Lone Wolf MCSE

If you've decided to take the plunge and begin studying for your MCSE, you might be feeling daunted by the amount of work facing you. How do you know what to study, let alone pass the six examinations you must take? Many people solve this dilemma by signing up with a Microsoft Authorized Technical Education Center (ATEC) to attend MCSE study programs. (For more information about certification and training alternatives, see "Related Articles in Windows NT Magazine," page 78.) However, if you're already working as a systems administrator in the Windows NT world, you probably don't have the luxury of devoting 1 week to 4 weeks to a rigorous training program.

Then there's the cost. One training center in my area offers 11 MCSE training classes: The center's typical class requires 40 hours of classroom time and costs $1795. If you were to take all 11 of this center's MCSE classes, your total tuition bill would be $19,745. In addition to that amount, you'd have to shell out $100 for each of the six required MCSE examinations--with no guarantee that you'd pass on the first try.

The problems of time and cost associated with institutional training programs prompt many busy systems professionals to look for training alternatives. Some have found an answer in computer-based training (CBT) self-study programs. Self-study lets NT professionals customize and streamline the training process by targeting the gaps in their knowledge and selecting training materials to fill those gaps. Over the next several months, I'll guide you through the maze of CBT MCSE self-study options. This month, I'll point out pitfalls along the self-study trail and give you tips to help you choose wisely among the self-study alternatives. I'll provide an overview of the categories of self-study products, then narrow the focus to CBT options. In future articles, I'll review specific MCSE CBT solutions to help you choose the option that best meets your needs.

Self-Study Traps
Studying on your own for the MCSE exams can be an economical and practical way to achieve certification, but the self-study road has some obstacles. Two traps lie in wait for unwary MCSEs to-be: overconfidence and incompetence.

Trap #1: Overconfidence. Systems professionals often think they know more about Microsoft systems than they really do. No matter how long you've been working with Microsoft products, designing a self-study program that targets what you need to know to pass the MCSE exams can be risky. The MCSE tests contain esoteric material that can trip up the most seasoned Microsoft systems pro. Training centers highlight this obscure information, whereas self-studiers might dismiss it as insignificant.

For example, when I took a sample Windows 95 certification exam, the first question was, "What components are installed when you perform a 'compact' Windows 95 installation?" Despite the fact that I've been working with Windows since Windows was developed and have probably installed no fewer than 400 copies of Win95, I have never performed a compact installation. At first, I thought the test question highlighted obscure and superfluous information. But then I saw it from Micro-
soft's perspective: MCSEs must know how to support the complete product and understand all the product's capabilities, even if they never intend to use those capabilities. As an MCSE, you might receive tech-support phone calls from users who can't find a program on their computers because that program wasn't installed when the users performed a compact installation.

You can protect against overconfidence with adequate preparation. Before you begin your MCSE self-study regimen, visit Microsoft's MCSE Web pages (http://www.microsoft.com/mcp/certstep
/mcse.htm) and download the information about the examination process. Make sure you know exactly which exams you must take to get your certification. When you understand which exams you need, download the Microsoft curriculum for each examination. These curricula will explain exactly what you need to know to pass the exams. Learn the material thoroughly: For example, study the entire Win95 curriculum--no matter how many copies of Win95 you've installed.

Trap #2: Incompetence. The second trap you will encounter as a self-studier is incompetence. Microsoft certification is big business, and anyone can publish self-study materials. If you unwittingly select poor-quality self-study materials the mistake can be costly--both in the money you spend for the study materials and tests you fail, and in the time you devote to ineffectual studying.

To avoid the incompetence trap, make sure you buy self-study materials from a reputable vendor. Several leading companies produce high-quality self-study materials. By sticking with these vendors, you're virtually guaranteed to get comprehensive and accurate study materials. In addition, some of the reputable MCSE preparation companies offer a money-back guarantee: If you fail your MCSE tests and were using study materials from one of these companies, you are eligible to receive a refund on your purchase.

To find the most reputable vendors of self-study materials, ask MCSEs you know what worked for them. Another indicator of high-quality self-study materials is Microsoft certification. Choose vendors that provide Microsoft-certified self-study materials or use presenters or writers who are Microsoft Certified Trainers (MCTs).