Windows Server 2003 Active Directory MCSE 70-294

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Finding jobs in the IT industry is becoming increasingly difficult day by day because of the growing competition. The job selection criteria are quite demanding and companies are hiring all-rounder professionals who can handle multiple tasks and can carry out operations effectively and efficiently. Therefore, a person applying for a job in such a scenario requires qualifications that set him/her apart from the others, and make him/her stand out. Certifications from Microsoft do just the same, and are the things that you require on your CV in these challenging times.

Microsoft has three main certifications of MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional), MCSA (Microsoft Certified System Administrator) and MCSE (Microsoft Certified System Engineer). All these certifications have certain exams associated with them, which need to be cleared in order to get the certifications. The 70-294 exam happens to be of these various exams. It focuses on planning, implementing and maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure. Once you pass this exam, you get the status of a MCP along with core credits towards the MCSE on Windows Server 2003 certification. The skills measured in this exam include planning and implementing an active directory infrastructure; managing and maintaining an active directory infrastructure; planning and implementing user, computer and group strategies; planning and implementing group policy; and managing and maintaining group policy.

For preparation for the 70-294 exam, Microsoft offers classroom training along with many Microsoft E-learning options. There are also Microsoft practice tests by the name of MeasureUp and Self Test Software that can be taken beforehand. Moreover, there are many online resources too that one consult for preparation. This exam can be taken in a variety of languages which include English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, and the simplified version of Chinese. Details about the exam pattern keep on being updated Microsoft site regularly.

The MCSE title requires passing 7 exams - 6 core and 1 elective. The core exams include four networking system exams, one client operating system exam, and one design exam.The networking systems exams are:
Exam 70-290: Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment
Exam 70-291: Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure
Exam 70-293: Planning and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure
Exam 70-294: Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure.

The client operating system exam can be either:
Exam 70-270: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows XP Professional
OR Exam 70-210: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional.

The design exam can be either:
Exam 70-297: Designing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory and Network Infrastructure
OR Exam 70-298: Designing Security for a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network

The elective exam is chosen from a list of 7 exams that cover a variety of Microsoft products such as SMS, SQL Server 2000, Microsoft security, or other topics. You cannot substitute any CompTIA certifications for the elective, as you can with the MCSA.

Upgrading from Windows 2000 to Windows Server 2003 Certification
To upgrade from MCSA on Windows 2000 to MCSA on Windows Server 2003 requires passing a single exam: Exam 70-292: Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment for an MCSA Certified on Windows 2000.

The upgrade path from Windows 2000 MCSE to Windows Server 2003 MCSE consists of two exams:
Exam 70-292: Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment for an MCSA Certified on Windows 2000
Exam 70-296: Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment for an MCSE Certified on Windows 2000.

Planning, implementing and maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 active directory infrastructure is a popular exam of Microsoft. Therefore, students who want to establish their career as Microsoft certified should pass this exam. Microsoft 70-294 exam belongs to the certification of Microsoft Certified System Engineer (MCSE). This Microsoft exam is intended for professionals who work in a complex computing environment.

Microsoft 70-294 latest brain dumps of Self Exam Engine teaches students to implement and administer a network operating system in an environment which deal with network services and resources such as messaging, database, file and print, proxy servers, firewall, internet, intranet remote access and client computer management.

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1. Upgrade exams for MCITP SA .You know ,if you pass exam 70-297 ,your MCSA on windows Server 2003 can be upgraded to MCTS credentials(MCTS :Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Configuration and Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure configuration).That is to say, upgrade exam 70-648 is combination of MCTS 70-640 and 70-642 .So ,generally speaking ,70-648 is harder .After your passing 70-648 or getting both of MCTS credentials ,only if you pass 70-646 ,you will get your MCITP :SA (Server Administrator on Windows Server 2008).

2. Take MCTS sever 2008 exams instead of the upgrade paths. That is to say, you can take any order of 70-640 and 70-642 exams to get the above two MCTS credentials. In my opinion, this way is easier.

Which way would you prefer?

Personally, the easier route would be to just do 70- 640 and 70-642 exams individually. Upgrade exams are always harder! The upgrade exam 70-648 is combination of 2 exams and far harder than the individual exams. Unless you have enough experience on the technology Windows Server 2008, you‘d better not take 70-648 instead of 70-640 and 70-642.So for me it wouldn’t have made a difference if I did the exams separately from a number of exams point of view.

There are several reasons below:
1. When you study the 70-648 upgrade exams, you can found most of materials including MS Press books for 70-640 objectives or topic area very vague and a bit lost.
2. To pass 70-648, you have to pass each section of 70-640 and 70-642,As each section is basically an exam on it own right ,otherwise you’ll fail the whole exam. Generally speaking, if you want to pass 70-648, you should have the ability to pass 640 and 642 exams. If you have trouble studying for basically those exams at the same time, you’d better give up the upgrade exam and study for the individual exams, which will help you concentrate on one set of objectives rather splitting you between the two.
3. To get MCITP :SA ,We can get to know it is unwise to take 70-648 ,from thosewho
had experiencing on upgrade exams.Generally speaking ,Many of candidates with MCSA 2003 would try the upgrade exams three or more times to pass 70-648.

So, in my opinion, the easiest route to get MCITP is to take the exams separately for those with MCSE 2003 or MCSA 2003 Microsoft’s Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSE) and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) tracks for Windows Server2003 are the premier certifications for computer industryprofessionals. Covering the core technologies around which Microsoft’sfuture will be built, these programs provide powerful credentials forcareer advancement.

Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure also known as Exam 70-294 is an exam for all IT professionals who want to develop their career in IT field. It is published in August 28, 2003. The exam is usually being conducted in English, French, German, Japanese, Spanish and Chinese (Simplified) language.

After passing this Exam 70-294: Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure, means that you have completed the Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) certification. Apart from that, you will earn credit towards Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) on Windows Server 2003 certification.

The objectives of this exam are;

Planning and Implementing an Active Directory Infrastructure
Managing and Maintaining an Active Directory Infrastructure
Planning and Implementing User, Computer, and Group Strategies
Planning and Implementing Group Policy
Managing and Maintaining Group Policy
So, how to prepare for this Exam 70-294?

1. Study Materials

The first thing you should do to prepare for this exam is to get some study materials from the bookstores. Most of the IT books are prepared by IT professionals who have years of experiences in the IT field. You must read all the materials and attempt the questions prepared in the book.

2. Lab Work

Besides reading notes, you need to always train your skill by doing lots of lab works. Of course sometimes you will face some difficulties or stuck in the middle but not to worry, you can always ask for help from your seniors. Then, you will be able to develop your IT skills progressively as people tend to learn from mistakes.

3. Group Discussion

You can always form a group discussion with your friends who are taking this exam as well. In the group discussion, share and discuss everything which related to the exam. If you have difficulties subject to this exam's topic, this is the best time for you to ask questions. Discuss together among your friends to get the best solution for your questions.

 Synopsis of the Microsoft 70-294 Exam The Microsoft 70-294 Active Directory Infrastructure test is considered one of the pivotal exams of the MCSE certification. It covers what is one of the most useful, widely deployed, and multi-faceted tools of the Windows Server system, namely Active Directory. It is also among the core exams, and although not required for the MCSA, it is essential for the MCSE. Many candidates who are experienced with the Active Directory system find the Microsoft 70-294 Exam to be somewhat of a breeze, but others who are new to the directory protocol experience difficulty in preparing for this exam. It is the most useful exam you will probably take a future Windows Server administrator as it covers most of the features specific to Windows that Microsoft has to offer, including Group Policy functionality.

Difficulty and Scope As previously discussed, the Microsoft 70-294 Exam can be among the more difficult exams, but many candidates with prior experience in Active Directory find it a cinch. In any case, it is recommended that candidates have already obtained the Microsoft 70-291 Exam certification and are on the MCSE track. The exam covers a multitude of Active Directory-related topics, which include:

*Active Directory implementation and migration
*Active Directory toplogy
*Trust relationships and Organizational Units
*Directory Services
*Users and Groups
*Group Policy

Note that the last item, group policy, is considered one of the most important tested points and is given a high weighting in the test. Many different aspects of group policy are tested and candidates will be asked to find solutions through group policy to real-world problems and issues in networking.

When and why should I take the Microsoft 70-294 Exam?
Many students ask when the right time to take the Active Directory exam is. The truth is that it varies for all students, but for many, it may be ideal to sequentially pursue the 70-290, 70-291, and 70-293 before attempting the Microsoft 70-294 Exam. This is for a number of reasons: first, the Microsoft 70-294 Exam covers fundamentally different content than its three predecessors; second, the exam can be significantly harder than the 70-291/70-293 series, and third, the content should be fresh in your mind as you pursue potential elective exams. However, some students may choose to take the 70-294 Exam before the 70-293 if they are concerned about the difficulty and breadth of coverage on the 70-293. In general, unless you have previous Active Directory experience, avoid the Microsoft 70-294 Exam until after taking the 70-293.

I want to take the Microsoft 70-294 Active Directory Infrastructure Exam. What’s next?
You will need to first plan out a study schedule and determine if it is feasible for you to complete an effective study routine the time available. This means allotting sufficient time for both reading new material and reviewing old material. In general, many students find two-three months to be the ideal study time preparing for IT certification exams, but your mileage may vary. You will next need to register for the exam, which you can find information about here. Finally, you must study for the exam, and we welcome you to utilize ProProfs myriad of study resources, tips, and tools for the Microsoft 70-294 Exam. We have features from forums to flashcards and everywhere in between, so keep on studying and aiming to ace the exam!

Nowadays, it is observed increasing requirements for IT expertise, what is direct result of enhancing power of Windows Server 2003 in the market. That is the reason why having appropriate certificates is getting more and more popular. The MSCE on Windows Server 2003 certification allows to prove that certain person has abilities to do analysis of business demands for information systems solutions. This fact makes the certificate owner more reliable for customers and employers. To sum up, MSCE certification is addressed to people having vast knowledge about IT and working for at least medium-sized companies, in its computing centre. The exam 70-294 is one of seven steps for getting MSCE certification and simultaneously - one of four required exams concerning networking systems.

Speaking more particularly it is about planning, implementing and maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure. An ideal candidate for MSCE certification should work not less than one year on implementing and administering a desktop operating system and designing network infrastructure. Furthermore, his work environment should measure up several requirements such at least 250 users, three localizations, three domain controllers, network services, resources and some connectivity requirements.

The skills measured during exam are divided into five blocks: Planning and Implementing an Active Directory Infrastructure, Managing and Maintaining an Active Directory Infrastructure, Planning and Implementing User, Computer, and Group Strategies and finally - Planning and Implementing Group Policy. Each of them includes some concrete tasks which a potential candidate for MSCE certification should manage to complete (the list of detailed tasks are published on Microsoft site). Taking exam 70-294 is possible in six languages: English, French, German, Japanese, Spanish and simplified Chinese. During filling the exam papers a candidate is overseen by impartial proctor.

At present, E-learning and Microsoft Press Books aren't available, so the option which seems to be the most appropriate is taking part in 5-day course 2279B preparing for this exam. Moreover, it is very helpful to use on-line sources of necessary knowledge. The first of them is special guide which contains a lot of valuable information. It is suggested joining the newsgroups and special forums to share resources with other candidates or to get some advices from people who has already earned MSCE certification. There are also sites created specifically for IT professional people (MSDN and TechNet) which are undoubtedly worth visiting. What is important that all these resources mentioned above, may not include all of the topics itemized on list of required skills, published on Microsoft site, but they undeniably can help to prepare for exam 70-294.

Terms you'll need to understand:

Single-master replication

Operations master

PDC Emulator

RID Master

Infrastructure Master

Schema Master

Domain Naming Master

Transferring a role

Seizing a role

Ntdsutil

Global Catalog (GC)

Universal group

Techniques/concepts you'll need to master:

Identifying operations master role dependencies

Planning for business continuity of operations master roles

Planning a strategy for placing Global Catalog servers

Evaluating network traffic considerations when placing Global Catalog servers

Evaluating the need to enable Universal Group Membership Caching

Although it's true to say that all domain controllers (DCs) act as peers on a Windows Server 2003 network when Active Directory (AD) replication is used, at times the peer model does not achieve the desired result. Some functions on a network are best suited to being controlled by a single DC. These functions include implementing security measures, ensuring compatibility with down-level (Windows 2000 and Windows NT 4) servers, and ensuring that the security identifiers (SIDs) of the clients created in a domain are unique.

To this end, Microsoft has implemented operations masters. Operations masters have a unique role to play on your network. Management of operations masters is essential to ensuring that you have a healthy and efficient Windows Server 2003 network. In this chapter, we define the operations masters and what they do. We also discuss what actions you should take if an operations master fails or becomes unavailable. In addition, we talk about how the role of an operations master can be moved from one DC to another and what you should do if the original operations master comes back online.

Introducing Operations Masters
When replicating AD data, Windows Server 2003 uses a multimaster concept. This means that any DC can accept a change to AD data, and this change will then be replicated to all partner DCs, who replicate with their partners in the domain and/or forest, and so on, until all domain controllers have received the change. Replication conflicts can, and do, occur. Additionally, some operations that occur on a Windows Server 2003 network could be harmful if conflicts were to occur. In the case of these operations, Windows Server 2003 reverts to using single-master replication. This means that a single DC on the network takes responsibility for performing a specific task. Microsoft uses the term role to describe the task that this DC performs. There are five distinct roles, collectively known as Flexible Single Master Operations (FSMO) roles, or simply operations master roles. When a DC has been assigned a role, it becomes the operations master for that role.

Data regarding which DCs are functioning as operations masters is stored in AD. When a client needs to get in touch with an operations master, the client simply queries AD. There are no specific requirements a DC must meet to function as an operations master. This gives you flexibility in deciding which DC takes on the task. It also means that roles can be moved from one DC to another. This becomes more important when a DC acting as an operations master fails.

NOTE

Although there are no requirements for which DC can act as a specific operations master, pay particular attention to the section "Recommendations for Operations Masters" later in this chapter. For efficiency reasons, it makes sense to assign specific roles to particular DCs.

Identifying Operations Master Role Dependencies
Each of the five operations master roles that exist on your network has a scope—that is, some of the roles are specific to a domain, whereas others play a role in the entire forest. The five operations masters and their corresponding scopes are set out in Table 3.1. Your Windows Server 2003 network may have five servers that are acting as operations masters (this would be the case in a single-domain environment), or it could have more.

Knowing this fact becomes important when you are deciding which DC should play a specific role on your network. Once you understand each of the roles, you can decide where best to have a role placed for maximum efficiency.

Because three of the five types of operations masters are domainwide, you will have several servers in your environment playing that role. Working out the correct placement of the domainwide roles is easier than doing the same thing for the forestwide roles. This is because the forestwide roles must be placed in a location that offers administrators easy and fast access, which can be difficult on wide area networks (WANs).

All Windows Server 2003 installations start with a single server (if this is a migration, it is the first server upgraded). The first server installed takes on all roles. This is unlikely to be optimal for your network, and you should move the roles to other servers as they come online. (We talk about moving roles to other servers in the "Determining Operations Master Roles" section later in this chapter.) Because the first server also operates as a Global Catalog server and DC, the first server installed will be a little overloaded.

When you install a second domain into your Windows Server 2003 network, the first DC that joins the forest for this new domain assumes the three roles that are domain based. Once again, this may not be feasible from a performance standpoint. These default behaviors should be considered carefully when you are designing your network.

Now let's define what each role achieves. Once you fully understand why these roles exist, you can better plan their placement on your network.

Schema Master
AD is a database built up of instances of objects and objects' attributes. The class of objects and the attributes these objects can have are defined in the schema for the directory. There must be no conflicts when changes are being made to the schema. For instance, with multimaster replication, any DC can make an update to AD data. If any DC were able to make additions or deletions from the schema, you would end up with replication problems. For example, let's say you created a new object type called Database Servers. Replication should take care of letting all other DCs know about this change. But what happens if replication is not yet able to replicate out this schema change to all DCs? You could end up with a situation where one DC is attempting to replicate AD data, but its replication partner doesn't even know the object type is possible!

To go one step further, the schema is obviously a very important piece of AD. Because it defines what can exist within the directory, managing the process of updating it with new objects and attributes should be a closely monitored process. To ensure that this process is limited, there is a single read/write copy of the schema on your Windows Server 2003 network, stored on the Schema Master. In addition, only members of the Schema Admins group can make changes to the schema. Once a change has been made to the schema, the Schema Master then takes on the task of replicating this change to all DCs in the forest.

There is a single Schema Master per forest.

Domain Naming Master
All objects within AD must be unique. That is, you cannot create two objects in a container with the same name. To make sure this is the case, Windows Server 2003 must ensure that new domains added to your Windows Server 2003 network have unique names. This is the job of the Domain Naming Master.

The Domain Naming Master manages the addition and deletion of domains from the forest. This means that whenever you want to add a domain to your Windows Server 2003 network, a call must be made to the Domain Naming Master. You will not be able to add or remove a domain if this connection cannot be made. Domains are added to Windows Server 2003 by running dcpromo.exe. This wizard contacts the Domain Naming Master on your network automatically.

In Windows 2000, the Domain Naming Master was also required to be a Global Catalog (GC) server. As a result, if you are running your forest at the Windows 2000 mixed mode or Windows 2000 native mode functional level, you are required to have the Domain Naming Master on a GC server. Once you are running at the Windows Server 2003 functional level, the GC server requirement for the Domain Naming Master is lifted. Global Catalog servers are discussed later in this chapter.

There is a single Domain Naming Master per forest.

Primary Domain Controller (PDC) Emulator
The PDC Emulator plays several important roles on your Windows Server 2003 network. To understand these roles, remember that a Windows Server 2003 network can operate at one of three functional levels: Windows 2000 mixed mode, Windows 2000 native mode, and Windows Server 2003. Windows 2000 mixed mode means that you have Windows NT 4 servers acting as backup domain controllers (BDCs) alongside Windows 2000 and/or Windows Server 2003 DCs. You cannot change to Windows 2000 native mode until these Windows NT 4 domain controllers have been eliminated from your network. You can have Windows NT 4 member servers in a Windows 2000 native mode domain, just not domain controllers.

The PDC Emulator acts as a conduit between the newer Windows Server 2003 DCs and the older-style Windows NT 4 BDCs. The PDC Emulator is, in effect, the PDC for older Windows NT computers. It takes care of replicating AD data to Windows NT BDCs.

The role of synchronizing older-style DCs with the newer DCs is a two-way street. For instance, if a user object is created within AD, the PDC Emulator makes sure this object is also replicated to older-style DCs. Also, if an older client—a Windows 95 client, for instance—makes a password change, the PDC Emulator accepts the change in the context of being the PDC and replicates that data to AD.

Another area of importance for the PDC Emulator has to do with replication latency, which is the amount of time it takes for a change made in AD to be copied to all replicas. Despite your best efforts, there is no way for this to be done in real time; it takes time for data to be processed and for packets to travel across the cable. Generally, this is not a problem, but in the case of users' passwords, it can be debilitating. For instance, say a user changes her password. This change is made at a DC in Houston. Before this DC has had a chance to replicate this password change to all other DCs, the user logs off and tries to log on again. This time, the user connects to a different DC. Because this DC does not have a copy of the new password, the logon attempt is declined.

To prevent this from happening, all password changes on a Windows Server 2003 network are preferentially replicated to the PDC Emulator. Before a DC rejects a logon attempt, it contacts the PDC Emulator to see if any recent changes to the password have taken place. If they have, the PDC Emulator can replicate this data immediately.

The PDC Emulator in a domain also operates as the time-synchronization master. All DCs in a Windows Server 2003 domain synchronize their time with the PDC Emulator. The PDC Emulator in a domain synchronizes its time with the PDC Emulator in the root domain (the first domain installed on your network). The PDC Emulator for the root domain should be synchronized with an external source.

One final area of concern is Group Policy Objects (GPOs). These objects are automatically edited on the PDC Emulator. Although this is not essential for your network, editing these objects on a single server helps eliminate any possible conflicts. This is the default action.

There is a single PDC Emulator per domain.

RID Master
AD is made up of objects known as security principals. A security principal is essentially something that can be assigned permissions within a Windows Server 2003 network. This includes users, groups, and computers. Each security principal is assigned a security identifier (SID) so it can be identified. This descriptor is unique to the object and must always remain unique.

A SID is made up of two components. The first component, the domain SID, is common to all security principals in a domain. Because it is common to all objects within a domain, the domain SID alone does not allow objects to have a unique SID. The uniqueness comes from the addition of a second number, the relative identifier (RID). The RID is assigned from a pool of RIDs stored at each DC. The RIDs in this pool are assigned to each DC by the RID Master.

RIDs are assigned to each DC in blocks. Once the block of RIDs is exhausted, the DC requests another block from the RID Master. The RID Master keeps track of which RID blocks have been assigned. This ensures uniqueness.

NOTE

If the RID pool on a DC is exhausted and the RID Master is not available, you will not be able to create security principals on that server, which could lead to seemingly strange errors when trying to add objects from a client workstation. You can view the pools by using the Dcdiag utility.

The RID Master also has a role to play when objects are being moved from one domain to another. In this case, the RID Master ensures that an object is not moved to multiple domains. Further, it deletes the object from the previous domain.

There is a single RID Master per domain.

Infrastructure Master
The domain partition of AD contains data about objects that exist within the domain only. It might also contain references to objects from other domains. This occurs, for instance, when you grant permissions for users that exist in other domains to resources in your domain. Universal groups can be used for this purpose (groups are discussed in detail in Chapter 4, "User and Group Administration").

If a change is made to a referenced object, these changes need to be replicated to all domains. It is the job of the Infrastructure Master to receive these changes and to replicate them to all DCs in its domain.

Let's use an example to clarify this process. A user object named Lisa Arase exists in the Asia domain, and it is referenced in the Europe domain. The Lisa Arase object is then moved from the Asia domain to the Americas domain. This means the SID for the user changes. (Don't forget, the SID is made up of two components: the domain SID, which in this case will change, and the RID.) This change must be made in both the Asia domain and the Americas domain, and the reference in Europe must also be updated. The Infrastructure Master will make this change in Europe.

NOTE

The Infrastructure Master records references to objects that it does not contain in its directory partition. In our example, this means that although it contains a reference to the user object Lisa Arase, it does not contain any other object data. It is this distinction that allows the Infrastructure Master to work. If the Infrastructure Master is also a Global Catalog server (which contains a reference to all objects created in a forest), the Infrastructure Master will know about all objects in the forest, and the comparison will not work. This breaks the Infrastructure Master's operation. Therefore, the Infrastructure Master cannot also be a Global Catalog server.

Because there will be no references to external objects in a single domain, there is no need to worry about the Infrastructure Master in a single-domain environment.

Exam 70-294 became available August 28, 2003.
Audience Profile 
The Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) on Windows Server?2003 credential is intended for IT professionals who work in the typically complex computing environment of medium to large companies. An MCSE candidate should have at least one year of experience implementing and administering a network operating system in environments that have the following characteristics: 
*250 to 5,000 or more users
*Three or more physical locations
*Three or more domain controllers

Network services and resources such as messaging, database, file and print, proxy server, firewall, Internet, intranet, remote access, and client computer management Connectivity requirements such as connecting branch offices and individual users in 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
 
 
Credit Toward 
Certification When you pass the Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active irectory? Infrastructure exam, you achieve Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) status. You also earn credit toward the following certifications:
*Core credit toward Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) on Microsoft Windows Server 2003 certification Preparation Tools and Resources We make a wealth of preparation tools and resources available to you, including courses, books, practice tests, and Microsoft Web sites.
 
Skills Being Measured This certification exam measures your ability to plan, implement, and maintain a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory infrastructure. Before taking the exam, you should be proficient in the job skills listed in the following matrix. The matrix shows which Official Microsoft Learning Products may help you reach competency in the skills being tested in the exam.

MCSE 2003 70-290 Certifications are among the most specialized certifications available today. The MCSE 2003 70-290 Certification give you industry recognition for your expertise for business solutions based on the Microsoft Windows? 2003 platform and Microsoft 2003 server software. Implementation responsibilities include installing, configuring, and troubleshooting network systems. The MCSE 2003 credential is one of the most widely recognized technical certifications in the industry, a credential in high demand. By earning the premier MCSE credential, individuals are demonstrating that they have the skills necessary to lead organizations in the successful design, implementation, and administration of the most advanced Microsoft Windows platform and Microsoft server products.
MCSE 2003 Certification Requirement:
1. Core exams (six exams required)
• Four networking system exams: (four exams required)
Exam 70-290: Managing and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Environment.
Exam 70-291: Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure.
Exam 70-293: Planning and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure.
Exam 70-294: Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure.
• One client operating system exam: (one exam required)
Exam 70-620: TS: Microsoft Windows Vista, Configuring.
Exam 70-270: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows XP Professional.
Exam 70-210: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional.
• One design exam:
Exam 70-297: Designing a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory and Network Infrastructure.
Exam 70-298: Designing Security for a Windows Server 2003 Network.

2. Elective exams (one exam required)
Exam 70-089: Designing, Implementing, and Managing a Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 Infrastructure.
Exam 70-227: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2000, Enterprise Edition.
Exam 70-228: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition.
Exam 70-229: Designing and Implementing Databases with Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition.
Exam 70-235: TS: Developing Business Process and Integration Solutions Using BizTalk Server.
Exam 70-236: TS: Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, Configuring.
Exam 70-262: TS: Microsoft Office Live Communications Server 2005 - Implementing, Managing, and Troubleshooting.
Exam 70-281: Planning, Deploying, and Managing an Enterprise Project Management Solution.
Exam 70-282: Designing, Deploying, and Managing a Network Solution for a Small- and Medium-Sized Business.
Exam 70-284: Implementing and Managing Microsoft Exchange Server 2003.
Exam 70-285: Designing a Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Organization.
Exam 70-297: Designing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory and Network Infrastructure.
Exam 70-298: Designing Security for a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network.
Exam 70-299: Implementing and Administering Security in a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network.
Exam 70–301: Managing, Organizing, and Delivering IT Projects by Using Microsoft Solutions Framework 3.0.
Exam 70–350: Implementing Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2004.
Exam 70–431: TS: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 - Implementation and Maintenance.
Exam 70-445: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Business Intelligence - Implementation and Maintenance.
Exam 70-500: TS: Microsoft Windows Mobile Designing, Implementing, and Managing.
Exam 70-501: TS: Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Hosted Environments, Configuring, and Managing.
Exam 70-620: TS: Microsoft Windows Vista, Configuring.
Exam 70-624: TS: Deploying and Maintaining Windows Vista Client and 2007 Microsoft Office System Desktops.
Exam 70-630: TS: Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, Configuring.
Exam 70-631: TS: Configuring Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0