Exchange exam order?

[Jellyman_4eva]

Hi all,

Yes I know Exchange 2007 is out and about, but Exchange 2003 is what is at my workplace for a while, and as I know nothing about it, I thought I would learn about it and then study and take the exams for it..

I have my final MCSE exam on Monday - 70-298 and shall then try for MCSE: Security by doing 70-299...

I am then going to try for Exchange (MCSE:Messaging) and I was wondering what order people would recommend.. logically I think it should be 70-285 then 70-284 (i.e. like the Security track, you design then implement...) however I notice everyone seems to do 284 first??

Any ideas?!

[wagnerk]

Exam 70-284: Implementing and Managing Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 is the more common of the 2 as the majority of the time the exchange server is up and running and this exam goes towards the support of the exchange server.

Exam 70-285: Designing a Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Organization is for either preparing an organisation for a new exchange environment or expanding an environment.

Normally when going for the MCSA one would go for the supporting exam as that is the more common, as the design exam doesn't really help everyday running of the exchange server. And people would have more experience supporting the exchange server than designing an environment for it.

-Ken

[supag33k]

Also there is more study material for 20-284 than for 70-285.

The best way to get both is to do the admin [70-284] first using a MOC, the Sybex manual by Will Schmied, a good Home lab, and finally testing software either from Transcender of Self test Software.

After you pass the Admin exam review the deployment and planning guides from Micrsoft, before again using the hoime lab and the testing software. Then you should be okay for the design exam.

[neeek]

Originally Posted by supag33k

Also there is more study material for 20-284 than for 70-285.

The best way to get both is to do the admin [70-284] first using a MOC, the Sybex manual by Will Schmied, a good Home lab, and finally testing software either from Transcender of Self test Software.

After you pass the Admin exam review the deployment and planning guides from Micrsoft, before again using the hoime lab and the testing software. Then you should be okay for the design exam.

Advice i'm also taking - just passed my first microsoft exam: 70-284 today (820 - dropping points on network routing, dns, and stupidly phrased questions. Also I should get bonus point for the software crashing every 5 minutes ) - and if I can get 70-285 relatively easily, I might aswell!
anyway, appreciate the tips

[supag33k]

Originally Posted by neeek

Advice i'm also taking - just passed my first microsoft exam: 70-284 today (820 - dropping points on network routing, dns, and stupidly phrased questions. Also I should get bonus point for the software crashing every 5 minutes ) - and if I can get 70-285 relatively easily, I might aswell!
anyway, appreciate the tips

congratulations and well done on the pass!

I would not under-estimate the 70-285 design exam - you would need to read as many whitepapers on Exchange as you can get you hands on, starting out with....

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/e...e/default.aspx

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l...2a09736e4.aspx

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

Excellent test software is also neccessary for the Exchange exams, I used SelfTestSoftware/Transcender.

Note that if you can pass 7-284 the standard exams for the 2003 server track are not that difficult.

[neeek]

thanks! No, I won't underestimate 70-285 - I remember the first practice exam I took for 70-284: I got about 30% which gave me a bit of a shock, given that i'm the Exchange person at my work!

However, I'm hoping I don't have to reread all the manuals on ms.com - i've printed a few at the expense of several trees. I'll definitely buy test exams this time and use these to choose what material to focus on. thanks for the whitepaper links though...