Running
Head: MCSE CERTIFICATIONS
MCSE Certifications
by
Anthony P. Niemann, MCSE
ELFH 696-50
Summer, 2006
Index
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………….. 1
History
of Certifications………………………………………………………………..
1
MCSE
Varieties and Requirements………………………………………………….
4
Preparation
Methods………………………………………………………………….. 7
Examinations……………………………………………………………………………10
Certification
Value………………………………………………………………………13
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….16
References……………………………………………………………………………….20
Appendix
– Elective Exams…………………………………………………………….23
MCSE Certifications
Certifications covering a wide variety of topics are
important tools that help to ensure that there are people capable of addressing
assorted challenges in the workplace. Certifications have played an important
part in the economic development of this country throughout most of the 20th
Century and continue to play an important role in today’s global marketplace
environment. We begin this paper by examining the history leading up to trends
for industry to offer certifications. We discuss the development of the
computer industry prior to the current trend to offer IT certifications. We
also examine how IT certifications began, specifically the Microsoft Certified
System Engineer (MCSE) certification. We examine the various types of MCSE
certifications as well as the exams one must pass to obtain the Windows 2000
MCSE. We discuss methods that MCSE candidates choose to prepare for
examinations. We then look at the exams themselves to discover how and why they
have changed over the years. Also, the meaning and value of this certification
and how it has changed over the years is discussed. Finally, some concluding
remarks are offered on the meaning of MCSE certifications today.
History of Certifications
The roots of certification began long before the 20th
Century, but international certifications, or standardization, began in 1906
with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the International
Federation of the National Standardizing Associations (ISA). From these
beginnings the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) began
operations in 1947. Because of the partnership of this organization with the
IEC, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and the World Trade
Organization (WTO), quality management standards, commonly referred to as ISO
9000 standards, and environmental management standards, commonly referred to as
ISO 14000 standards, are becoming more and more popular in the global
marketplace (International Organization for Standardization, 2005).
Standardization is important to industries in order
to ensure quality, safety, efficiency, and economy. A certification process can
be viewed as confirmation that some knowledge, skill, or attitude is present in
an individual, group, company, or organization. The certification process helps
to ensure that standards are clearly understood. The confirmation of what the
certificate purports to prove is only as good as the evaluation used to
“certify” the person who is given the certificate. Pertinent questions
concerning how long the certification holds validity and who recognizes the
certifications are important not only to employers, vendors, and educators, but
also to the individuals getting the certification. Vendor-specific
certifications are created in industries throughout the world. It makes sense
for the vendor of a popular product to offer a certificate to selected
individuals who meet specified requirements. An employer can hire a person who
holds a certificate knowing that they have met requirements necessary to work
with the product, as certified by the vendor. It is in the vendor’s interest to
assure the validity and reliability of the certification process. If the
product is popular, such as Microsoft software, certification can promote use
of the product and is an effective way to develop specific skills.
Before personal computers arrived on the scene in the
early 1970s, computer credentials for technicians consisted of electronics
knowledge and electronics troubleshooting experience. Generally, each vendor of
computer products would train their own employees on the product. An
electronics test or verification of education from a technical school was
usually required to gain employment. As late as the 1970s some computers had
vacuum tubes instead of transistors in their electronic circuitry. The U.S. Air
force installed computers that used vacuum tubes in B-52 tail gun systems until
the mid-1970s to plot variables such as airspeed and range of attacking
targets. After transistors had replaced vacuum tubes in electronic circuits,
electronics skills were still critical for a large segment of the workforce who
repaired computers. With the advent of personal computers and the replacement
of transistorized circuits with integrated circuits (ICs), software knowledge
quickly became more critical for workers in the computer field than hardware
skills, and printed circuit boards became “throw-away” items. In the 1980s
those who repaired computers became known as Information Technology (IT)
workers instead of previous titles such as Field Engineers, Field Service
Representatives, or Customer Service Engineers. It is a commonly held belief
that Novell, who dominated networking software in the 1980s, began the current
IT certification trend in 1989 with the Certified Network Engineer (CNE)
certification. Microsoft dominated the desktop area of the burgeoning computer
software market in those days and decided that they wanted to become a bigger factor
in the server market as well. They followed Novell’s lead in the certification
process by offering an MCSE certification on the NT operating system. Cisco, a
supplier of networking equipment and network management products, followed soon
after that by announcing certifications known as Cisco Certified Internet
Expert (CCIE), Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP), and Cisco Certified
Network Associate (CCNA). Vendor-neutral certifications such as the Computer
Technology Industry Association’s (Comp TIA) A+ certifications appeared later.
MCSE Varieties and Requirements
There are presently three MCSE certifications,
including Windows 2003 MCSE. With the
release of Microsoft’s
Let’s examine the requirements necessary to earn an
MCSE certification for Windows 2000. Candidates must pass seven exams, if they
do not already hold an MCSE for the NT operating system. Candidates must pass
four core operating systems exams. Three core exams cover the networking
system:
·
Exam 70-215:
Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows 2000.
·
Exam 70-216: Implementing
and Administering a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Infrastructure
·
Exam 7—217:
Implementing and Administering a Microsoft Windows 2000 Directory Services
Infrastructure
A fourth core exam covers the client operating
system, and the candidate is required to choose one of the two following exams:
·
Exam 70-210:
Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
·
Exam 70-270:
Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows XP Professional
In addition, candidates must pass
one exam that provides proof of design skills using specific Microsoft
technologies from the following list of six exams:
·
Exam 70-219:
Designing a Microsoft Windows 2000 Directory Services Infrastructure
·
Exam 70-220:
Designing Security for a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network
·
Exam 70-221:
Designing a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Infrastructure
·
Exam 70-226:
Designing Highly Available Web Solutions with Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
Technologies
·
Exam 70-297:
Designing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory and Network
Infrastructure
·
Exam 70-298:
Designing Security for a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 network
Finally, the candidate must select and pass two out
of a possible 26 elective examinations. These exams provide a measure of
technical problem solution design and implementation, according to Microsoft. Rather
than list all 26 elective exams here, I refer the reader to Microsoft’s website
(Microsoft, 2006) and list the exams in the appendix entitled Elective Exams.
The exams that make up each of the three MCSE
certifications (Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows 2003) have independent
requirements. Although some exams that are valid in one MCSE certification are
also valid in one of the other two MCSE certifications, Microsoft constantly eliminates
the older exams. Consequently, it is no longer possible, nor would it be advisable,
to take these tests and earn an MCSE on the older NT operating system. In 2001
Microsoft tried to recall the Windows NT certification in order to move
customers to the newer operating and networking systems (
Preparation Methods
There are three main ways to obtain training for MCSE
exams: self-study and textbooks; instructor-led classes; and online training
(Worsham & Shorter, 2000). Several publishers commission textbooks for MCSE
courses. Microsoft Press is the
official publisher for all training material on Microsoft products. They
publish training kits that help prepare for the MCSE exams. Microsoft also
publishes study guides for use by training organizations to assure students
will have required information necessary to pass each exam. Because of the
expense involved in attending instructor-led classes and the cost of online software
designed to help you study for the Microsoft tests, I chose to purchase textbooks
and use a self-study approach to prepare for my first six Microsoft exams. It
took an average of 19 weeks to prepare for and take each of the six exams. A self-study
approach may not work for inexperienced students or students with learning
styles that are incompatible with self-study. Publishers offer study guides for
MCSE courses at a cost of about $50 per study guide – much less than the
official Microsoft study guides cost. The three most popular independent study
guides are published by IDG, New Riders, and Sybex. I tried all three products
while earning my first MCSE certification between
Instructor-led classes for courses necessary to earn
an MCSE are conducted by a wide variety of organizations and can cost up to $11,000
for a complete set of classes. Providers of training have vested interests in
promoting training for Microsoft products. Training centers aligned with
vendors who use Microsoft products receive promotional offers that will allow
students to take popular certification exams free as an enticement to recruit
students. Some training providers such as New
Horizons operate in partnership with Microsoft. Instructor-led classes are
available at universities, community colleges, technical training centers, and bootcamps
– an intensive training facility normally operated by Microsoft Gold Partners. There are three levels of Microsoft
Partners, and each level brings increasing advantages to the Partner businesses
and organizations in the form of free or low-cost training, software, and
support. Many bootcamps advertise that students can obtain an MCSE
certification in 14 days. Costs typically run $5,000 to $6,000 for
non-employees, including accommodations. The pace of training in bootcamps may
be too fast for beginners in the IT field, as well as for those who have
learning styles that are not suitable to such a rapid pace. Certification is
guaranteed in bootcamps, but the guarantee only means that you will receive a
voucher for a retest if you flunk. Test fees are usually not covered in
bootcamp fees, but many bootcamps boast extremely high test success rates. Some
employers will pay the expense of bootcamps for employees, but this is becoming
less frequent today than in years past.
The final method to prepare for MCSE exams is via an
online environment. Online environments use CD-based and/or Web-based software
as training material. Microsoft constantly offers their Partners free seminars
and workshops via the web. Microsoft develops training products for the online
environment not only to assure that it is available to Value Added Resellers
(VAR) who used their products, but also to ensure that there is an ample supply
of businesses and individuals who work with Microsoft software, and thus
promote Microsoft products (Wright, 2002).
Examinations
Microsoft has licensed two organizations as testing
facilities where an exam can be scheduled and taken. One of these
organizations, Thompson Prometric, provides tests for a wide variety of
organizations, and works to insure unique vendor requirements for these tests
are met. They deliver over 6.5 million tests each year on various products, and
provide training for selected products. Thompson Prometric is the largest test
support and delivery company in the world. They use Transcender training
material in their Microsoft classes. Transcender exam preparation material has
won several awards from professional IT organizations for having the best IT exam
preparation training material available. One of the most recent awards that the
software won in the computer based training category was the 2005 Windows IT Pro Reader’s Choice Awards (Kaplan,
2006). The best known independent
training material available for the MCSE certification that Microsoft endorses
is “MeasureUp”. This company is owned by Dice, Inc, a technology job-search site
on the Internet (Dice, 2006). Although MeasureUp
software is very good, it does not seem to be as effective and popular as the
Transcender software. Another authorized Microsoft testing center, Pearson VUE, has over 3700 testing
centers in 145 countries. They have testing centers located at community
colleges throughout
The popularity of the MCSE certifications was so
great in the early days and salaries offered to certified workers were so high
that many people resorted to earning the certification at any cost. To be an
MCP one has to pass only one exam. Worsham and Shorter (2000) report that
average salaries for MCPs, Microsoft’s entry level certification, were $61,200
in 1998. Costs in dollars for classes were higher than they are today, and many
test-takers resorted to devious means to earn the certification. The phenomenon
on Internet sites known as braindumps
appeared in the late 1990s. VAR’s began to wonder if the certification was
worth the paper it was written on (Torode, 1999). Businesses complained that
newly certified MCSEs could not perform the simplest tasks, so Microsoft began
to alter their tests in 1998. In the first of eleven tests I took in the
beginning of 1998 I answered 150 multiple choice questions, taking two hours
and thirty minutes to complete the exam. There were 50 test questions for my
second test and the format was completely different. Throughout the next
several years, Microsoft revised all of their tests (
Microsoft’s MCSE exams have taken on a constructivist feel and have become performance-based.
Test-takers are presented with a problem and implement solutions by performing a
long series of steps. There are several ways to perform the actions necessary
to correctly complete the given task, but some methods may take much longer
than others. The test is timed and if the examinee takes the wrong turn, s/he may
reach a dead end or run out of time. It is up to each test-taker to work
through the problem and arrive at an answer that works. Microsoft made changes
toward a more practical and rigorous exam in response to those who wanted to
insure the integrity of the certification (
The newest Microsoft exams work similar to GRE
graduate exams, where tests are adaptive and questions get progressively harder
if you answer the previous questions correctly. Scenario based question are
included where there is no answer that is completely wrong, but rather one is better than others. Instead of A, B, C,
and D on multiple choice tests, you might also get an E, F, G, and H, with
instructions to “select all answers that are correct”. Single words may be
changed in multiple item responses from one test to another causing braindump
sites to report conflicting responses for the same question. Microsoft also
expanded the pool of questions and included simulations where the test-taker
had to perform a series of steps. Microsoft is now considering including a verbal
portion in the MCSE exam that is similar to a dissertation defense.
Certification Value
The value of an MCSE certification
depends on your viewpoint. Microsoft’s opinion may differ from the opinions of
businesses or individuals. A value added
reseller (VAR) is a company that combines computer components in order to
develop complete computer systems that will provide specific business
solutions. Often VARs provide service contracts and upgrades to end-users on a
continuing basis. Many businesses buy application software from a VAR like Citrix Systems, a VAR who tailors the product to fit the needs of their
customers. Citrix was founded in 1989 and has, as its corporate mission, the
task of making organizations and people more productive through secure,
on-demand access to business information from anywhere, using any device.
Current financial data indicates that their income exceeds one billion dollars
a year. Cirtrix Systems, a Microsoft Certified Partner, offers certifications
on their products and use Microsoft operating systems as their operating system
platform. VARs benefit in many ways by being a Microsoft Certified Partner.
Partner status entitles businesses to obtain free software, support, and price
breaks on training. In order to become a Microsoft Partner, a VAR must maintain
at least two employees on staff who are Microsoft Certified Professionals
(MCP), a certification which is one step below an MCSE. There are three different
degrees of partners, so as you move up in degree, the requirements and benefits
for the company and employees who are certified also increase. Gold Partners
receive substantial discounts on certification curriculum and support, but they
must maintain several MCSEs on their staff. This is precisely why some
companies insist that their employees maintain a current MCSE certification,
and even pay for the process of obtaining it. According to a VARbusiness survey (Wright, 2002) 71% of
the responders reported that they had received some type of training from
Microsoft, and 56% of all responders reported that Microsoft training offered
the best return-on-investments (ROI). That was a full 30 percentage points
ahead of second place finisher, CISCO. Respondents were VAR businesses who
rated various popular IT certifications. In an article on certification studies
by CRN Magazine, it was reported that
there is a high correlation between the return-on-investment (ROI) and a VAR’s
willingness to pay maintenance costs of employees who get the certification
(Roberts, 2002).
In a study by Jenkins (2005) that focused on
placement of postsecondary computer education completers in Mississippi, the
two most in-demand IT certifications by public service industries and
professional and technical services industries are the Microsoft Certified
Systems Administrator (MCSA) and the MCSE certifications (Jenkins, 2005). Public service industries in this study
include the following assortment of businesses: special trade contracts;
construction; hotel; amusement; recreation; transportation; warehousing; and
related establishments. Professional and technical service industries covered
the following areas: legal; professional services and security; commodity and holding
companies; business service providers; insurance; and real estate. Jenkins used a quantitative approach and
random sampling techniques in her study by selecting every thirty-second
industry in the above listed service industries. I examined her data in two
specific areas, IT Certification and IT Recruitment. She reported that her
findings are consistent with findings in previous studies by Rowe in 2002.
Jenkins examined seven hypotheses but only hypotheses four, five, and six cover
two areas of interest in this report on MCSE certifications. The Jenkins study
supported the following three hypotheses:
Hypothesis four - There is no significant difference
in the perception of human resource/IT managers in the public service
industries and professional and technical service industries regarding the
types of certifications that are in demand.
Hypotheses five - There is no significant difference
in the perception of human resource/IT managers in the public service
industries and professional and technical service industries regarding their
perceptions of the importance of IT certifications.
Hypothesis six - There is no significant difference
in the perception of human resource/IT managers in the public service
industries and professional and technical service industries regarding the
importance of IT qualifications in hiring the workforce.
While the Jenkins study shows consistent and
supporting results for the three hypotheses mentioned above, it also points out
that technical certifications have migrated from being a hiring tool in the
early days of MCSE certifications to a screening tool on resumes and job
applications. It is important to note that not everyone agrees with the
conclusions of Jenkins’ study. For example, Casey Cegielski claims that results
of a study he examined reports that Human Resource professionals place greater
positive emphasis on IT certifications than do IT professionals (Cegielski,
2004). Employers want workers who hold the MCSE certification and individuals
want to attain the certification so that employers will hire them. With large
numbers of MCSE certified workers, available workers who are trained on
Microsoft systems are readily available. Individuals who are trained on the
Microsoft product will, in turn, select it for use in the workplace over other
software. The vendor has a vested interest in promoting the certification
process on their product, so claims about value of a particular certification
by the vendor that authorizes it should be examined very carefully.
Currently the MCSE certification is now seen as a screening
tool to hire the workforce in entry level IT positions (Gilhooly, 2001;
Brandel, 2002; Hilson, 2002; Jenkins, 2005; Smith, 2005). Entry level salary
paid to workers who hold MCSE certifications and who do not have experience
seems to have decreased. Although an MCSE certification may help you acquire an
entry level job, to get the better paying jobs or advance in your present
position you need experience or a college degree (Kreiser, 1998). This did not
seem to be the situation prior to September 11 of 2001, indicating that the
value and use of an MCSE certification could be changing. Many people
world-wide now hold a Microsoft certification of some type, verifying
Microsoft’s claim as being the most popular certification vendor, but many
Microsoft certifications, including the MCSE, are not advertised as they were
in years past.
Conclusion
The value of MCSE certification is measured in many
ways. One way is to compare salaries of individuals who hold certifications
with salaries of those who do not. Another way is to compare salaries of
certificate holders with salaries of those who hold computer-related degrees
earned in college. A 2005 survey involving 1720 IT professionals found that, in
general, the more advanced degree a person holds, the higher their salary
(Bovberg, 2005). As MCSE certifications quickly become “stale”, one might
wonder why it remains popular. There are some who believe that IT
certifications bring job security and salary increases (Musthaler, 2003). Not
only do MCSEs have access to technical information through an exclusive
Microsoft website, but they receive discounts to products, such as Microsoft’s TechNet. Many individuals do not have
finances necessary for college, and they want to gain a certificate that might
get them a job as quickly as possible. If your desired career path is
managerial, rather than technical, the MCSE certification may not be much
benefit (Glen, 2005).
Looking back at the personal computer industry in
2000 when I accepted a job as a Systems Engineer with Vermont American
Corporation, I can see that maintaining a computer system was far-removed from
my previous mainframe computer experiences from 1966 through 2000. In the 1990s
companies were willing to pay higher salaries for MCSE certified technicians
working in the new computer industry.
My starting salary at Vermont American was $50,000. This salary was not unique
given the 34 years I worked on mainframe computers. However, I was
inexperienced: repairing personal computers had little similarity to repairing
mainframe computers. Even though I had experience with personal computers and
servers by mid-2003 when Vermont American was purchased by Bosch Tool Company, and
operations moved to
Candidates for MCSE certification should be told that
earning an MCSE certification should be looked upon as a path for those who
want to gain entry into the IT field. The value of the MCSE certification today
is much less that the value of a college degree. Candidates should not be
mesmerized by claims from technical colleges and Microsoft on value of the MCSE
certification. A college degree should be the first option for students, but
there are some people who, because of individual circumstances, will find the
MCSE certification process to be the best available choice. Careful consideration
should be used before spending time, effort, and money on an MCSE
certification. If the MCSE certification is to remain valid it will have to be
kept current, and the holder will probably find it advantageous to be actively
employed in the IT field. The popularity of the MCSE certification and the large
number of people being certified should help to insure that certification will continue
to be used for nothing more than a screening tool to weed out applicants for
entry-level IT positions. MCSEs who have no experience struggle to obtain much
more than a minimum entry-level salary. It is possible to include MCSE certification
courses as part of a college curriculum degree program. Even if the knowledge
gained from MCSE courses is outdated by the time the student graduates, the college
degree will continue to be meaningful as experience is gained in future years.
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Appendix: Elective Exams
The candidate must pass two of the
following twenty-six elective exams to complete requirements for obtaining a
Windows 2000 MCSE: