FREE ESSAY ON MCSE ANALYISIS

MCSE ANALYISIS

Job Task MCSE Analysis: Report to Participants
Michael Angelo
Southern Illinois University
June 1999
Overview and Summary
In preparation for new MCSE examinations, between February 19th and March 16th of 1999
more than 2,800 computer professionals completed a survey via the web. The purpose of the
survey was a job analysis--a description of the on-the-job activities necessary for
positions that MCSEs fill. Both employment tests and certifications must be based on job
analyses . 
Because of the rapidly evolving nature of the workplace, especially in the technology
area, the job analysis did not follow traditional procedures that enumerate lists of
specific behaviors. Rather, working with a group of subject matter experts , the job
analysis was based on the Job Task Matrix shown in Figure 1. This matrix combined six job
duties and eight technical areas. Survey respondents rated the importance, difficulty and
frequency of each combination of job duty and technical area. Contextual information was
also gathered on work environment and professional background.
Some 2,829 computer professionals from 86 countries participated in this study.
Fifty-four percent worked mostly in the United States. Two-thirds of respondents were
MCSEs and half of these were MCSE +Is. Respondents reported spending an average of 93% of
their time on the job duties included in the study. This finding confirms the
comprehensiveness of the Job Task Matrix
Respondents rated job tasks (individual cells in the Job Task Matrix) as Moderately to
Very Important, as Moderately Difficult, and as done Monthly to Weekly. The high
importance assigned to all job tasks further supports the comprehensiveness of the study.

The technical areas of Security, Reliability & Availability and Network Infrastructure
received the highest importance ratings. The areas of Resources, Hardware Devices &
Drivers and Desktop Computing Environment were judged to be less difficult than the other
technical areas. Interoperability was the technical area encountered least frequently.
The job duty of Troubleshooting was the most important, and this duty along with Analysis
and Design were the most difficult. Job duties in the areas of Management, Monitoring &
Optimization and Troubleshooting were encountered most frequently. 
The emphasis assigned to specific job tasks in the certification process should parallel
the ratings assigned by respondents to this survey. 
Methodology
Job Task Matrix & Rating Scales
The core of the job analysis was the Job Task Matrix that crossed six job duties with
eight technical areas . Figure 1 presents the matrix and Table 1 defines the technical
areas. Each cell of the matrix represents a specific task that subject-matter experts
identified as part of the job of an MCSE. Examples of specific job tasks for first row of
Figure 1 were: 
-Analyze the business requirements for the system architecture.
-Design a system architecture solution that meets business requirements.
-Deploy, install, and configure the components of the system architecture.
-Manage the components of the system architecture on an ongoing basis.
-Monitor and optimize the components of the system architecture.
-Diagnose and resolve problems regarding the components of the system architecture.
Using 5-point scales, survey respondents rated each cell in Figure 1: (a) on the
"importance of the job task [matrix cell] for successfully performing [their] job;" (b)
on the "difficulty in becoming proficient at the job task;" and (c) on the frequency of
performing the tasks . Order of presentation of the technical areas was randomized for
each respondent. The order of job duties was fixed.
Job Duty??Technical Areas Analysis Design Deploy, Install & Configure Manage Monitor &
Optimize Troubleshoot, Repair & Restore
System Architecture 
Security 
Network Infrastructure 
Resources 
Desktop Computing Environment 
Hardware Devices & Drivers 
Reliability & Availability 
Interoperability 
Figure 1. MCSE Job Task Matrix
Work Place, Product Support and Demographic Questions
To understand the context of responses to the job analysis questions, the survey asked
questions about respondents' work environment, product support and professional
background. Table 2 summarizes these questions.
Table 1. Technical Area Definitions for Job Task Matrix
Technical Area Labels Definition
System Architecture Unified directory services such as Active Directory and Windows NT
domains. Connectivity between and within systems, system components, and applications.
Examples include Exchange Server connectors and SMS senders. Data replication such as
directory replication and database replication.
Security Controlling access to resources; Auditing access to resources; Authentication;
Encryption.
Network Infrastructure Network topology; Routing; IP addressing; Name resolution such as
WINS and DNS; Virtual private networks; Remote access; Telephony solutions.
Resources Printers; Files and folders; Applications; Web sites; Databases.
Desktop Computing Environment Centralized management of the user desktop environment;
Profiles; Policies; Scripts; Local system configuration.
Hardware Devices & Drivers Storage devices; I/O devices such as printers and scanners;
Server computers; Client computers.
Reliability & Availability Hardware and software components that provide:; Fault
tolerance; Load balancing; Disaster recovery methods such as backup and restore.
Interoperability Communication and data transfer between Microsoft and non-Microsoft
products and systems.
Table 2. Work Place and Demographic Question Areas 
Question Area
Primary job responsibilities
Primary computing environment
--Size
--Complexity
Demographics
--Professional Certifications
--Time as a Computer Professional
--Company a MS Solution Provider
--Country worked in most of timeResults
Respondent Characteristics
Respondents were solicited in two stages. During the first week of the three-week study
period, notices of the study and its URL were posted on appropriate electronic,
professional bulletin boards. Approximately 150 computer professionals completed the
survey during the first week. During the second week of the study period, emails were
sent to more than 20,000 addresses from a computer professional database maintained by
Microsoft. Approximately 2,700 computer professionals responded to the survey during the
second and third weeks. The final sample included 2,829 protocols .
Because of the mobility of computer professionals and fluidity of email addresses, a
precise assessment of the response rate for the survey cannot be made. As is revealed
below, the size and diversity of respondents to this survey make it one of the most
comprehensive examinations of the work characteristics of computer professionals ever
reported.
Completed surveys were received from 2,829 computer professionals. Respondents had been
computer professionals for a median of 5 to 7 years; 67% were MCSEs and half of these
were MCSE+Is. Forty-four percent of respondents worked for Microsoft Solution Providers
and 54% worked most of the time in the United States. Respondents from outside the United
States (46%) came from 85 countries around the world. Figure 2 presents the work location
of all respondents.
Computing Environment 
Answers to computing environment questions showed that respondents' primary computing
environment: (a) had between 100-499 users; (b) included between 5-25 locations; and (c)
had between 6-20 servers. Eighty three percent of respondents had servers at each
location and 71% had 2 or more domains as part of directory services.
Figures 3-5 show characteristics of respondents' primary computing environment,
connectivity needs and network services and applications that were part of the
information system. In the majority of computing environments: (a) web servers were
connected to the Internet; (b) web sites were secured; (c) business operation solutions
were used to streamline business processes; and (d) files and web sites were indexed.
Connectivity needs were mainly: (a) connecting corporate networks to the Internet; (b)
connecting individual users at remote locations to corporate networks; and (c) connecting
offices at remote locations to corporate networks. Most of the network services and
applications investigated were included in respondents' information systems. 
Results
Respondent Characteristics
Respondents were solicited in two stages. During the first week of the three-week study
period, notices of the study and its URL were posted on appropriate electronic,
professional bulletin boards. Approximately 150 computer professionals completed the
survey during the first week. During the second week of the study period, emails were
sent to more than 20,000 addresses from a computer professional database maintained by
Microsoft. Approximately 2,700 computer professionals responded to the survey during the
second and third weeks. The final sample included 2,829 protocols .
Because of the mobility of computer professionals and fluidity of email addresses, a
precise assessment of the response rate for the survey cannot be made. As is revealed
below, the size and diversity of respondents to this survey make it one of the most
comprehensive examinations of the work characteristics of computer professionals ever
reported.
Completed surveys were received from 2,829 computer professionals. Respondents had been
computer professionals for a median of 5 to 7 years; 67% were MCSEs and half of these
were MCSE+Is. Forty-four percent of respondents worked for Microsoft Solution Providers
and 54% worked most of the time in the United States. Respondents from outside the United
States (46%) came from 85 countries around the world. Figure 2 presents the work location
of all respondents.
Computing Environment 
Answers to computing environment questions showed that respondents' primary computing
environment: (a) had between 100-499 users; (b) included between 5-25 locations; and (c)
had between 6-20 servers. Eighty three percent of respondents had servers at each
location and 71% had 2 or more domains as part of directory services.
Figures 3-5 show characteristics of respondents' primary computing environment,
connectivity needs and network services and applications that were part of the
information system. In the majority of computing environments: (a) web servers were
connected to the Internet; (b) web sites were secured; (c) business operation solutions
were used to streamline business processes; and (d) files and web sites were indexed.
Connectivity needs were mainly: (a) connecting corporate networks to the Internet; (b)
connecting individual users at remote locations to corporate networks; and (c) connecting
offices at remote locations to corporate networks. Most of the network services and
applications investigated were included in respondents' information systems. 
Job Responsibilities
Figure 6 presents the primary job responsibilities of respondents. The most frequent
responses were: "deploy, monitor, administer, and optimize an information system," and
create strategies, plans, or designs for the information system of an entire
organization, subsidiary, or division.
Ratings of Job Task Matrix Cells
Table 3 presents the average importance, difficulty and frequency ratings for each cell
in the Job Task Matrix . Figure 7 presents the average ratings for the technical areas
and Figure 8 presents the average ratings for job duties. Overall, the job tasks
(individual cells in the Job Task Matrix) were judged as Moderately to Very Important, as
Moderately Difficult, and were done Monthly to Weekly. The high importance assigned to
all job tasks supports the comprehensiveness of this study.
Figure 7 shows that the technical areas of Security, Reliability & Availability and
Network Infrastructure all received a rating of Very Important. The areas of Resources,
Hardware Devices & Drivers and Desktop Computing Environment were judged to be less
difficult than the other technical areas. Interoperability was the technical area
encountered least frequently.
Figure 8 shows that the job duty of Troubleshooting was the most important, and this duty
along with Analysis and Design were the most difficult. Job duties in the areas of
Management, Monitoring & Optimization and Troubleshooting were encountered most
frequently. 
Bibliography
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