Training the Microsoft Way

Just a few years ago, Novell's CNE certification was the rage among computer professionals. Today, the MCSE certification has replaced the CNE certification as the most sought-after training for computer professionals. What is the MCSE certification and why do you need it? Can it really help you in your job? To help answer these questions, you need to look at the certification program, what is necessary to pass the tests, and what you need to do to add MCSE to your business cards.

Training to Fill a Need
According to Microsoft, more than 160,000 individuals have become Microsoft certified (product specialists, systems engineers, solutions developers, and trainers), with 10,000 more joining the ranks every month. The main reason behind these growing numbers seems to be the desire to increase income. These individuals are also improving their skills to perform their job. Few situations are worse than seeing a new piece of software that the CIO just bought sitting on your desk with a little note that says your company needs to deploy this package within the month. You don't know what the software is, you don't know what to do with it, and the job security brought by those old complicated sys-tems only you know how to run just went right out the window. Getting on-the-job training, or even before-the-job training, can help alleviate these problems: You still have to deploy the new software, but at least you'll know how to do it.

Some companies are beginning to pay for training and certification while employees work (e.g., through classes and self-paced guides). Other companies have personal performance reviews and goals or offer salary increases--as much as $8000 or $10,000--tied to your success in becoming certified. In fact, 59 percent of surveyed MCSEs reported a salary increase after achieving this goal. For others, certification is a necessary part of their work, and the reward is keeping their job. Even high schools and colleges are getting into the act with computer-oriented vocational training aimed at Microsoft certification.

Companies have deployed hundreds of thousands of Windows NT servers throughout the computing industry, and somebody needs to manage these servers and the associated applications. That person might as well be you, right?

In fact, an estimated 41,000 IS professional positions are available just at Microsoft Certified Solutions Providers (MCSPs) around the world--17,000 of which are in the US. This number doesn't include the thousands of IS jobs available in MIS departments at Fortune 1000 enterprises. Many of these companies are gambling their futures on NT, and rather than finding that the operating system and applications can't handle their needs, they're discovering that not enough qualified professionals are available for developer, administrator, and technical staff positions.

In response to this scarcity of qualified workers, Authorized Technical Education Centers (ATECs) have cropped up all over the country to provide training. ATECs specialize in training individuals in operating systems, applications, and development on various products--not just Microsoft products (you can generally find Novell, UNIX, Lotus, Oracle, and many other classes at the same ATEC). To be an MCSP, the ATEC must offer Microsoft-certified classes and materials (including special seminars and introductory classes, in addition to the 3-day and 5-day in-depth classes). Individuals with varying levels of experience, including industry veterans looking to expand their knowledge base, computer novices who want a new lease on their careers, and developers searching for new technologies, take classes from ATECs. Often, these students have been thrown into supporting a new platform or application at work and are frantically trying to get up to speed.

Choosing a Path
Once you decide to pursue Microsoft certification, you have to determine which path to take. A systems administrator will probably want to become a full MCSE, which requires passing four Microsoft operating system exams and two elective exams (for a list of exams, see the sidebar, "Certification Roadmap--A Path to Success," page 124). A programmer will probably want to become an MCSD, which requires passing two core technology exams and two elective exams that provide a valid and reliable measure of technical proficiency and expertise. Individuals responsible for a particular aspect of their company's information systems might want to study to become an MCP. The MCP requires passing at least one Microsoft operating system exam.

Individuals who want to go the extra mile in their training efforts might want to become a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MSCT), particularly if they want to work for one of the hundreds of ATECs or for a company that provides its own training. The requirements to become an MSCT can vary according to the individual's previous experience (for more information on what's required, visit Microsoft's training and certification Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/train_cert). In this article, I'll provide an overview of the MCSE certification process.

Reality Check
Unfortunately, becoming certified as an MCSE solely to obtain an MIS position may not be practical. For example, if you decide on class-based training, you can spend between $8000 and $12,000 to become certified, which can cancel out the higher salary you might achieve after certification. Most people find class-based training isn't enough to pass the tests because the exams require a detailed knowledge of the subject beyond what an instructor can cover during a 1-week course. Also, because of the difficulty of the material, you can expect to spend about 6 months obtaining your MSCE certification. Finally, Microsoft aims the tests predominantly at administrator-type strategic functions that you learn by using and deploying the products, rather than by listening to what an instructor might present in a class.

Don't get me wrong: The MCSE certification is worth pursuing. However, you need to balance your training with experience, and consider the pitfalls as you proceed. For example, becoming an MCSE doesn't necessarily mean you know what you're doing. Many MCSEs have the piece of paper, but aren't effective administrators or IS planners. Combining practical experience with product knowledge is important (for an innovative approach to pursuing your MCSE while getting the academic instruction of a university program, see the sidebar, "MCSE+MCIS = Marketability," page 126). To round out your experience, knowledge of application development doesn't hurt. Such knowledge is becoming more important because of the proliferation of custom applications and scripting environments, with tools such as the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) and Outlook, and Web-based business and workflow applications.

A final consideration is that getting certified once doesn't mean you're certified for life. The requirements do change. Microsoft retires exams and changes the course materials as it updates the products, so you have to retake the tests to maintain your edge and your certification. For example, holding NT 3.51 certification doesn't mean you'll be qualified to support NT 5.0.

A Touch of Class
Individual classes that help you prepare for certification can cost anywhere from $500 to $2500. You might decide that you don't need to take all the classes or any of them. This decision depends on how you learn best. If you're like me, you need to be told something three or four times before you remember it: Hear the information in class, read it in the materials, practice it with an exercise, and repeat it on a test.

If you're lucky enough to be able to read the information once and repeat it, you might be able to get away with using self-paced training materials. In this case, try to borrow copies of the student guides used in class or purchase one of the myriad books on the market from Microsoft Press, Que, Duke Press, and others (for a look at two such books, see the sidebar, "Exam Cram and MCSE Training Guides," page 128). These resources contain most of the exam content and might include some exercises, but they often lack the real-world examples, in-depth technical detail, and answers to your questions that the instructor's insight adds during the class.

Of course, not all classes are worth the time or money. This factor usually depends on the instructor or the quality of the ATEC and the subject matter. If you spend every day working on administering Windows desktops, you might not need to take a class to cover these skills, because the classroom won't offer much information that you don't already know. In these situations, I suggest you buy a $50 book to brush up on areas you don't work in often, and go take the test.

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