 |
|
 |
|
 |
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.
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:
|
There are 42  user Comments for “After MCSE: What Next?”
|
|
Page 2 of 5
|
| 10/16/00: Tom says: |
It is refreshing to hear someone tell MCSE's to leave Cisco certs alone, they are different worlds. If you are a server guy/girl, there is so much to learn that can really help you day in and day out, not to mention increase your value to your company (or someone else's) you probibly have no need to stray this far off course. With a couple of years experience and my MCSE I could get a job at a great number of companies in my area. With my CCNA and CCDA there are VERY few companies that need these skills, they also took a lot of time to get. I think Windows 2000 is the current big ticket, so I am off to update! Good Luck to all. |
| 10/16/00: Vince says: |
I'm really glad that I came to this site. Now I know that I'm not the only one sweating my way through certification Heaven or "the other place". Honestly, what I'm looking for right now, is advice. I've got too much to explain but I'm an MCSE, getting ready to be CCNA and studying for my Citrix certifications and I'm still in tech support. PLEASE HELP ME !!!!!! |
| 10/17/00: Eric says: |
I am really mad with Microsoft and their push to move in and out of WIN2K and on to the .NET objective. By the time we get the WIN2K MCSE it will be time to ramp up again for .NET. I have my MCSE and CCA and I have had nothing but a support desk position and a road dog building NT 4.0 machines on the road. MCSE's are paper just like CNE's and MS's sudden change to fix that is too little too late. Cisco at least has an initiative to get inernships for their CCNA's what does MS offer....nothing. I am a self made MCSE with an nice size lab at home but my cert does nothing to get me the real world experience I seek. I am going the Cisco route and leaving MS behind. |
| 10/17/00: Tom says: |
I'm totally argree with you 100% on the above article regarding to what's next after MCSE. Most of the Cert IT people that I know, they tend to go with CCNA after MCSE. I was thinking about going the same Cert path just like everyone else but then, I rather upgrade my MCSE to W2k then going back to college and get my 4 years degree then enjoy life, spend time with family and friends. To be honest, it's very hard to keep up with these Certification, there are always something new on the IT Market. |
| 10/26/00: Michael says: |
While I agree that it is important to "round out" an MCSE with good electives, many people (including me) are distressed by the perception of so many paper MCSEs and the subsequent devaluation. I am an MCSE and MCT and the value of an MCSE has gone down in recent times. Many of us are angered by the fact that all of our hard work and studying that it took to get an MCSE is not worth as much these days so we are working on something new, something to keep us ahead of the pack. I too am working on my CCNA, because it does not have the paper certification stigma that the MCSE has (not yet anyways ;) |
| 10/26/00: J says: |
I am an MCSE & CCNA and busted my rump to get here. I have to disagree with Greg, though. With the MCSE becoming less valuable due to those "Papers" out there I believe that certifications in other areas does nothing more than support your crediblility. However, just having a bunch of letters after your name doesn't give you credibility, your credibility comes when you open your mouth. Those of us that have the experience AND knowledge can spot those nasty "Papers" a mile away. Also being in companies that have required you to know everything about anything, you need to study a variety of subjects. And having managed an IT section with 30-35 people, I needed to know what was going on in my WAN section, OS section, etc. Remember, it isn't how many letters after your name, it's what you say. |
| 10/26/00: Travis says: |
I was first certified in Banyan (remember that). With the prevalence of Microsoft out there I decided that If I was to be the most marketable that I could be, then I would have to get my MCSE. Now that I'm a NT "person" because everything is going to 2000 I will get the 2000 certification, also because I will be assisting in the planning and rollout. I think that Cisco is even more prevalent than Microsoft is and would make somebody very marketable. I've decided to adapt and change and pursue the CCNA and eventually CCIE to change careers so that I may continue to be employed in the most lucritive part of the market. |
| 10/26/00: John says: |
I have several certifications; MCSE+Internet, CCA, A+. I am currently working on getting my CCEA and sometime during next summer I plan on taking a Cisco class then pursue a CCIE cert. I am currently working for an ASP which does require vast knowledge of most products out there. Metaframe/Citrix is a big part of our environment. I heard from Citrix that the next round of certs will be CCSE. I will aquire that cert when Citrix releases all of the exams. I am not to concerned with W2K exams right now. I will eventually upgrade that one too, but right now I am more concerned with getting my CCEA. Good luck to all... |
| 10/26/00: Becky says: |
Hi John -- what's the CCSE? Haven't heard of it, and I didn't see it on Citrix's Web site. |
| 10/26/00: Rodger says: |
A friend of mine is an MCSE and just got his CCIE about 6 weeks ago. His company wants him to upgrade to MCSE 2000. I rather suspect that he is not the only person in the world who needs both skill sets. ;-) For those who want to become Cisco certified, I suggest the following action plan for those on a modest budget: 1) Get your CCNA using the following materials: a) Todd Lammle's CCNA Study Guide, Second Edition b) the CCNA router simulation, version 2.1, found at http://www.routersim.com c) the Transcender CCNA practice exams at http://www.transcender.com (I have also heard good things about the Boson practice exams, but have not personally used them) 2) After you get the CCNA, sign up for Semester 5 at a Cisco Network Academy which offers the CCNP track. This will give you about 59 hands-on labs in support of the BSCN subject area. 3) Continue with Semesters 6-8, as they become available. 4) Take the test after each CCNP course. Voila! CCNP on a budget. Example: Oxnard College will offer the Semester 5 BSCN course starting in the Spring 2001 Semester for $11/semester hour ($44) As always, "Your mileage may vary." Regards, Rodger Morris [email protected] MCSE+I, MCT, CCNA, CCDA, Cisco Certified Academy Instructor (CCAI), etc. |
First Page Previous Page Next Page Last Page
|
|
|
|
