I am a mcp/mcsa/mcse/mcse security since 1999
Mcse on nt4/2000/2003/security/
in 15 years working in a consulting firm I migrate from banks to small business, taking roles from design to deploy and troubleshoot.(my specialty is troubleshoot)
My experience allow me to manage several technologies, desktop deploy/AD/Networking/Security/Exchange/clusters.
many MCSE lack the hardware or experience to troubleshoot, and the certifications are so so, because a product like SharePoint use a lot MS technologies that you need to master, or all of the problems of MS in the same product.......( I was in charge of a project using the first SharePoint back in the days......it was terrible)
Troubleshoot require that you must now many layers, from hardware/networking/security etc.
I have seen many mistakes and recommendation from MS consulting or others that was wrong because they don't think of entire picture. Hardware is the primary hole you find today in consulting services.
yesterday I was explaining to a coworker that ask why X server have X type of storage etc. and I say that you must have in mind the storage needs down to how the raid card was connected to the mother, (raisers, chipsets, internal latency in the buses etc.)
Some companies representatives try to sell any type of hardware.....or the support that BIG server makers have here in Argentina are a total joke ( 2 INCIDENTS with servers on 2 sites, same servers, same problem (bios issue whit raid controller), on 1 site they blame the electrical installation, the other recommend to install enterprise version of windows server....)
Another problem that the creator of this tread did not have to fight is developers....
the best developers I find use to work in complex network/software support jobs, to find one that take security/performance and how will impact to core services or ask about it is hard to find.
in a network that I manage I have constant problems with the sql developer (is my friend) he do wonders in sql but he don't understand crap about the layers he jump to get his work done, he is very smart EJ: to integrate SQL and Exchange to do data mining on Exchange databases his developers skills hit a wall (I am the wall) if he hit the mail servers they will hit the AD controllers etc., and is an ongoing fight.
Same as security and usability, more security lees usability (and works the other way around)
Today the cloud, the cloud, the cloud, yes send you data to the cloud (cloud because you don't have a clue of where it is and who has access)
When you share your data whit external services you share that company risks (angry personal, poor quality personal etc.)
Not to mention that Microsoft become the competition, many Exchange admins are not happy. I understand the cloud to small business, and I have no problem if one client migrate, but if you used the Microsoft recommendation to many clients to use exchange......and now.....Microsoft say......(I want my certification $ back )
IT Admins, the better you do your job the less they think they need you....
ALL
PEOLE
SEMS
TO
NEED
DATA
PROTECTION