I've taken some of the newer MS tests and found them to be much more useful at evaluating knowledge than the older NT4 tests. I found that one needs considerably more experience with 2000/2003/AD than one needs with NT4 in order to get the MCSE. After passing my NT4 MCSE, I thought the 2000/2003/AD tests would be cake. Nope.
I'm going to second Walt's opinion. As far as I've seen, 2003 AD has still not penetrated the marketplace to its potential, so as Walt said, that knowledge could certainly be an asset to the IT worker. Considering the increasing co-location of server farms and the development of datacenter hardware technology, I will be concentrating on gathering knowledge with regard to Cisco gear and security. Since Cisco is the de facto network standard these days, I will be putting my studying hours there, as well as finishing up my partially-completed 2003 MCSE.
Last weekend, we "flipped the switch" and went to 2003 native mode in a small, single domain of about 5000 users. It was a non-event, but it took 2 years of planning and incremental upgrades to get there. (Not to mention the wailing and gnashing of teeth.) For the most part, the upgrades were transparent to the users. It would have been much more difficult to pass any of the new MS tests without this experience. This phenomenon creates an annoying catch-22 where one needs a technical job to get the experience, but one needs experience to get that job. I'm not sure how to get around that problem. However, like Josh said, if you can't get your hands on any routers at work, buy some used 2600s and play around. They aren't terribly expensive (or fast) but they are great for learning. Reading Cisco study material is mind-numbing. Experience is the best teacher with this stuff.
I attended a Cisco dog-and-pony show yesterday. Cisco has taken great strides in integrating network intrusion detection, access control, and wireless security into their products from edge switches to core routers. If they have invested this much R&D capital into their products, this technology is going to be around for a long time, and points to security as being a fundamental part of any new network infrastructure. Security isn't just for PCs and servers anymore.
The skills needed to manage them may change, but, in general, network applications, servers, PCs, and the hardware that connect them aren't going anywhere.
Tim
#-----Original Message-----
#From: owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net [mailto:owner-dakota-
#truck@bent.twistedbits.net] On Behalf Of Walt@Walt-n-Ingrid.Com
#Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 2004 6:38 PM
#To: dakota-truck-moderator@bent.twistedbits.net
#Subject: Re: DML: Hey Maskalans...
#
#
#Sorry Gary, didn’t mean to rant and not answer your question. If your MCSA
#is
#in the server 2003 track, you have a much better chance. Because the
#latest
#SMS, Exchange and other Microsoft products are so reliant on the 2003 AD
#structure, you actually have a good shot if you have the cert. There are
#still
#a number of companies who have or are dragging their feet with 2000. The
#company I’m sub-contracted to now still has NT4 domain controllers. This
#is a
#very recognizable financial company. Now they, like many other companies
#are
#panicking because they want to move to Exchange 2003 and they don’t have
#the
#backend in place to support it. 2003 Admins are still a rear bunch though
#their numbers are growing exponentially.
#
#Like Josh stated Cisco doesn’t hurt though it’s some real dry reading. You
#better know the material before taking one of their tests because you can’t
#flub it like a Microsoft test. If you don’t know it, no chance in Hell
#you’ll
#pass. But if you got Cisco, you’re still golden at this point. I still
#have
#to get off my ass and finish up with that process myself.
#
#Also, security experience/certifications are carrying some weight these
#days as
#well. A lot of opportunities in that area these days.
#
#Walt
#
#In article <BDDB6249.1139%garyhedlin@sbcglobal.net>,
#garyhedlin@sbcglobal.net
#(Gary Hedlin) writes:
#>
#>
#> On 12/7/04 1:18 PM, in article cp4vk1$b4c$1@bent.twistedbits.net,
#> "Walt@Walt-n-Ingrid.Com" <Walt@Walt-n-Ingrid.Com> wrote:
#>
#> >
#> > I‚m there too; the project I have with Incompetent Business Morons is
#up
#soon
#> > and most likely won‚t be renewed. I‚m driving an hour to get to a
#crappy job I
#> > hate, but I can‚t complain, at least it‚s a paycheck. AT least for
#another
#> > week
#> > or two. It‚s amazing they‚re industry leaders considering their
#project
#> > management practices for I‚ve never been on such a F**ked up
#project/account.
#> > Job market in this area is in the toilet as well. I‚m just trying to
#hold
#> > out
#> > until the first of the year.
#> >
#> > Walt
#> >
#> Hey Walt & Mike (or anyone in IT)
#>
#> What do you think the job prospects are for someone with A+, Network+,
#and
#> MCSA certs with experience as a Technology advisor for Special Education
#> depts helping disabled students find & use different adaptive products??
#>
#> I have the certs, but my experience might not apply when I go for a
#typical
#> IT job.... That's the proverbial brick wall I gotta scale to get a job!
#:)
#>
#>
#> --
#>
#> Gary Hedlin
#> www.garyhedlin.com
#> 2005 Dakota SLT CC 4.7 5spd
#> 1998 Dakota Sport RC 3.9
#>
#>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sat Jan 01 2005 - 11:48:08 EST