This credential helps to advance your career by demonstrating that you have the skills you need to manage and troubleshoot network environments running on the Windows operating system.

MCSA candidates are required to pass two Core Exams on networking systems, one Core Exam on client operating systems and one Elective Exam, (four exams in total).

• Core exams on networking systems (both required):
  • 70-290: Managing and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Environment
  • 70-291: Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure
• Core exams on client operating systems (choose one):
  • 70-620: Windows Vista, Configuring
  • 70-270: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Windows XP Professional
• There is a wide choice of Electives, but one exam cannot count as both a core and an elective exam.
  Potential electives include:
  • 70-284: Implementing and Managing Microsoft Exchange Server 2003
  • 70-299: Implementing and Administering Security in a Windows Server 2003 Network
  • 70-350: Implementing Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2004
  • 70-351: TS: Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2006, Configuring
  • CompTIA Security+ credential
  • CompTIA A+ credential and either the CompTIA Network+ credential or the CompTIA Server+ credential

There are also two specialisations available with MCSA:

• MCSA: Messaging on Windows Server 2003
  Requires three Core Exams as above + Elective Exam 70-284, (this exam satisfies both the MCSA elective requirement and the Messaging specialization requirement).
• MCSA: Security on Windows Server 2003
  Requires three Core Exams as above + two Security Electives, one of which could be substituted with CompTIA Security+ credential.