Passing this exam means I've earned the following certifications in the last 8 weeks-

1. MCSA Windows Server 2003
2. MCSA Security on Windows Server 2003
3. MCSE Windows Server 2003
4. MCITP Server Administrator on Windows Server 2008
5. MCSA Windows Server 2008

I'm not counting the MCTS credentials as they aren't 'proper' credentials in my opinion.

This still leaves MCSE Security on Windows Server 2003. Depending on workload 70-298 might be put on the schedule for next week. If not, I think the above list is a pretty good haul after a ton of study.

70-649 Upgrading Your MCSE on Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008 - PASS!

After the MCSE:2003, I had a choice to make - go for MCSE:2003 Security, or try for MCITP:SA 2008 before the credential retired. 70-649 won- after all, passing this exam would be the equivalent of passing 70-640, 70-642 and 70-643. 640 and 642 are core parts of the new MCSA Server 2008, so running out of time for the MCITP wouldn't be too disappointing.

The exam is pretty fair and a bit easier than I thought. The prep work from the Server 2003 exams helped a lot.

Incidentally, Microsoft are changing the retirement dates of various exams and certs. This exam was due to be retired on July 31, 2013. It is now listed as retiring on January 31, 2014. MCITP:SA (Server Administrator) still retires in July, but MCITP:EA (Enterprise Administrator) gets a reprieve until January 2014 too. Microsoft Learning are doing a pretty poor job of communicating this change though!

Microsoft cancelling TechNet Subscriptions

This is really bad news if you want to run a legal lab of Microsoft software for proof of concept ideas. Yes, you can run the evaluations (if they are available as ISOs), as long as you can get your testing done within 180 days.

More info from the TechNet page.

70-299 Implementing and Administering Security in a Windows Server 2003 Network - PASS!

This is the exam that time forgot. While the other Server 2003 exams appear to have been updated over the years, I'm guessing this one hasn't been touched since it was released.

It was also quite astonishingly easy, especially when compared to 70-291 and 70-293. If you've passed either of those exams you should be able to easily pass this one.

I'm off to TechEd Europe next week, so this is a good place to pause and re-evaluate the Certification plan. In the past 3 weeks I've taken (and passed)...

• 70-290 Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment
• 70-291 Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure
• 70-293 Planning and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure
• 70-294 Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure
• 70-299 Implementing and Administering Security in a Windows Server 2003 Network

...and this has resulted in the following certifications...

• MCSA Windows Server 2003
• MCSA Security on Windows Server 2003
• MCSE Windows Server 2003

Passing these exams has provided the following options...

1. Take 70-298 to get MCSE Security on Windows Server 2003
2. Take 70-648 to get
   • MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuring
   • MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuring
3. Take 70-649 to get
   • MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuring
   • MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuring
   • MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Applications Infrastructure, Configuration

Which one to choose?

MCSA: Security on Windows Server 2003 without passing any further exams

Another surprise certification this morning.

In 2004 I passed CompTIA's Security+ and linked it to my Microsoft transcript. This, combined with some other exams, completed MCSE: Security on Windows 2000. Later on in 2004 I passed the (isc)² CISSP, but I have never linked it to my transcript. Until yesterday

To link an external certification to your Microsoft transcript you need to use the Live Chat button available from within the MCP member site support page. I asked for them to apply my CISSP to my transcript, supplied my (isc)² member number and the transcript was updated a few minutes later.

Disappointingly, the transcript only showed the CISSP qualification and no further certifications were applied.

24 hours later, and a new certification was applied. Unfortunately there seems to be an issue with the transcript tool today, but the Certification Builder tool clearly shows I've been awarded the MCSA: Security on Windows Server 2003.

This also makes me only 1 exam away from MCSE:Security on Windows Server 2003 according to the Certification Builder.

Expanding the Security Group section you can see that the CISSP and Security+ are in separate sections, thus negating the need to sit an exam like 70-299 or 70-351.

So, if you have an MCSE or MCSA on Windows Server 2003 and some security certs, you might be able to get MCSA: Security just by spending a few minutes on Live Chat linking them to your transcript.

Annoyingly I'm already booked to sit 70-299 Implementing and Administering Security in a Windows Server 2003 Network this afternoon. It's too late to cancel!

MCSE Server 2003 (without a design exam?)

Checking my transcript today I saw a wonderful thing...





Yes, that's an MCSE in Server 2003. This is confusing. I thought the requirements for MCSE 2003 were ...

1. 4 core exams (290,291,293,294)
2. A client exam
3. A design exam (one of 297, 298 or 285)
4. An elective exam or qualifying credential

I haven't taken any of the listed design exams. And yet I'm now an MCSE in Server 2003. How did this happen?

The answer is buried deep on a page from the Indian Microsoft Learning page, where they mention the design exams in relation to upgrading your MCSA 2003 to MCSE 2003...

This requirement is waived if you have already passed a design exam on Microsoft Windows 2000 Server.

This is obviously excellent, but now confuses my plan. I have booked 70-299 to try and get MCSA:Security 2003. If I pass that exam, will that be enough to get MCSE:Security? If not, do I want to go through the pain of 70-298 just to get Security added to the 10-year old cert?

70-294 Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure - PASS!

This is starting to get tiring! All 4 core exams are now done - just need 70-298 to become MCSE Server 2003. This leads to a dilemma - what exam to do next?

70-298 and 70-299 look like they cover very similar content, but from different angles. It appears that 70-298 uses a case study style format while 70-299 is a more traditional exam. Based on this I'm going to book 70-299 first and use the studying for that as a platform to do 70-298 shortly after. Some people have posted that they took both on the same day, but I think 3 exams in a week is enough for me!