Exam 70-297 became available October 20, 2003.
The Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) on Windows
Server™ 2003 credential is intended for IT professionals who
work in the typically complex computing environment of medium to
large companies. An MCSE candidate should have at least one year
of experience implementing and administering a network operating
system in environments that have the following characteristics:
In addition, an MCSE candidate should have at least one year
of experience in the following areas:
This certification exam measures your ability to design a
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory and network
infrastructure. Before taking the exam, you should be proficient
in the job skills listed in the following matrix. The matrix
shows which Official Microsoft Learning Products may help you
reach competency in the skills being tested in the exam.
| Creating the
Conceptual Design by Gathering and Analyzing Business and
Technical Requirements |
Analyze the impact of
Active Directory on the existing technical environment.
- Analyze hardware and software requirements.
- Analyze interoperability requirements.
- Analyze current level of service within an existing
technical environment.
- Analyze current network administration model.
- Analyze network requirements.
|
Analyze DNS for Active
Directory directory service implementation.
- Analyze the current DNS infrastructure.
- Analyze the current namespace.
|
Analyze existing network
operating system implementation.
- Identify the existing domain model.
- Identify the number and location of domain controllers
on the network.
- Identify the configuration details of all servers on
the network. Server types might include primary domain
controllers, backup domain controllers, file servers,
print servers, and Web servers.
|
Analyze security
requirements for the Active Directory directory service.
- Analyze current security policies, standards, and
procedures.
- Identify the impact of Active Directory on the current
security infrastructure.
- Identify the existing trust relationships.
|
Design the Active Directory
infrastructure to meet business and technical requirements.
- Design the envisioned administration model.
- Create the conceptual design of the Active Directory
forest structure.
- Create the conceptual design of the Active Directory
domain structure.
- Design the Active Directory replication strategy.
- Create the conceptual design of the organizational
unit (OU) structure.
|
Design the network services
infrastructure to meet business and technical requirements.
- Create the conceptual design of the DNS
infrastructure.
- Create the conceptual design of the WINS
infrastructure.
- Create the conceptual design of the DHCP
infrastructure.
- Create the conceptual design of the remote access
infrastructure.
|
Identify network topology
and performance levels.
- Identify constraints in the current network
infrastructure.
- Interpret current baseline performance requirements
for each major subsystem.
|
Analyze the impact of the
infrastructure design on the existing technical environment.
- Analyze hardware and software requirements.
- Analyze interoperability requirements.
- Analyze current level of service within the existing
technical environment.
- Analyze network requirements.
|
| Creating the
Logical Design for an Active Directory Infrastructure |
Design an OU structure.
- Identify the Group Policy requirements for the OU
structure.
- Design an OU structure for the purpose of delegating
authority.
|
Design a security group
strategy.
- Define the scope of a security group to meet
requirements.
- Define resource access requirements.
- Define administrative access requirements.
- Define user roles.
|
Design a user and computer
authentication strategy.
- Identify common authentication requirements.
- Select authentication mechanisms.
- Optimize authentication by using shortcut trust
relationships.
|
Design a user and computer
account strategy.
- Specify account policy requirements.
- Specify account requirements for users, computers,
administrators, and services.
|
Design an Active Directory
naming strategy.
- Identify Internet domain name registration
requirements.
- Specify the use of hierarchical namespace within
Active Directory.
- Identify NetBIOS naming requirements.
|
Design migration paths to
Active Directory.
- Define whether the migration will include an in-place
upgrade, domain restructuring, or migration to a new
Active Directory environment.
|
Design a strategy for Group
Policy implementation.
- Design the administration of Group Policy objects (GPOs).
- Design the deployment strategy of GPOs.
- Create a strategy for configuring the user environment
with Group Policy.
- Create a strategy for configuring the computer
environment with Group Policy.
|
Design an Active Directory
directory service site topology.
- Design sites.
- Identify site links.
|
| Creating the
Logical Design for a Network Services Infrastructure |
Design a DNS name
resolution strategy.
- Create the namespace design.
- Identify DNS interoperability with Active Directory,
WINS, and DHCP.
- Specify zone requirements.
- Specify DNS security.
- Design a DNS strategy for interoperability with UNIX
Berkeley Internet Name Domain (BIND) to support Active
Directory.
|
Design a NetBIOS name
resolution strategy.
- Design a WINS replication strategy.
|
Design security for remote
access users.
- Identify security host requirements.
- Identify the authentication and accounting provider.
- Design remote access policies.
- Specify logging and auditing settings.
|
Design a DNS service
implementation.
- Design a strategy for DNS zone storage.
- Specify the use of DNS server options.
- Identify the registration requirements of specific DNS
records.
|
Design a remote access
strategy.
- Specify the remote access method.
- Specify the authentication method for remote access.
|
Design an IP address
assignment strategy.
- Specify DHCP integration with DNS infrastructure.
- Specify DHCP interoperability with client types.
|
| Creating the
Physical Design for an Active Directory and Network
Infrastructure |
| Design DNS service
placement. |
Design an Active Directory
implementation plan.
- Design the placement of domain controllers and global
catalog servers.
- Plan the placement of flexible operations master
roles.
- Select the domain controller creation process.
|
| Specify the server
specifications to meet system requirements. |
| Design Internet
connectivity for a company. |
Design a network and
routing topology for a company.
- Design a TCP/IP addressing scheme through the use of
IP subnets.
- Specify the placement of routers.
- Design IP address assignment by using DHCP.
- Design a perimeter network.
|
Design the remote access
infrastructure.
- Plan capacity.
- Ascertain network settings required to access
resources.
- Design for availability, redundancy, and
survivability.
|
