MCSE Zone

Home

FAQs

Benefits of the exam

Requirements for the certification
------------------------------------------------

Experts Answer

Global Forum

Online Library

Suggested Learning Plan

Frequently Asked Questions About MCSE on Microsoft Windows 2000 Certification

Q. Who should become certified as an MCSE on Windows 2000?
A. The Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) on Microsoft Windows® 2000 credential is appropriate for information technology (IT) professionals working in the typically complex computing environment of medium to large organizations. We recommend that an MCSE on Windows 2000 have at least one year of experience implementing and administering a network operating system.

Q. What skills are covered by the Windows 2000 exams?
A. The following skills are covered by the Windows 2000 exams:

Exam 70-210: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional. Tests the skills required to install, configure, and administer Windows 2000 Professional as a desktop operating system in a generic network operating environment.

Exam 70-215: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows 2000 Server. Tests the skills required to install and configure Windows 2000 Server to participate as a member server of a domain in a Microsoft Active Directory™ directory service environment.

Exam 70-216: Implementing and Administering a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Infrastructure. Tests the skills required to install, configure, manage, monitor, and troubleshoot DNS in a Windows 2000 network infrastructure, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) in a Windows 2000 network infrastructure, remote access in a Windows 2000 network infrastructure, network protocols such as Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), Internet Protocol (IP) routing, connection sharing, and security.

Exam 70-217: Implementing and Administering a Microsoft Windows 2000 Directory Services Infrastructure. Tests the skills required to install, configure, and troubleshoot Active Directory and DNS for Active Directory, as well as skills necessary for change and configuration management, including RIS and Group Policy and Active Directory Security solutions.

Exam 70-219: Designing a Microsoft Windows 2000 Directory Services Infrastructure. Tests the skills required to analyze the business requirements and design a directory service architecture, including unified directory services such as Active Directory and Microsoft Windows NT® domains; connectivity between and within systems, system components, and applications; and data replication such as directory replication and database replication.

Exam 70-220: Designing Security for a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network. Tests the skills required to analyze the business requirements for security and design a security solution that meets these requirements.

Exam 70-221: Designing a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Infrastructure. Tests the skills required to analyze the business requirements for network infrastructure and design a network infrastructure that meets these requirements.

Exam 70-222: Upgrading from Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 to Microsoft Windows 2000. Tests the skills required to upgrade a Windows NT 4.0 network to a Windows 2000 network.

Q. Why are Exam 70-059: Internetworking with Microsoft TCP/IP on Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 and Exam 70-087: Implementing and Supporting Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0 no longer available?
A. All exams that relate to Windows NT 4.0 retired with the Windows NT 4.0 exams, including Exam 70-059: Internetworking with Microsoft TCP/IP on Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 and Exam 70-087: Implementing and Supporting Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0. Candidates must upgrade their skills tested by these exams to adequately support Windows 2000. These skills are covered by the Windows 2000 core exams and are no longer considered elective skills. Although these and other elective exams are no longer available, they still apply to the Windows 2000 track.

Q. Why is Exam 70-058: Networking Essentials no longer available? Which exam is replacing it?
A. The networking skills required in today's workplace have evolved significantly since the time that Exam 70-058: Networking Essentials was introduced. For example, TCP/IP skills are now mandatory. In addition, advancing technology has had an impact on the skills required. Windows 2000 offers many more networking capabilities than Windows NT does. The concepts covered by the Networking Essentials exam are fundamental to mastering the skills covered by Exam 70-216: Implementing and Administering a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Infrastructure and Exam 70-221: Designing a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Infrastructure. In addition, the skills covered in these two exams go above and beyond those covered by Exam 70-058: Networking Essentials.

Q. I am an MCSE and have passed the Windows NT 3.51 exams. Is my certification still valid?
A. The Microsoft Windows NT 3.51 exams were discontinued June 30, 2000. MCSEs who passed the Windows NT 3.51 core exams were required to upgrade their certifications by June 30, 2001, to remain certified. See the Discontinuation of Exams page for more information.

Q. I am an MCSE and have passed the Windows NT 4.0 exams. Is my certification still valid?
A. The Windows NT 4.0 exams have not been available since March 1, 2001. However, MCSEs who have passed the required exams remain certified as MCSEs on Microsoft Windows NT 4.0.

Q. If I upgrade to MCSE on Windows 2000, will I receive renewed benefits?
A. The primary benefit of upgrading to the new certification is to keep your skills set current with changing technology. Microsoft is continually reviewing the MCP benefits package to offer ongoing benefits to MCPs who keep their certification current.

Q. I've earned the Microsoft Certified Professional + Internet (MCP+I) credential. Are the Windows 2000 exams part of the MCP+I certification?
A. Internet-related skills are an integral part of MCSE on Windows 2000. Therefore, Windows 2000 exams are not included in the MCP+I certification. The last date to take Windows NT 4.0 exams was February 28, 2001.

Q. My understanding is that the MCSE on Windows 2000 credential is for individuals who design and implement business infrastructures based on the Microsoft Windows 2000 platform. Why are discontinued exams such as Exam 70-078: Implementing and Supporting Microsoft Proxy Server 1.0 that are part of the MCSE on Windows NT 4.0 certification acceptable as electives in the MCSE on Windows 2000 certification?
A. The version of a credential is determined by the operating system or architecturally significant platform; the purpose of elective exams is to test skills outside the typical system environment. This allows candidates to structure their certification to reflect their particular job functions and career interests.

Q. According to the principle above, if I am an MCSE on Windows NT 4.0 and want to upgrade to the Windows 2000 track, and if I pass "accelerated" exam 70-240, I need to pass only one more exam to earn my certification. Doesn’t this mean it’s easier now to earn the MCSE on Windows 2000 certification than it was before Microsoft began recognizing versions of the MCSE credential?
A. Although you may need to pass fewer exams, exam 70-240 should not be considered an "easier" path to Windows 2000 certification. Exam 70-240 encompasses the same objectives as exams 70-210, 70-215, 70-216, and 70-217 and is as challenging as the four core exams it replaces. We expect candidates who take the accelerated exam to know the material covered by the three Windows NT 4.0 exams (70-067, 70-068, and 70-073), as well as the material covered by four of the core Windows 2000 exams (70-210, 70-215, 70-216, and 70-217), to pass.

Q. Why don’t the Windows NT 4.0 core exams count as electives in the MCSE on Windows 2000 credential?
A. The purpose of core exams is to test skills required by a candidate who designs and implements the infrastructure for business solutions based on an operating system or architecturally significant platform. The purpose of elective exams is to test skills outside the typical system environment. Windows NT 4.0 core exams do not test skills outside the system environment.
"Accelerated" Exam 70–240
The last date to take "accelerated" Exam 70-240: Microsoft Windows 2000 Accelerated Exam for MCPs Certified on Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 was December 31, 2001. The exam is no longer available. You may take individual Windows 2000 exams instead. See the MCSA Certification Requirements and Training Resources, MCSE Certification Requirements or MCDBA Certification Requirements pages for more information.

Q. Did fewer people pass exam 70-240 than expected?
A. Between June 2000 and October 2001, the percentage of candidates who passed exam 70-240 compared to the percentage who failed was within the expected range of all MCP exams. However, the vast majority of candidates who took advantage of exam 70-240 took the exam in November and December 2001—the last two months the exam was available.
Among those candidates, the pass rate was lower than the expected range. One possible reason for this lower pass rate is that those candidates, knowing the limited time the exam would be offered, were less than ideally prepared for taking the exam. We have no doubts about the exam’s psychometric validity and integrity.

Q. Why didn’t the exam score report for exam 70-240 include scores for each section or an overall score?
A. At the time that the exam was developed, technological limitations made providing scores for individual sections impractical. Because the exam covered four sets of objectives, no single score would have accurately reflected overall performance. Similarly, it was impractical to grant partial credit for the exam if some sections were passed but not others.
Microsoft certification exams are designed to validate a candidate's ability to perform a specific job function or set of tasks in the real world. They are neither designed nor intended to provide feedback on areas for potential improvement.

Q. Why weren’t candidates allowed to take exam 70-240 more than once?
A. The primary reason for prohibiting retakes of exam 70-240 was to protect exam security and integrity by minimizing content exposure.

Q. Why has exam 70-240 been discontinued?
A. At this time, we have decided to focus limited exam development and maintenance resources on exams for new technologies on the horizon. We encourage candidates to take the Windows 2000 core exams individually.

Windows XP Professional and .NET Enterprise Server Exams
The program is integrating Windows XP Professional and .NET Enterprise Server exams into the MCSE on Microsoft Windows 2000 certification. The Windows XP Professional exam was released October 23, 2001. Windows .NET Server 2003 exams will be released in 2002.

Windows XP Professional (the desktop product) and .NET Enterprise Servers (the server products) represent the next step for Windows by bringing the solid foundation of Windows 2000—reliability, security, and performance—to home PC users while providing an evolutionary update to business users. Windows XP Professional and .NET Enterprise Servers will build on the capabilities of Windows 2000. No major infrastructure changes for organizations are anticipated before they deploy Windows XP Professional alongside Windows 2000 Professional or replace Windows 2000 with Windows XP Professional and .NET Enterprise Servers.

The MCSE on Microsoft Windows 2000 credential is the premier certification for professionals who analyze the business requirements and design and implement the infrastructure for business solutions based on the latest Windows platform and server software. Individuals should continue to pursue training and certification in Windows 2000, as skills acquired for Windows 2000 will be highly relevant to and provide a solid foundation for Windows XP Professional and .NET Enterprise Servers.

MCSEs on Windows 2000 will not be required to pass Windows XP Professional/.NET Enterprise Server exams to retain certification. The Windows 2000 exams and the Windows XP/.NET Enterprise Server exams of the MCSE certification are expected to remain available concurrently. Retirement schedules for all exams are affected by a number of factors, including the needs of the industry and release of the next version of the Windows operating system (code-named "Blackcomb").

MCP candidates can pass a single Windows XP Professional or a .NET Enterprise Server exam to demonstrate their competence with the latest product.

Q. I am working on my MCSE certification now. If I will not be required to take Windows XP Professional and Windows .NET Server 2003 exams, why should I take them?
A. You may want to pass the Windows XP Professional and .NET Enterprise Server exams to show your employer or clients that you have the skills and experience to help make the upgrade from Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 and deploy and support Windows XP Professional/.NET Enterprise Servers. If you pass the Windows XP Professional/.NET Enterprise Server exams, your transcript will indicate the exams for the products in which you have demonstrated expertise.

Q. I am an MCSE on Windows NT 4.0. Am I adequately prepared now to help my company migrate to Windows XP Professional or .NET Enterprise Servers without experience working with Windows 2000?
A. In most cases, you will not be adequately prepared to deploy and maintain Windows XP Professional or .NET Enterprise Servers if you have no experience with or training in Windows 2000. If your company is migrating from Windows NT 4.0 directly to Windows XP Professional/.NET Enterprise Servers, any skills you acquire with Windows 2000—either through hands-on experience or training—will be highly relevant to and provide a solid foundation for a migration to Windows XP Professional or .NET Enterprise Servers.

Q. I am an MCSE on Windows 2000. Am I adequately prepared now to help my company migrate to Windows XP Professional and Windows .NET Server 2003?
A. The Windows XP Professional and .NET Enterprise Server products will build on technologies introduced by Windows 2000 and will also introduce new technologies. The skills you acquire while working with Windows 2000 will be highly relevant to and provide a solid foundation for a migration to Windows XP Professional or Windows .NET Server 2003.

Q. When will the Windows XP Professional and .NET Enterprise Server exams be available?
A. The Windows XP Professional exams were released in October 2001. The .NET Enterprise Server exams will be released in 2002. More details about the Windows XP Professional and .NET Enterprise Server exams will be available closer to the release of the products.

Q. When will training on Windows XP Professional be available?
A. Training based on the prerelease version of .NET Enterprise Servers will be available from Microsoft during the second half of 2001. Training based on the released product will be available when Windows XP Professional and .NET Enterprise Servers become publicly available. Training on Windows XP Professional will be offered when the Windows XP Professional product is available publicly.