CertCities.com -- The Ultimate Site for Certified IT Professionals
"
  Microsoft®
  Cisco®
  Security
  Oracle®
  A+/Network+"
  Linux/Unix
  More Certs
  e-Book Shop
  Practice Exams
  Salary Surveys
  Forums
  News
  Exam Reviews
  Tips
  Columns
  Features
  PopQuiz
  RSS Feeds
  Industry Releases
  Contributors
  About Us
  Search
 

Advanced Search
  Free Newsletter
  Sign-up for the #1 Weekly IT
Certification News
and Advice.
Subscribe to CertCities.com Free Weekly E-mail Newsletter
CertCities.com

CertCities.com
Let us know what you
think! E-mail us at:



-- advertisement --
Traveling to a
Tradeshow or Event?
Switzerland Hotels
Homestead FL Hotels
Pensacola FL Hotels
Lakewood CO Hotels
Williamsburg Hotels
Weeki Wachee FL Hotels
North Seffner FL Hotels
Phoenix Hotels
Malta Hotels
Newport Beach Hotels

 
 
...Home ... Editorial ... News ..News Story Monday: January 10, 2005



The New TechMentor Register Early and Save!
  • 6 New Tracks
  • Exam Discounts
  • Year-End Savings
Register by
March 4th
and save $200 off
the new TechMentor!

* REGISTERED USERS ONLY

Microsoft Announces Security Specializations


6/3/2003 -- (Dallas) -- Today at Microsoft TechEd Microsoft introduced two new security specializations within its MCSA and MCSE certifications. Scott Charney, chief security strategist at Microsoft, made the announcement as part of his keynote address.

The new titles will be indicated by the word "Security" appended to the titles — MCSA: Security and MCSE: Security — once candidates complete the requirements for each specialization. Requirements for both specializations is based on currently available Microsoft exams, with the option of substituting CompTIA's Security+ for one of the requirements.

"We put together these certification specializations to allow IT professionals a way to demonstrate a specific technical focus in the area of security within their job roles," said David Lowe, product manager for security with Microsoft's Training and Certification group. "The new specializations are directly analogous to the existing base credentials, but with a 'prescribed path' of specialization exams rather than electives."

As far as the term "specialization," Lowe emphasized that the new monikers are not separate certifications mandating additional exam requirements.

The MCSA: Security requirements are based on the current MCSA on Windows 2000 requirements. Candidates will need to pass five exams, consiting of one core client OS exam:

  • 70-210, Windows 2000 Professional or 70-270, Windows XP

and two core networking exams:

  • 70-215, Windows 2000 Server
  • 70-218, Managing a Windows 2000 Network

Then, candidates must pass two more exams related to security specialization:

  • 70-214, Implementing Windows 2000 Security
  • 70-227, ISA Server 2000 or CompTIA's Security+
MCSA: Security
1 Client OS

70-210, Windows 2000 Professional
or
70-270, Windows XP

2 Networking
70-215, Windows 2000 Server
70-218, Managing a Windows 2000 Network
2 Prescribed
70-214, Implementing Windows 2000 Security
70-227, Internet and Security Acceleration (ISA) Server 2000
or
CompTIA Security+

The MCSE: Security has similar core networking requirements but, instead of requiring exam 70-218, specifies the following two exams:

  • 70-216, Implementing, Administering a Windows 2000 Network
  • 70-217, Implementing, Administering Windows 2000 Directory Services

The security specialization portion is the same as the MCSA: Security, but with the addition of another prescribed exam, 70-220, Designing Windows 2000 Security.

MCSE: Security
1 Client OS

70-210, Windows 2000 Professional
or
70-270, Windows XP

3 Networking
70-215, Windows 2000 Server
70-216, Implementing, Administering a Windows 2000 Network
70-217, Implementing, Administering Windows 2000 Directory Services
3 Prescribed
70-214, Implementing Windows 2000 Security
70-220, Designing Windows 2000 Security
70-227, Internet and Security Acceleration (ISA) Server 2000
or
CompTIA Security+

If the requirements for the security specializations have an uncanny familiarity, it's because all the exams are already available. "It's not like we're trying to validate an entirely new set of skills," Lowe explained. "We're validating existing skills based on tasks that IT professionals are performing today."

Specializations for Windows Server 2003
Security specializations for the MCSA/MCSE on Windows Server 2003 track are likely to follow suit with the Win2K track, said David Lowe, product manager for security with Microsoft's Training and Certification group, including upgrade paths for MCSA/MCSE Specialists on Windows 2000. While he said that it's reasonable to expect similar security exams under the Windows Server 2003 track, Lowe indicated that the track is still under development and details would be forthcoming later this year.

With the addition of CompTIA's Security+ to the prescribed exam choices, that exam joins the A+, Network+ and Server+ exams as options under the MCSA title.

"We're very pleased," Kris Madura, Security+ Program Manager for CompTIA commented. "What Security + will do for these distinctions is allow candidates to leave the program...with additional, broad-based knowledge of vendor-neutral security issues on a global basis." Madura added that Security+ would be an additional MCSA elective in combination with one of the other CompTIA exams, but Microsoft was unable to verify this; at press time, the option wasn't reflected on the current MCSA on Windows 2000 Requirements page.

Unlike the approach it took with the MCP/MCSE+Internet certifications, the creation of specializations based on job roles is unique in the company's certification program. "We don't really think that the industry has clearly defined security job roles yet," Lowe said. "We recognize that in IT job roles, like systems administrator and systems engineer, there are a number of individuals who have a very specific concentration on a particular area and, obviously, in an important area as security. So that's what these specializations will allow individuals to demonstrate; they'll get to highlight their focus on platform-specific security and design skills."

Lowe said that the impetus for the latest announcement came from feedback from its customers. "There have been a number of studies that have shown that human error [and] lack of training are [the top] reasons for a broad range of security issues that companies and organizations are facing today."

"We recognize that security certification not only provides a way for individuals to measure and validate their skills on important security issues, but it also provides a way for employers and IT managers to ensure that their technical staff has obtained and validated the appropriate security skills necessary for the creation of a secure computing environment in their organizations. This is another way in which Microsoft is supporting the 'Secure in Deployment' tenet of the Trustworthy Computing Framework," which Bill Gates announced amid fanfare last February 2002.

Lowe wasn't sure how many MCSAs and MCSEs would be automatically certified as security specialists upon launch of the designation. Also, because the specialist designations are being added to existing titles, Lowe said that Microsoft would not issue Early Adopter or Charter Member cards. However, the company will automatically update transcripts of MCSAs and MCSEs who have already passed the exams and make new logos available shortly via the MCP Secure Web site. The company is also in the process of creating Welcome Kits for the new specializations.

Lowe added that the idea of specializations would probably surface later in other areas of certification, but he declined to offer details.

For more about the security specialist designations, click here. -Michael Domingo, courtesy of MCPmag.com. Additional reporting by Dian L. Schaffhauser and Becky Nagel.

 



There are 62 CertCities.com user Comments for “Microsoft Announces Security Specializations”
Page 4 of 7
6/9/03: Anonymous says: WOW! You folksare make fun of folk from other countries while you heads of companies and goverment are shipping jobs to these place. Wake up folk and place blame where it belong the greedy CEO and Sentor who can vote themselves pay raise while we Average Americian are getting screwed. Heck, I bet you that Abdel Rahman did not force Microsoft to move some of it IT company to India or China , but Americian greed did! It is just a thought for all you folk trying to blame other for OUR OWN problems here in AMERICA. Hell, we got soldiers in the GULF right now who have to use food stamps. I love America , but when we start putting America first and stop blaming other for our own shortcommings?!
6/9/03: Anonymous says: Shortcomings like not knowing how to spell?
6/9/03: Anonymous says: HAHa I am not a English Major, but you get the point of thepost right!
6/9/03: Anonymous says: I get the point that you are stupid.
6/9/03: Anonymous says: You want a reality check? Your jobs are going overseas because you are uneducated and can't spell. A cert can't save your ass.
6/9/03: Moe Munee says: Why don't you losers stop complaining about your jobs going overseas because American corporations are trying to save a buck? Dammit, learn Economics 101. Until you fuckers stop buying imports, your jobs will always go overseas. In fact, America, a second-rate country, is about to lose its status as the number one economy. www. unsustainable.org
6/10/03: Anonymous says: America, a second rate country? You're the idiot, and you're probably the infantile little child who has bombarded this site with the never-ending slew of uber-moronic "mo money" posts.
6/10/03: Moe Munee says: Your response just proved my point.
6/10/03: Brad Renfroe from San Diego, CA says: Try reading his reference before quickly jumping to your ad hominum attack. It only shows how juvenile you are.
6/10/03: Anonymous says: you silly fools have no conception of economics whatsoever. trade deficits can actually be a good thing... think about it, basically, the other countries in the world such as Asian countries give us all of their manufactured goods in exchange for (our) American money. so, essentially, other countries are giving all of their treasure (real goods) to us in exchange for money (an idea). all of these conspiricy theories and doomsday predictions such as on sites like the unsustainable.org site are crutches of weak and uncreative minds who drown themselves in pessimism. by the way, Japan's economy overall is in a lot worse shape than ours right now, whether you think their trade deficit is a big problem or not, they're in a much worse boat and have a lot more systemic problems than us. get a grip "Moe Munee", and start spouting off once you graduate from your prison colony's GED program.
First Page   Previous Page     Next Page   Last Page

Want to post a comment under this article? Please register. It's free, it's easy, and you'll only need to register once to access all of CertCities.com's exam reviews, tips articles, the ability to post under articles, and more. Click on the button below to start your registration,or read our FAQ if you'd like more information.
Already registered? Log in here:
User Name:
Password:
Remember me on this computer
" Forgot User Name/Password

top

Sponsored Links:
MeasureUp Practice Tests On Sale: Get your A+, MCDST, MCSA, or MCSE!
Free Authorized Cisco eLearning: from Global Knowledge
TechMentor is Back in Orlando with 6 New Tracks: April 4-8, 2005
Keep Current on Microsoft News: Subscribe to Redmond Report Newsletter
IT certification news delivered weekly: Subscribe Today!



Home | Microsoft® | Cisco® | Oracle® | A+/Network+" | Linux/Unix | MOS | Security | List of Certs
Advertise | Contact Us | Contributors | Features | Forums | News | Pop Quiz | Tips | Industry Releases | RSS Feeds RSS Feeds from CertCities.com
Search | Site Map | ENTmag.com | MCPmag.com | TCPmag.com | TechMentor Conferences | 101communications | Privacy Policy
This Web site is not sponsored by, endorsed by or affiliated with Cisco Systems, Inc., Microsoft Corp., Oracle Corp., The Computing Technology Industry Association, Linus Torvolds, or any other certification or technology vendor. Cisco® and Cisco Systems® are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. Microsoft, Windows and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. Oracle® is a registered trademark of Oracle Corp. A+®, i-Net+T, Network+T, and Server+T are trademarks and registered trademarks of The Computing Technology Industry Association. (CompTIA). LinuxT is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. All other trademarks belong to their respective owners.
Reprints allowed with written permission from the publisher. For more information, e-mail
Application Development Trends | Campus Technology | CertCities.com | The Data Warehousing Institute | E-Gov | ENT News
Enterprise Systems | Federal Computer Week | IT Compliance Institute | JavaSPEKTRUM | MCP TechMentor Conferences
MCPmag.com | OBJEKTspektrum | Recharger | Redmond magazine | SIGS-DATACOM | TCPmag.com
Copyright 1996-2005 101communications. See our Privacy Policy.
101communications