Implementing and Administering a Microsoft Windows 2000 Directory Services Infrastructure

Microsoft's exam 70-217, "Implementing and Administering a Microsoft Windows 2000 Directory Services Infrastructure" is a core requirement for the MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) on Microsoft Windows 2000 certification.

70-217 exam is designed for candidates who operate in medium to very large computing environments that use the Windows 2000 network operating system.

There is no specific prerequisite for 70-217 exam but Microsoft recommends that candidates have a minimum of one year of experience implementing and administering network operating systems in the type of environment described here.

The topics covered by 70-217 exam include:

• Installing and Configuring Active Directory
• Installing, Configuring, Managing, Monitoring, and Troubleshooting DNS for Active Directory
• Configuring, Managing, Monitoring, Optimizing, and Troubleshooting Change and Configuration Management
• Managing, Monitoring, and Optimizing the Components of Active Directory
• Configuring, Managing, Monitoring, and Troubleshooting Security in a Directory Services Infrastructure

For more information:
http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/exams/70-217.asp

Exam 70-217 follows a traditional Microsoft exam format. For the most part, it is a straightforward multiple-choice exam. Depending on the pool of questions you draw, the innovations you may encounter will be "point and click" and "drag and drop" questions.

The Microsoft Windows 2000 MCSE examinations are currently 5.00 US. Microsoft however warns that certification exam prices are subject to change, and that in some countries, additional taxes may apply.

At one time 70-217 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." - Microsoft Exam and Testing Procedures FAQ.