X23S

Hi, I am currently completing a 1 1/2 year technical program and currently on a 12 week internship as a desktop support. My program also some material in MCSA/CCNA/COMTIA. I also have some exprience of being a technician in a company of 19 workstations + 1 2k3 server domain(creating and maintain).


So I'm in my 9th week of my internship, I've decided to take the advantage of the holiday to cramp and hopefully score some exam. However I'm not certain which I'll take first.

Also there is a possibility for the company to hire me as a desktop support. Should I take it? I've seen in some previous post recommending users to take a job at bestbuy etc.. My question is How does being a Desktop support yield exprience towards manage server?(My short term goal is to be a network admin). If you were me, what should I do?

Any suggestions/comment is greatly apprecieated!

crazijoe

If you have a chance of moving toward desktop support, go for it. This will help you out more in the networking IT field then the Best Buy approach.

M_Alani

Hi,
If I were you, I would do the following steps:
1.Take two exams of Microsoft for (Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician) 70-271 and 70-272 which cover troubleshooting Windows XP and its applications in a very useful way.
2. Accept the desktop support job.
3. Proceed on during my work to do MCSA exams in the following sequence:
70-270 (which will be very easy to you as you have passed 271 and 272)
70-290
70-291

This will get you MCSA with MCDST being your selective certification.

4. Start with CCNA preparation before proceeding to MCSE. This might seem odd, but according to my experience, having CCNA before MCSE gives you a broader knowledge towards integration of network hardware and software.

5. Proceed with the MCSE + Security or +Messaging.


I hope this helps.


Mohammed Alani

Cellus

This is quite true. The CCNA covers networking in great depth (more than Network+) and, with a CCNA in tow, makes writing the Microsoft exams with subnetting and all that jazz much easier. I should note that the vast majority of work on the CCNA is based on programming routers/switches in the command-line, not a GUI, so don't get too spoiled with all the Microsoft stuff.

By the way, this isn't all a "Must do it all now" type of plan. If you are already employed it could take you a while. However the time spent in low-tier desktop support will have you gain worthwhile experience.

M_Alani

This us right. I forgot to point to that.

X23S

Thanks for all the advise! The path that M_Alani suggested sounds pretty good to me. I'm wondering what kind of material to prepare tho. I've already purchased books for 290 and 291(Microsoft Press Books) during my course. Does those book cover enough information to prepare for those exam*theory-wise*? If not, what kind of extra material should I be looking at? And where can I purchase book for the 271/272?

Also how long of a timeframe should I be allocating to prepare MCDST/MSCA?

Thanks

M_Alani

I am not a Microsoft guru..but I may give a small piece of advice and maybe Cellus will agree.
The Sybex books cover the Microsoft materials in a better way than Microsoft Press books. Thats what I think.
And I have prepared for my 270,271, and 272 and passed them this way.

Cellus

To be honest, the Microsoft Press books are not comprehensive, which is rather unfortunate. This is especially true of the MOC (Microsoft Official Course) books.

Yes, I have to agree that the Sybex books are more comprehensive. While they are not totally comprehensive themselves, I do find them to be more-so than MS Press. For example the "Mastering Windows Server 2003" book is massive yet readable - the edition I have covers the entire gamut of Server 2003, though admittedly it's a bit out of date and comes before all the updates. If you are looking into this particular book get the latest edition.

huntert

working at a help desk i met friends who answered a lot of my questions and taught me things.