Certification - Which way?

[Crito]

Originally Posted by BosonMichael

If nothing else, saying you have an MCSA and MCSE might look better to an uninformed employer than just saying you have an MCSE.

Might look better to an informed employer too. If you have both then you didn't just upgrade from MCSE on NT 4.0. ;)

I'm also finding that there's some repetition. The training kit for 294 covers delegation of control that I'm pretty sure I did in 290 and security templates that I'm pretty sure I did in 293, plus a little DNS that was in 291 So while 90% of the 294 material is new, seems like about 10% of it is just review of things I've studied before.

I know MS says you can take the core exams in any order, but based on my experience 290 really should be first and 294 last. I did take 293 before 291 though.

[BosonMichael]

Originally Posted by Crito

Might look better to an informed employer too. If you have both then you didn't just upgrade from MCSE on NT 4.0. ;)

It was possible to get the MCSE without getting the MCSA back in the Windows 2000 days. The MCSA required 70-218, I believe, but the MCSE did not. I never went back and took it. I was eventually granted the MCSA when I upgraded my certs to Windows Server 2003... I don't think you can avoid getting the MCSA in the 2003 track, though at worst, you may get it at the same moment you get your MCSE.

[BosonMichael]

Originally Posted by Inspiration

In other words, can you take 1 exam, such as 70-290 and use that 1 pass to go towards gaining 2 qualifications?

As the others have said, passing 70-290 is good for ANY certification that requires 70-290.

[dmarsh26]

In other words, can you take 1 exam, such as 70-290 and use that 1 pass to go towards gaining 2 qualifications?

As others have mentioned in some cases you can use one exam for mulitple credit, use the mcp cert planner to get a better idea.

MCSA
MCSE
MCDBA

The MCDBA cert track is going to expire in 2009, If you took that route in order you will likely never get the MCDBA cert, I think you need to satisfy the objectives for MCDBA by March 2009, thats four exams if you don't currently have any.

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mc...uirements.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mc...storetire.mspx

Its still possible, but you are leaving it a little late, also the number of SQL 2000 installations in 2009 is going to start to drop off, as the upgrade should not be a big issue for most companies.

[Inspiration]

So is this right.. please forgive my lack of knowledge.. it's a tad embarassing and I do admit I've not read into it. I much prefer to have other people give me information who have been through the process.

I can take MCSA (70-290, 70-291, 70-270, 70-228 )
Then MCSE (70-293, 70-294, 70-297) with 70-290, 70-291, 70-270, 70-228 taken as part of the MCSA
Then MCDBA (70-229) with 70-228, 70-290 and 70-293 taken as part of the MCSA and MCSE

Is that how it could work out for me? So in total eight exams that would make up the MCSA, MCSE and MCDBA?

I hadn't realised that is how it all pieces together but it sort of makes sense now and a friend did mention to me that the Microsoft certification does piece together and should really be done as close together as possible. Perhaps this is what he meant.

If I'm wrong I'd appreciate some guidance. Thank you for your replies.

scottishdave: We'll get there. Thank you for letting me jump onto your thread.

Edit: I've since noticed a few replies above that answer this post. Thank you guys!! I will consider the MCDBA time limit.

[BosonMichael]

Originally Posted by Inspiration

Edit: I've since noticed a few replies above that answer this post. Thank you guys!! I will consider the MCDBA time limit.

Note that it's not exactly an MCDBA time limit... it's the expiration date for the 70-228 and 70-229 exams. If you can get those two exams done before March 2009, you can get the other exams afterwards and when you're done, you'll still qualify as an MCDBA. At least, that's how it's worked with other exam tracks where the primary exams retire (such as the Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000 MCSE tracks).

[dmarsh26]

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mc...3/default.mspx

Correct

Depending on what exams you use you can do MCSE in 7, MCSA in 4 and MCDBA is also 4.

You can reuse electives as you mentioned plus the server exams overlap so correct 8 in total, be very tough to do part time in under a year !

Wording on M$ website is that you must fullfil all CORE requirements for a cert before expiration, so you must get 70-228 and 70-229 before March 31st 2009.

I thought about it but instead have decided to go for the MCITP track, MCITP track is 3 exams, MCDBA to MCITP upgrade is two. So even though I've got my two electives for MCDBA if you plan on getting MCITP its more exams, 4 to get MCITP on upgrade, 3 direct.