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This page is intended mainly for the individual who wants to achieve some level of certification, not necessarily a complete MCSE. If you have had reasonable experience of one of the Microsoft products then with a little work it should be possible to pass the test corresponding to that product and the resources below should help. If you are in this category then go for it, select the product you have the most experience of, put in a little work and do the test, it’ll look great on your CV.
Of course to pass all seven MCSE tests will take a lot of work particularly as you are likely to find that you will have to learn stuff of which you have no (or little) experience.
There are probably four ways to achieve MCP certification
| 1 | If you are in a hurry, have the money and time then go on a fast track (boot camp) course. The objective of a fast track courses is not to teach you about for example supporting Windows 2003 Server, it is to get you through the 2003 server tests. These courses were quite popular with NT but are not as appropriate for Windows 2000\2003. |
| 2 | If you have had practical experience of a product then buy one of the many books which will help to fill in the gaps |
| 3 | If you have had plenty of experience just go on to the test. This is not recommended simply because you will need to get a feel for how the test works and there are probably areas of the product which despite your experience you know little about. At least check the Preparation Guide (Microsoft.com/mcp/exam), and check the Cramsession site. If you can use an exam simulation product such as Transenders or Self Test. |
| 4 | For a full MCSE attend the seven courses (which cover seven exams) over a period of time. |
There are a wide range of books to help those preparing for certification, some are highly recommended whilst others are poor value for money.