[RESOLVED] MCSE: Take Training or do Self Study.

I am the network administrator for a large company and run a large WAN with about 15 NT servers. I have been doing this job as well as a PC tech for about 4 years. I have worked with all windows OSes extencively and done an extencive amount of troubleshooting and installing with them. In short, I believe I am very capible and have a extencive knowledge of current operating systems. I have been working with computers since I have been very young and work on them a lot in my spare time as well.
Now I am looking at getting the MCSE certification for windows 2000 and the related Items. Should I go somewhere for courses or should I get a self study kit? Will I find the exams challenging at all? I am not totally familiar with Win2k but use it fairly aften. Active directory is still a mystery to me bu I am sure I would figure it out in a few minutes of playing around. What do you people thiink? Give me some advice please!

Luke

If you have access to 2000, especially the Server version, on machines that you won't get fired for screwing up, then by all means, do the self-study! It'll save you a small fortune! And you'll gain actual working knowledge of the material.

If not, then it depends on how well you absorb book knowledge. If you can grasp ideas just by reading them, then do the self-study. Otherwise, you'll probably need the training course.

Keep in mind that most training courses are just like SAT study courses; they don't actually teach you anything other than just what is required to pass the test. No more, no less.

One of my co-workers has a Dilbert comic strip taped to his cubicle. "Step away from that network server! I'm certified! I summon the vast powers of certification! Well, this is embarasing. That's all I remember from my class."

------------------
Captain Troy D. Pack Rat
`akbar Press

If you're furry and you know it, hug the mouse!

Based on what you say, it sounds like self study would be the way to go. I have only taken a few courses, but my experience is that they only skim across the surface of what you really need to know. I suspect you would be bored. On the other hand, if you do not have the self discipline to study on a regular basis (do you?), there may be some merit to trying a class.

------------------
"Tell me, and I'll forget. Show me, and I'll remember. Involve me, and I'll learn." -- Marla Jones

I confess that my at home study skills are poor to nill. But I don't want to waste money either.
I do have access to Win2K server and win2k professional. Also the WAN I look after is Tcp/ip based and I understand that pretty good.
I relieze that a certified people usually aren't that good. My posostion now replaces 2 certified (MSCES) people that didn't know how to troubleshoot or think for themselves at all. They made more work for me then helped out. That is part of the reason I haven't gotten any cert. yet as every single mcse I have known is a buffoon(sp?).

I don't know if you guys can answer this but how hard are then exams for someone with my experience and knowledge. I am thinking maybe I would do some home studing and then take one of the exams to sort of test the waters.

thanks for the replies so far.

I am doing self study, have a lab with 4 machines to work with, only bummer is at my job we are using nt4 but it should help a little, I think to be well rounded you have to have hands on, getting certified from just a book doesn't teach what happens out in the real world https://forums.windrivers.com/

------------------
These are the facts and they are undisputed

self-study dont waist money on going to school. you can do it with out it. good luck

What kind of material is covered on the MCSE? https://forums.windrivers.com/

------------------
"Good decisions require experience, and experience is the result of bad decisions."

I have been self studying for 6 months now, have completed all the NT4 core, and found it strange the stuff they test on. Half of hte test will look like they think were all vegitables, then wham, they shoot you down with something that only got an obscure reference in the MOC, and the studie guides never even mentiond. For the most par if you score 800's on the practice test, you will pass the real thing. As far as studie effort. I can't keep my mind on the task at hand. On average i puta bout 30-40 hours in on one exam to studie, and prepare. More if i bomb it the first time. If you ahve any kind of experience, all you need is the cram, and a few practice test and our on your way. Workstation for instance was a joke, mostly navigation, and basic configuration/installation stuff.

------------------
Windows (N): A 32 Bit patch to a 16 bit graphical interface based on a 8 bit operating system originaly encoded for a 4 bit processor writen by a 2 bit company that cant stand 1 bit of competition.

Watch out for the TCp/IP courses. The level of know how required for the other exams is not all that bad, but then along comes the TCP/IP exam and it is tuff.

------------------
Death is lighter than a feather - duty heavier than a mountian.

I self studied for the NT4 track and this time around I am using Smart Certify for the 2000 track (redoing it completely). So far self study isn't so bad but I kinda like the Smart Certify layout better than just plain ole books.

------------------
Your mother looks like a hampster and your father smells of elderberries!