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...Home ... Editorial ... Columns ..Column Story Saturday: April 5, 2014


 Certification Advisor  
Greg Neilson
Greg Neilson


 After MCSE: What Next?
Greg answers that age-old question, "Now what do I do?"
by Greg Neilson  
10/1/2000 -- Welcome to the first Certification Advisor column at CertCities.com. Each month, I'll be answering your questions and commenting on the latest news in the certification world. So if you have a question about certification, please feel free to e-mail me at . And if you totally disagree with me, by all means e-mail me as well or post your comments below and we can look at some alternative viewpoints.

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.

More Information On...

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

  • Get your life back. This isn't a joke! You've earned a break after completing your MCSE, and probably could do with some time catching up with your friends and family after all of that exam preparation.

  • Continue learning about your chosen specialty. There is much more to know about Windows 2000 than what you picked up studying for the exams. You can learn a great deal by reading the resource kits and/or by keeping up to date with the latest KnowledgeBase articles. As an alternative, you might take additional exams for related Microsoft products or some of the other core Windows 2000 exams that you haven't already taken. For example, if you took the 70-219 exam (Designing a Microsoft Windows Directory Services Infrastructure) as your MCSE core, you may wish to take either 70-220 (Designing Security for a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network) and/or 70-221 (Designing a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Infrastructure). There's no reason why you can't do additional exams after you have completed your MCSE, and one value that an exam does provide is that it can set a schedule to work to for your study.

  • Choose a complementary certification to Windows 2000. Instead of CCNA, why not choose a certification more closely related to your Windows background--for example a Citrix certification? I believe Microsoft very deliberately included Terminal Services in the Windows 2000 server product for good reason. This is hot technology, and MetaFrame makes it even hotter. Particularly in larger enterprises, there are many groups of staff that need access to some PC/Web applications and don't need the full functionality (and cost) of a PC to do their work. So there is considerable interest in Terminal Server/MetaFrame solutions and how these can reduce the total cost of ownership. Citrix has a two-stage certification road map. The initial certification, the Citrix Certified Administrator (CCA) consists of a single exam on either Citrix MetaFrame 1.8, Citrix MetaFrame 1.0 (Unix) or Citrix WinFrame 1.8. The higher-level certification, Citrix Certified Enterprise Administrator (CCEA), comprises four exams in advanced topics such as security and load balancing. So if you are thinking about additional areas of certification for your career development, give some thought to Citrix certification. I believe you will be well rewarded for your efforts.

What are your post-MCSE plans? Post your comments below or enter our Forums.

Have a question for Greg? E-mail him at .


Greg Neilson, MCSE+Internet, MCNE, PCLP, is a Contributing Editor for Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine and a manager at a large IT services firm in Australia. He's the author of Lotus Domino Administration in a Nutshell (O'Reilly and Associates, ISBN 1-56592-717-6). You can reach him at Attn: Greg.

 


More articles by Greg Neilson:

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There are 62 CertCities.com user Comments for “After MCSE: What Next?”
Page 1 of 7
10/11/00: Allen says: "after MCSE," what about those of us who do not have an extensive computer back ground, but are currently in class to complete our MCSE...WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO GET AN INTERNSHIP? please help.
10/11/00: Greg says: Hi Allen, You raise an interesting question. MCP Magazine did a piece a while back on options for getting experience, but the question of internships I don't think was specifically mentioned. I don't think that there's a simple answer to this, so perhaps some strategies for getting an internship would be a good subject for a future column. Greg.
10/12/00: Larry says: I agree
10/12/00: Patrick says: Makes sense to me. I've been an MCSE for 5 years now and once I've upgrade to Windows 2000, I'll probably add SQL Server / IIS Admin / Exchange to my list of tests to take. I work with them daily so I might as well learn them a bit better and then pass the exams. VB is going to be a big player in managing a Windows 2000 network so I'll probably shoot for that as well.
10/12/00: Steve says: I want to go for something outside of the Windows environment...something to give my resume more range. I'm thinking Oracle 8i DBO/DBA or possibly a UNIX cert, like Solaris.
10/12/00: David says: MCSE on 8/8/99. Employed working with Win. NT 4.0. What intrigues me most is hardware, speed, and communications. Worked as consultant on project involving Satellite Dish change to new Sat. WOW! The future is voice/video now to the consumer market and I want to be there. Right now I'm settling for learning to re-program my D** Sat. card. As far as MCSE, I'm finished, tomorrow the world!!!
10/12/00: TooKool says: "What to do next?", was the first thing that I asked myself after completing my MCP+I and MCSE. The rutine of work, study and sleep was so drilled into me when I finally achived my MCSE I didn't know what to do with myself, I actually felt guilty because I wasn't studying anything! I guess I did the norm and bought the ICND and CCNA books read them both cover to cover however I didn't take the exam. By the time I finish reading those I had forgot alot of the detailed theory. There really wasn't a point I'm a IT Manager now and I don't have to configure routers I simply tell someone else to! I'm going to update my MCSE for 2000 I worked to hard to loose it over a simple update! I think I'm going to get my MCT next. There's alot of extra money to be made teaching the 2000 classes ;)
10/14/00: Gareth says: I am now doing the "usual thing" and doing my CCNA, however me situation is slightly different in that the organisation that I am currently working in has applied to become a Cisco Networking accademy and I am to administer the course. I am not quite sure in what direction to move into, with my career and so at the moment the additional training in Cisco, and the monetary benefits gained from teaching the Cisco course seem like good ideas. I also believe the best way to learn something is to teach it, so I am sure to become very fimiliar with Cisco and Networking technology. Maybe then I will try to move into a contracting role - I just don't know yet?
10/16/00: steven says: I think I'm going to update my MCSE for 2000, and then I will plan to pass the MCSD exams next year.
10/16/00: Wales says: After graduating with a Master degree in Computer Science at Australia, I went straight for the MCSE (NT 4.0). It is sort of interesting to get that cert since I was helping out my company's NT admin as a backup NT admin. Well, I was a Network Engineer at that time and it's too boring just patching the path pane and laying out the cables. You know the life is boring when you are just an assistant to the Senior Network Enginer in the company. But I was later assigned to be in charge of SUN servers. I therefore jumped into the SUN Solaris wagon and proceeded to complete my SCSA and SCNA certifications. I am thinking about getting my Java cert as well since I do occasional Java programming due to my new assignments as a System Analyst. Well, like the rest of the gang here, I want my CCNA too. Well, I do sometimes peep into the production router and switch since I still love my old day as a NE. I don't know. My experience braodens and my desire to get more knowledge expands. Now I just want to get all the certifications I can grab. Perhaps I am amazed about those. But I am not as lucky as you guys here. I am working in Asia country (Taiwan, in fact) and ther value of the certifications here is not valued highly. You don't just get a salary raise or a job promiton if you have certifications. Probably a CCIE will do a bit.
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