So I crammed my MCSA into one week of tests

[TechBoyJK]

I got to tell you, MS's questions suck te ass!. I have experience with Windows 2000/pro/server as I worked in a DC for about a year, and spent alot of time practicing setting up web servers.

I already had my A+/Network+ which applied as an elective, so I only had to take 3 tests. I took 210, then 215 3 days later, then 218 3 days later. I basically spent the entire week studying full time. I used various, free online tests to help solidify what I was taking in. I barely passed each one. But I passed, and I knocked the whole thing out in a week. Crazy week.

JK

 

[chipy]

good job TechBoyJK!

it can't hurt to have credentials. one of my friends works in computer security and has CISSP and going for CCNA.

chipy

 

[maddogchen]

Good Job!

 

[dderidex]

Which "free online tests" did you use? Curious - I've got 8 years work experience, and an AAB in computer programming, but have a rather hard time finding positions interested in me. I'm sure having no certs doesn't help, so have been looking at doing the MCSA thing.

 

[TechBoyJK]

Originally posted by: chipy
good job TechBoyJK!

it can't hurt to have credentials. one of my friends works in computer security and has CISSP and going for CCNA.

chipy

Thanks. So far I have A+, Network+, Server+, iNet+, CIW-A, and MCSA. I should have my MCSE within two months, which includes getting Security+ as an elective. Then I'm doing Linux+, CCNA, CIW Site Manager, and from there, I dont know. I guess I'll just keep picking different ones. I'd like to have about 30 overall two years from now.

 

[TechBoyJK]

Originally posted by: dderidex
Which "free online tests" did you use? Curious - I've got 8 years work experience, and an AAB in computer programming, but have a rather hard time finding positions interested in me. I'm sure having no certs doesn't help, so have been looking at doing the MCSA thing.

Techexams

MCMCSE

I'll go ahead and say the only reason I crammed everything into one week is that Microsoft was doing a "free second shot" promotion. It ends this month (May 31) so I crammed and took a shot at them. I knew I was going to take them eventually, so I figured I might as well seat the exam, see where I stood, and use the free voucher to take the test again if I failed. And if I passed, well thats one test out of the way so I can focus on the ones I failed. Fortunately, I passed them all. I didnt even expect to.

JK

 

[TechBoyJK]

bmp

 

[CVSiN]

just wondering why you did MCSA 2000.. when its already on the way out.. (in M$'s eyes anyway)

I did MCSA 2003 and let me tell ya the 2000 MCSE tract is easier than just the MCSA portion of MCSA 2003... they raised the test difficulty by a factor of 20x but will prolly be good well into the future while MS is already winding down 2000 support.

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: TechBoyJK

Originally posted by: chipy
good job TechBoyJK!

it can't hurt to have credentials. one of my friends works in computer security and has CISSP and going for CCNA.

chipy

Thanks. So far I have A+, Network+, Server+, iNet+, CIW-A, and MCSA. I should have my MCSE within two months, which includes getting Security+ as an elective. Then I'm doing Linux+, CCNA, CIW Site Manager, and from there, I dont know. I guess I'll just keep picking different ones. I'd like to have about 30 overall two years from now.

got any real world experience with all that?

 

[Koing]

Congrats man

:thumbsup:

Always good to pass and better to pass when you don't expect it!

Koing

 

[TechBoyJK]

Originally posted by: Citrix

Originally posted by: TechBoyJK

Originally posted by: chipy
good job TechBoyJK!

it can't hurt to have credentials. one of my friends works in computer security and has CISSP and going for CCNA.

chipy

Thanks. So far I have A+, Network+, Server+, iNet+, CIW-A, and MCSA. I should have my MCSE within two months, which includes getting Security+ as an elective. Then I'm doing Linux+, CCNA, CIW Site Manager, and from there, I dont know. I guess I'll just keep picking different ones. I'd like to have about 30 overall two years from now.

got any real world experience with all that?

Cybercon

I used to work for them and am now working on a startup company. When the war on terror started, Pakistan's entire internet infrastructure was under attack by terrorist hackers, so they had to move all of their sites (government, military, commercial) out of the country because the attacks were consuming their entire network. Cybercon, among many companies (rackspace, verio) all recieved RFP's. After almost a year of struggle and negotiation, I landed the deal for Cybercon to host the entire fleet of Pakistan's stuff, and was the (local) password holder on the servers for many months. I learned alot about DOS attacks, security, etc. Granted, I didnt physically implement anything, I just oversaw the RFP and framed up a logical formula for the migration. We now have the entire fleet mirrored (like 6 times over) at many different DC's.

I dealt with the largest Pakistani Internet Technology Company, Net Access, which was hired by the government of Pakistan to solve the problem. Net Access in turn said, "lets get the sites the hell out of Pakistan" They apparently liked the idea of having them in the center of the US.

Net Access Hosting Link

I've currently got about 300K lines of coldfusion and sql code written for the website startup I am working on. I've designed everything from the network layout, server configuration, firewall config, etc. However, most of my experience and knowledge has been achieved on an as needed basis, so studying for the certs helped make me aware of what else was out there.