Certification Overview

Like any other Microsoft certificate, the Messaging Administrator Associate is an industry-recognized one. It is sure to make you more attractive to employers, giving you an edge over other players in this field. Note that certified employees earn 15% more than uncertified ones, according to a Microsoft White Paper. Speaking of earnings, the average salaries of messaging administrators range from $65k to $107k, according to Payscale. This figure shows that the messaging administrator role is a lucrative career option. Next is the circumstance that’s responsible for the massive demand for these specialists. Emails are essential to the smooth running of processes in the overwhelming majority of organizations. For many, it is their primary communication tool, both internally and externally, hence the need for messaging administrators. Meanwhile, the Messaging Administrator Associate certification is one of the prerequisites to earning the Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert designation. That’s one more reason for you to attempt to add the Messaging Administrator Associate certificate to your arsenal.

Reference: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/exams/ms-203

Skills measured

• Manage organizational settings and resources (30-35%)
• Plan and manage the mail architecture (20-25%)
• Secure the messaging environment (20-25%)
• Plan and implement a hybrid configuration and migration (20-25%)

How to Prepare for MS-203 Test

These courses will support you in developing the skills relevant to passing the Microsoft MS-203 exam and earning the associated certification:

• Microsoft 365 Messaging

  This is a paid instructor-led training offered by Microsoft. The course runs for five days and delves extensively into the main elements of Microsoft 365 messaging administration. These elements include message transport and mail flow, messaging security, messaging infrastructure, hygiene, compliance, and hybrid messaging. There are no perquisites to taking this class.

• Monitor Microsoft 365 messaging organizational settings and architecture

  This is the second class in the Microsoft 3-part learning path series. It teaches one how to monitor the Microsoft Exchange Online messaging framework in on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments in a company. This course consists of 7 modules and has a total runtime of 3 hours 31 minutes.

• Devise a Microsoft 365 Messaging hybrid migration as well as configuration

  This is one of three free official courses targeted at helping you develop the skills needed to qualify as a pro-level messaging administrator. It zeros in on helping you grasp hybrid environments for messaging, tools, migration types, and the management of varied public folders. This course is three modules wide and 84 minutes long. Note, you're expected to have basic-level skills in Microsoft 365 before taking this training.

• Secure the Microsoft 365 Messaging environment

  This segment of the official learning path centers on how to protect your Microsoft Exchange Online environment using role-oriented permissions, compliance problems, and Microsoft’s Advanced Threat Protection. It’s 1 hour 41 minutes long and contains three modules.