Certification Exams can be taken at the Prometric Testing Center located at our Danvers Campus. To schedule an exam, contact Jane Saunders at (978) 762-4000 x5429 or jsaunder@northshore.edu. State-of-the-Art Facilities: NSCC's Institute for Corporate Training and Technology at Beverly's Cummings Center houses a full range of corporate and technical training programs. We're Number ONE! NSCC's Division of Corporate & Community Education is proud to be the State's #1 community college Workforce Development site.

MCSA - Microsoft Certified System Administrator

MCSA certification is designed for professionals who implement, manage, and troubleshoot existing network and system environments based on the Microsoft Windows Server™ 2003 platform.

• Check the course schedule
• Financing is available for this program!
• Find out how to register.

Build your information technology (IT) career with the Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) on Microsoft Windows Server™ 2003 credential. Here's why MCSA can be the right choice for you.

• It’s relevant. Get started by proving your networking skills with Exams 70-290 and 70-291. Both exams are required and each exam has training available today.
• It’s adaptable. Choose the desktop and elective exams suited to your needs. We recommend Exam 70-270 for the desktop requirement and selected CompTIA exams for the elective.
• It’s valuable. The MCSA certification was introduced in October 2001. Within the first five months, over 22,000 individuals had earned the certification, making it the fastest-growing Microsoft certification.

How is Windows Server™ 2003 different from Windows 2000 Server technology?

The Windows Server 2003 family takes the best of Windows 2000 Server technology and makes it easier to deploy, manage, and use. The result: a highly productive infrastructure that helps make your network a strategic asset for your organization.

Improvements to the Windows Server Operating System

Windows Server 2003 includes all the functionality customers need today from a Windows server operating system to do more with less, such as security, reliability, availability, and scalability. In addition, Microsoft has improved and extended the Windows server operating systems to incorporate the benefits of Microsoft .NET for connecting information, people, systems, and devices.

How is the MCSA on Windows Server 2003 different from the MCSE certification?

Demand for individuals performing network and systems administration tasks has seen significant growth in 2001, and candidates, as well as the industry have indicated that a certification is needed. The MCSA on Windows Server 2003 credential is for professionals who implement, manage, and troubleshoot existing network and system environments based on the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 operating system. These individuals typically do not deploy new networks and systems as part of their job function, as is expected of individuals holding the MCSE credential. In addition, MCSA’s are not expected to have design skills as MCSEs on Windows Server 2003 have.

Certification

MCSA candidates are required to pass three core exams and one elective exam in your area of specialization.

Core Courses

Networking Systems, 2 required
(2273) Managing & Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Environment, exam 27-290
(2276) Implementing a Windows Server 2003 Infrastructure, exam 70-291
(2277) Implementing, Managing, & Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network, exam 70-291

Client Operating System, 1 required
(2272) Implementing & Supporting Windows XP Professional, exam 70-270

Elective, 1 required
(2159) Deploying & Managing Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server 2000, exam 70-228

Prerequisites

• Proficiency using the Windows interface to locate, create, and manipulate folders and files and to configure the desktop environment.
• General knowledge of computer hardware components, including memory, hard disks, and central processing units.
• General knowledge of networking concepts, including network operating system, server-client relationship, and local area network (LAN).
• A+ training is highly recommended but not required.
• The course materials, lectures, and lab exercises are in English. To benefit fully from the instruction, students need an understanding of the English language and completion of the prerequisites.

For more information, please contact us at (978) 236-1200 or ictt@northshore.edu.