MCSEs in the Real World

In this section, I describe an ideal MCSE candidate, knowing full well that only a few real candidates will meet this ideal. In fact, my description of that ideal candidate might seem downright scary. But take heart: Although the requirements to obtain an MCSE might seem formidable, they are by no means impossible to meet. However, be keenly aware that it does take time, involves some expense, and requires real effort to get through the process.

More than 200,000 MCSEs are already certified, so it's obviously an attainable goal. You can get all the real-world motivation you need from knowing that many others have gone before; you will be able to follow in their footsteps. If you're willing to tackle the process seriously and do what it takes to obtain the necessary experience and knowledge, you can take ”and pass ”all the certification tests involved in obtaining an MCSE. In fact, we've designed Exam Cram 2 to make it as easy on you as possible to prepare for these exams. But prepare you must!

The same, of course, is true for other Microsoft certifications, including these:

• MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator) ” This is the brand-new certification that Microsoft has provided for Microsoft professionals who ill administer networks rather than design them. This certification includes three core exams and a single elective .

• MCSD (Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer) ” This is aimed at software developers and requires one specific exam, two more exams on client and distributed topics, plus a fourth elective exam drawn from a different but limited pool of options.

• MCAD (Microsoft Certified Application Developer) ” This is aimed at software developers functioning at a departmental level with one to two years of applications-development experience. The MCAD certification requires two specific exams, plus a third elective exam drawn from a limited pool of options. The 70-306 exam is a core exam for the MCAD credential.

• MCDBA (Microsoft Certified Database Administrator) ” This is aimed at database administrators and developers who work with Microsoft SQL Server. The MCDBA certification requires three core exams and one elective exam.