The Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate certification makes a person expert at analyzing both computer software and Networking Hardware needs. He or she can further recommend the technological and infrastructural add-ons and improvements, while also providing IT support. MCSA certified professional can also be a teacher to others towards teaching the Microsoft products. The MCSA certification makes you eligible for the other more advanced certifications like MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) and MCSD (Microsoft Certified Product Specialist) as well. MCSA can help you earn more also, and help you land in better jobs.
Eligibility for MCSA
In order to be eligible for the MCSA course, you should possess:
- Knowledge of networking and the IP/TCP protocols
- Experience towards installation of different kinds of PC hardware/devices
- Knowledge related to the printers
- Basic knowledge of the applications and their fundamentals
Training for MCSA
You can easily get yourself trained towards the MCSA certification, through the below given 3 ways.
1. Instructor-led training
The Microsoft certified trainers can train you for the MCSA course, at the Microsoft certified centers. You will get both theoretical and practical skills so that you can possess both skills and knowledge. This is the best way to train, and you will gain a lot from the experience of the trainers.
2. Online training
Microsoft has a website by the name Microsoft Virtual Academy. Here you can get the required and updated information, topic-wise, and get trained for the course easily. The cost will be low.
3. Book study
You can do self-study and appear for the MCSA exam. The press store of Microsoft can provide you books for all the three stages and question papers of the MCSA exam. The e-books can be downloaded from the internet after their purchase and these cover the papers 70-410/411/412. Other than the e-book, the hard copy of the MCSA book can also be purchased.
Forums like “Born to learn” can also provide you with the sample and the previous year MCSA exam question papers, while also displaying other information. They can also help you access certain resources that will help you to get prepared for the exam.
The Exam
The MCSA certification exam in conducted through 3 separate question papers. These include;
Paper 1 (70-410): installation and configuration of the Windows server. Topics covered under the paper include installation of the windows server, disk management, GPT, MBR, etc., IPV4 and IPV6, configuration of the security policies, Group policy creation and management (GPOS), creation and configuration of virtual networks, virtual storage, NTFS file system, and configuration of the Windows Firewall, among others.
Paper 2 (70-411): Administration of the windows server. Topics covered under this paper include deployment and management of the Windows Deployment Services (also known as WDS), directory backup, restoration, task delegation; configuration of VPN, NAT, Routing, Disk and file encryption, FSRM or file server resource management, and roles of FSMO among others.
Paper 3 (70-412): Configuration of advanced Windows Server services. Topics covered under this last paper are LNS (Network Load Balancing) configuration, failover clustering configuration, advanced DNS and DHCP, VM or virtual machine configuration, recovery of the bare metal, configuration and implementation of the backup tools related to windows server, optimization of storage, configuration of the advanced file systems, booting and the troubleshooting of all issues related to it, active directory services, sites, forest trust relationship, certificate services and right management service, among others.
Successful completion of all the 3 test papers will get you the Windows MCSA certification.
Salary
The IT professionals who have the MCSA certification earn around $77,000 yearly salary. The salary varies according to the job role and the company you work in. The salary may also vary according to the industry in which the professional works and these working the healthcare or public (government) sector earn more. The MCSA jobs are likely to increase by 18% each year, by the year 2020.
Job Role after MCSA
Below are some job roles that the MCSA certification can offer you, and their respective average or approximate salaries.
- Senior system administrator: $80,000
- Network Administrator: %50,000
- IT Manager: $76,000
- Senior system engineer: $90,000
- Network Engineer: $65,000
Why MCSA is good for your career
MCSA is one of the best certifications who want to stay in the IT profession. Not only does the course help you earn more, it also sets on the path of the higher certifications. Diligence and perseverance will help you attain all certifications one by one, and will provide you both financial and job security.