Windows Server 2003 Active Directory MCSE 70-294

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.

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

The Microsoft Exam 70-294 is all about the infrastructure of Active Directory of the Windows Server 2003 operating platform. It is the counter part of the exam 70-217, which is for the Windows 2000 Server operating system. The Exam 70-294 is requirement for the Microsoft Certified System Engineer or MSCE for the certification in Windows Server 2003.
Objective of Exam 70-294

The objective of the exam focuses on the capacities of features of the Windows 2003 server active directory. These features are those that are the same with the Window 2000 active directory and feature that are added and new with the Windows 2003 server.

Skill Tested In the Exam

The contents of the exam are composed of five main areas. The first one is on the implementation and planning of an Active directory infrastructure. This requires the examinee to know about the basic structures of Active Directory. The planning and implementing of infrastructure section of the exam involves making a strategy for the placement of global catalog servers involving the evaluation of network traffics and the evaluation of the need to facilitate a universal group caching. The exam also covers planning flexible operations master role placement and implementing Active Directory service domain structure and service forest. Implementing an Active Directory service for the forest focuses on the creation of forest root domain, creation of a child domain, configuration of data partitions and installation of an Active Directory domain controller. This section of the exam also involves the implementation of the site topology of the Active Directory. This covers configuration of site links and bridgehead servers. The skill measured in the second part of the exam is the capability to maintain and manage the infrastructure of an Active Directory. This involves troubleshooting Active Directory, Restoring its services, managing its site ad monitoring its replication failures. The monitoring of replication failures part is provided with support tools and event viewer. The third section is on implementing and planning User, Group and Computer strategies. This includes planning and implementing an OU structure and planning for a security group strategy. The fourth part is on the planning and implementing of the group policy strategy. It also includes the configuring the user environment with the use of Group policy. The last part is on the Management and maintenance of the group policy.

Additional Information

The format of the questions in the exams is drag and drop, list, multiple choice and reorder. There are 50 questions and is given a time limit of 90 minutes.