Technician Certifications Defined

Microsoft Certified Software Engineer

The Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) on Microsoft Windows® 2003 credential is the premier certification for professionals who design and implement the infrastructure for business solutions based on the Microsoft Windows 2003 platform and Microsoft Windows Server System™.

The Windows 2003 track of the MCSE credential is designed for information technology (IT) professionals working in the typically complex computing environment of medium to large organizations.

An MCSE candidate should have at least one year of experience implementing and administering a network operating system in environments with the following characteristics:

• 200 to 26,000 supported users
• Five to 150 physical locations
• Typical network services and applications including file and print, database, messaging, proxy server or firewall, dial-in server, desktop management, and Web hosting
• Connectivity needs including connecting individual offices and users at remote locations to the corporate network and connecting corporate networks to the Internet
• In addition, an MCSE candidate should have at least one year of experience in the following areas:
• Implementing and administering a desktop operating system
• Designing a network infrastructure

Rely on MCSEs Who Have Proven Experience with Active Directory

Reduce the costs of maintaining your workstations and personal computers, and increase the reliability of your network with Microsoft Windows® 2003 Active Directory™—and with the information technology (IT) professionals to back it up.

Active Directory holds the power to simplify IT management, strengthen security, and extend the interoperability of your current systems and software. To capitalize on this, your organization needs employees with the expertise to manage Active Directory and to plan strategically for what you want your network to do in the years ahead. No one is better prepared to do this than a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) who is certified in Microsoft Windows® 2003.

MCSEs are among the most technically proficient professionals available to help your organization make a successful transition to the Windows 2003 operating system and to ensure that you reap the ongoing benefits that Windows 2003 and Active Directory are designed to deliver.

Industry Reports Are In

Hiring MCSEs can make your roll out of Windows 2003 Server smooth and successful.

IDC—an industry leader in technology intelligence, industry analysis, market data, and strategic and tactical guidance to builders, providers, and users of information technology—asked more than 500 Microsoft Certified Partners and Value–Added Provider Partners what was the greatest benefit from a business perspective of having MCSEs trained on Windows 2003. Eighty percent responded with shorter time to deploy Windows 2003, lower implementation risk, or an increased sales hit rate. Read Maximizing Windows 2003 Server Business Impact for Microsoft Partners, a white paper by IDC for more information about MCSE certification benefits from a business perspective.

What Other Companies Have to Say

Unisys, Avanade, and other organizations around the world are reaping the benefits of employing MCSEs certified in Windows 2003.

" The MCSE for Windows 2003 certification is a must for us," says Tony Neuser, director for Microsoft Solutions Practice, Unisys Global Network Services. "In recruiting, we won't look at a potential hire unless he's certified. On our existing staff, all of our professionals are certified or are in the process of upgrading to the Windows 2003 track. Being able to point to an all-MCSE staff is a great way to quantify our technical depth to colleagues within the company and to potential customers."

Cisco CCNA

The CCNA certification (Cisco Certified Network Associate) indicates a foundation in and apprentice knowledge of networking. CCNA certified professionals can install, configure, and operate LAN, WAN, and dial access services for small networks (100 nodes or fewer), including but not limited to use of these protocols: IP, IGRP, Serial, Frame Relay, IP RIP, VLANs, RIP, Ethernet, Access Lists.

In addition to the capital and expense savings of IP Telephony, Cisco customers are increasingly interested in identifying and realizing the productivity benefits and competitive advantages that can be gained by deploying IP Telephony solutions. Cisco Systems commissioned independent research studies from Sage Research and the Yankee Group that provide an early view into IPT productivity gains already being realized by IT staff and end-users in small, mid-sized and large companies.

Citrix CNA

CNAs provide companies direct support for software users in various work environments including professional offices and small businesses, work groups or departments, and corporate information services (IS).

Certified Novell Administrators (CNAs) provide on-site administration for software users in a variety of work environments, including professional offices and small businesses, workgroups or departments, and corporate information services (IS). In short, CNAs handle the day-to-day administration of an installed Novell networking product: NetWare5, NetWare 4.11 (InternetWare) or GroupWise.

Some of the tasks CNA's are prepared to handle include:

• Set up user workstations.
• Manage users and resources in a network environment
• Execute network applications and share software resources
• Install and configure print servers
• Set up printing
• Automate access to the network
• Customize and optimize the desktop
• Handle routine software maintenance