Any MCSEs or MCITPs out there?

[KenB]

It looks like this is something I am now being forced to add to my pedigree.

If you have either cert, how did you go about getting it?

Did your company pay for it, either directly or by tuition reimbursement?

I'm really not willing to shell out the best part of $10k (or more!) and wait for my company to eventually pay me back. Besides, my wife would probably strangle me!

[TonerMunkeh]

I did consider doing MSCE but nearly had a stroke when I found out how much it was. As the market is flush with IT engineers already, it didn't justify the amount I'd spend on it to wait 5 years to get a job purely on the basis of it.

There will be shedloads of different providers that offer the course, however I'd go straight to Microsoft and ask them who they use or recommend in your area.

If your company are willing to put up the dosh for you to do it, bite their fucking hand off. It'll stand you in fantastic stead to basically go into any IT related job you want.

[KenB]

Thanks for replying, TonerMonkeh.

They're willing to "pay" for it, but the issue is that every time I find a facility that offers it, they cringe at the price, ask me if I can find it for less, then ultimately sneak in the old tuition reimbursement line.

I'm relatively sure that if I go the tuition reimbursement route that my department doesn't have to pay for it.

I've been hearing that we may be getting CBTs to do the MCITP (which I fear will eventually win out), but I would much rather have the classroom instruction.

I'm a conceptual kind of guy, so I at least think I understand concepts well, but some things you simply need real live hands on experience, and I feel that this is one of them.

I got my NetWare CNE that way (in the classroom) back in the '90s, and it worked out just fine.

BTW... Please forgive my rudeness in my first post; I just noticed that I never said "hello" or "thank you". My bad. So, "Hello" and "Thank You"!

[CanonSco]

MCITP in what Ken.?

I am halfway through the Win7 Admin one, having done the 680 exam. If you are talking about MCSE, are you thinking about the Win2008 ones?

I did the completely self study method.

Is it even worth taking a MCSE now?...in fact can you still?

Great resource here , for me any way - http://www.techexams.net/forums/

[KenB]

I'm going to need to provide support for Windows 2000 and up networks, as this is a service my company will now be providing.

All I've been told is generically MCITP.

Hopefully, I'll have the course numbers that are required very soon.

I think that you can still get MCSE, at least for a while yet. I suppose that would only be helpful for those who are "locked in" to a network full of Server 2003 and XP Workstations.

Thanks for the link!

[Jules Winfield]

Just do it whether your company will pay for it or not. It gives you more leverage at review time and if nothing else it will help you if/when you want to change your career into something in IT.