Windows 2003 MCSA Certification Requirements
What are the Windows 2003 MCSA certification requirements?
Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) candidates on the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 track are required to satisfy the following requirements:
Note: The Windows Server 2003 exams will be released in the second half of 2003.
Core Exams (3 Exams Required)
- One client operating system exam
- Two networking system exams
Click the individual Exam and Course titles for more info.
| Client Operating System (1 exam required) | Courses |
| Select one of the following 2 exams | |
| Exam 70-210: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional | Course 2151: Microsoft Windows 2000 Network and Operating System Essentials (3 days) |
| Course 2152: Implementing Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional and Server (5 days) | |
| Exam 70–270: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows XP Professional | Course 2272: Implementing and Supporting Microsoft Windows XP Professional (5 days) |
| Course 2285: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows XP Professional (3 days) | |
Note: As you see, W2K Pro (70-210) is still a valid elective towards the Win2003 MCSA certification.
and
| Networking Systems (2 exams required) | Courses |
| Do both exams | |
| Exam 70–290: Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment | Course 2274: Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment (5 days) |
| Course 2275: Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment (3 days) | |
| Course 2208: Updating Support Skills from Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 to Microsoft Windows Server 2003 (5 days) | |
| Exam 70–291: Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure |
Course 2276: Implementing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure: Network Hosts (2 days) |
| Course 2277: Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure: Network Services (5 days) | |
| Course 2208: Updating Support Skills from Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 to Microsoft Windows Server 2003 (5 days) | |
plus
Elective Exams (1 Exam Required)
Together with the core exams, the elective exams provide a valid and reliable measure of technical proficiency and expertise to successfully manage and maintain the typically complex computing environment of medium-to- large-sized companies. MCSA candidates should have 6–12 months of experience administering client and network operating systems.
| Elective (1 exams required) | Courses |
| Select one of the following exams | |
| Exam 70–086: Implementing and Supporting Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 | Course 828: Deploying and Supporting Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 (5 days) |
| Course 827: Administering Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 (3 days) | |
| Exam 70-227: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2000 Enterprise Edition | Course 2159: Deploying and Managing Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2000 |
| Exam 70-228: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition | Course 2072: Administering a Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Database |
Important note: Exchange 2000 is not a valid MCSA or MCSE Server elective because the product is not supported on Windows Server 2003. Exchange 2003 will become an elective for the new MCSA or MCSE later this year. I also expect a lot of alternative elective options to arrive later this year or during the course of 2004.
See Microsoft’s Official Windows 2003 MCSA certification page at:
Upgrade from Windows 2000 certification: People certified with Windows 2000 MCSA can choose to upgrade their certification. See the following page for more info on that: Windows 2003 MCSE/MCSA Upgrade Requirements