How much harder is MCSA vs MCSE Server
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As the topic said... How much harder is MCSA vs MCSE.
I am about to take the first exam for MCSA Server and wonder if I should set my goal only for MCSA or go all out to MCSE?
What is the benefit for MCSE over MCSA would be my next question.Thanks!!
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MCSE is basically just the MCSA with a few more certs. It's not exactly harder as much as just more.
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SAM do you recommend getting multiple MCSA/MCSE certs in various field? I am studying for Server, but should I also go for Windows 10?
Reason behind this is I am looking to transition out of sole Admin into a teamed Admins environment. -
@LAH3385 said:
SAM do you recommend getting multiple MCSA/MCSE certs in various field? I am studying for Server, but should I also go for Windows 10?
No. Windows 10 is not available for those anyway, that's a desktop cert not a server one, MCSE is server.
Getting an MCSE is a yes/no thing. You don't get more than one. You don't put multiple on a resume, people don't care which ones you have, they just don't care. Getting an MSCE is about getting past HR during a hiring process and showing that you care enough to get certified. Getting extra will be a huge waste of effort. There are way better educational opportunities that will make you much more marketable.
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@scottalanmiller What other certs do you recommend if I am aiming for Datacenter environment. CCNA is probably an obvious choice.
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@LAH3385 said:
@scottalanmiller What other certs do you recommend if I am aiming for Datacenter environment. CCNA is probably an obvious choice.
Datacenters are bench environments, no IT work there. What work are you picturing?
MCSE is a cert for a Windows Administrator. CCNA is a cert for someone looking to move into Cisco Network Admin role but haven't made it to the CCNP yet. CCNA really has no applicability to a Windows role. MCSE has no applicability to a non-Windows role. They are both very focused.
If you have an MCSE and want to "enhance it", I would start with the CompTIA Security+.
Defining what you want the certs to do for you is critical. Windows and Cisco roles don't normally mix and neither is that common in a datacenter. Cisco would be more common, but networking people are normally in an office, not the datacenter. Normally a datacenter is people who do rack and stacks, swap drives, run cables, etc.
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@scottalanmiller said:
Defining what you want the certs to do for you is critical. Windows and Cisco roles don't normally mix and neither is that common in a datacenter. Cisco would be more common, but networking people are normally in an office, not the datacenter. Normally a datacenter is people who do rack and stacks, swap drives, run cables, etc.
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Honest answer would be the job that pay the bills.
I like the task I am doing right now as system admin, but dealing with management who does not understand half the infrastructure is frustrating. I saved the company couple thousand of dollars by avoided IT consult performing the server upgrade (thanks to you who recommend me to ignore their opinion) but no thankyou from management. When I made a mistake I am in hot water. It is just not fun dealing with management who does not understand what is going and thought they know everything. -
Some employers link pay increases to certs, namely IT support companies.
No you may not have a raise, no matter how high performance you are, unless you gain an additional cert. Oh and they'll pay for the exams if it's the certs they are missing in their competency portfolio.
e.g, we need 1 more person to do this for gold status with microsoft.
Yes, this is crazy, yes this does happen.
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@Breffni-Potter I remember this! Take the MCTS for Windows Vista so we can maintain Gold!
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I paid for and received the MCSA, MCSE, CCNA, CCNP, most of the CompTIA ones which "matter", among many others, none of which have really proved useful to me at all, some were redundant to others -- a lot you actually have to get every year or at least renew them, I haven't done that in at least a decade.
The one thing I did get out of it was that studying for them, while I did know the material very well already, it helped fill in some gaps here in there. I recommend people study for them even if they aren't going to actually get them since you can learn a lot.
As an employer, I don't pay people more if they have certs, it's based on experience alone, but that's just me.
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@tonyshowoff said:
I paid for and received the MCSA, MCSE, CCNA, CCNP, most of the CompTIA ones which "matter", among many others, none of which have really proved useful to me at all, some were redundant to others -- a lot you actually have to get every year or at least renew them, I haven't done that in at least a decade.
The one thing I did get out of it was that studying for them, while I did know the material very well already, it helped fill in some gaps here in there. I recommend people study for them even if they aren't going to actually get them since you can learn a lot.
As an employer, I don't pay people more if they have certs, it's based on experience alone, but that's just me.
same here. I have many certs and I don't even put them on my CV, but the studying for them is where all of the value was.
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Thanks for all the reply. Really great information.
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I definitely recommend certs, just getting them strategically and making sure to get lots of value out of them as an educational process and not relying on them purely as a career growth item.
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@scottalanmiller said:
I definitely recommend certs, just getting them strategically and making sure to get lots of value out of them as an educational process and not relying on them purely as a career growth item.
Agreed, the problem I think comes from a lot of people think the absolute inverse of that and see more value in college or certs than experience.
