• MCSA 2000 • MCSA 2003 • MCSE 2000 • MCSE 2003

Microsoft’s exam 70-270, “Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows XP Professional” is a core requirement for the MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) on Microsoft Windows 2000 and MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator) on Microsoft Windows 2000 certifications. It is designed for candidates who “operate in medium to very large computing environments that use Microsoft Windows XP Professional as a desktop operating system.” There is no specific prerequisite for this exam but Microsoft recommends that candidates have “a minimum of one year experience implementing and administering any desktop operating system in a network environment.”

This exam is easy to moderate and costs $125 USD.
At one time this exam provided no pass score other than Pass/Fail, but this is subject to change. “Beginning with the release of the Microsoft Windows Server™ 2003–related exams, Microsoft will provide numerical scores on exams. By the end of September 2003, most exams will have the new score report format, which includes this numerical score... The new scale requires a minimum passing score of 700 on all exams. The maximum score on the exams will vary depending on the complexity of the skills being measured.” -

Note that Microsoft does not document the format of a particular exam: “Microsoft exams might include adaptive testing technology and simulation items. Microsoft does not identify the format in which exams are presented.” In the past, though, this exam was form-based multiple choice with around 110 questions.

The topics covered by this exam include:

• Installing Windows XP Professional
• Implementing and Conducting Administration of Resources
• Implementing, Managing, and Troubleshooting Hardware Devices and Drivers
• Monitoring and Optimizing System Performance and Reliability
• Configuring and Troubleshooting the Desktop Environment
• Implementing, Managing, and Troubleshooting Network Protocols and Services
• Implementing, Monitoring, and Troubleshooting Security