Path to MCPMCSAMCSE

Path to MCP/MCSA/MCSE

Microsoft certification is recognized throughout the IT industry as a way to demonstrate mastery of basic concepts and skills required to perform the tasks involved in implementing and maintaining Windows-based networks. The certification program is constantly evaluated and improved; the nature of information technology is changing rapidly and this means requirements and specifications for certification can also change rapidly. This book is based on the exam objectives as stated by Microsoft at the time of writing; however, Microsoft reserves the right to make changes to the objectives and to the exam itself at any time. Exam candidates should regularly visit the Certification and Training web site at http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/ for the most updated information on each Microsoft exam.

Microsoft presently offers three basic levels of certification:

• Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP): to obtain the MCP certification, you must pass one current Microsoft certification exam. For more information on exams that qualify, see http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/mcp/mcp/requirements.asp.

• Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA): to obtain the MCSA certification, you must pass three core exams and one elective exam, for a total of four exams. For more information, see http://www.microsoft.com/TrainCert/mcp/mcsa/requirements.asp.

• Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE): to obtain the MCSE certification on Windows Server 2003, you must pass six core exams (including four network operating system exams, one client operating system exam and one design exam) and one elective. For more information, see http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/mcp/mcse/windows2003/ . Passing Exam 70-293 will earn you the MCP certification (if it is the first Microsoft exam you’ve passed). Exam 70-293 also counts toward the MCSE. Exam 70-293 is not a requirement or elective for the MCSA.

  Tip

  Those who already hold the MCSA in Windows 2000 can upgrade their certifications to MCSA 2003 by passing one upgrade exam (70-292). Those who already hold the MCSE in Windows 2000 can upgrade their certifications to MCSE 2003 by passing two upgrade exams (70-292 and 70-296).

Microsoft also offers a number of specialty certifications for networking professionals and certifications for software developers, including the following:

• Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA)

• Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD)

• Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD)

Exam 70-293 does not apply to any of these specialty and developer certifications.

Prerequisites and Preparation

There are no mandatory prerequisites for taking Exam 70-293, although Microsoft recommends that you meet the target audience profile described earlier, and many candidates will first take Exams 70-290 and 70-291 in sequence before taking Exam 70-294 in their pursuit of the MCSE certification.

Preparation for this exam should include the following:

• Visit the web site at http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/exams/70-293.asp to review the updated exam objectives. Remember that Microsoft reserves the right to change or add to the objectives at any time, so new objectives might have been added since the printing of this book.

• Work your way through this book, studying the material thoroughly and marking any items you don’t understand.

• Answer all practice exam questions at the end of each chapter.

• Complete all hands-on exercises in each chapter.

• Review any topics that you don’t thoroughly understand

• Consult Microsoft online resources such as TechNet (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/ ), white papers on the Microsoft web site, and so forth, for better understanding of difficult topics.

• Participate in Microsoft’s product-specific and training and certification newsgroups if you have specific questions that you still need answered.

• Take one or more practice exams, such as the one included on the CD with this book.