MCTS

MCP Exam Voucher Winner John C.

John C, Virgina Beach, VA

1. What do you currently do for a living?

I am a Systems Engineer and work with databases – primarily SQL Server but some Oracle. I started on SQL Server version 6.5 and have tested on all versions since then. This has been my work for the last ten years. Prior to that I was a Network Administrator for three years and moved into SQL Server to gain a specialization. I have also taught Microsoft technical courses as an MCT on a freelance, part-time basis.

2. Please describe your educational background.

I graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration from Ferris State College in Big Rapids, Michigan in 1982. I earned a Master of Information Technology degree from Virginia Tech in 2007.

3. What kinds of certifications do you currently hold, if any?

MCTS: SharePoint Services 3.0
MCITP: SQL Server 2008
MCITP: SQL Server 2005
MCDBA: SQL Server 2000
MCSE
MCP+I
MCT (former)
CTT+
A+
CCNA

4. How has earning a certification helped advance your career?

It gave me credibility when I was making a career change from Accounting  to Information Technology. I keep taking exams and gaining new certifications because in this industry, if you’re not advancing, you’re falling behind. I don’t want to become obsolete.

5. What exam do you plan to use the MCP voucher for?

SharePoint Server (MOSS) exam 70-630

6. What kind of advice do you have for your peers and colleagues about earning a certification?

Look at what’s in demand and what’s up and coming. Get involved with local user groups for networking purposes and to help keep your finger on the pulse of what’s going on in your community.

John C. is the next-to-last of the individuals I’ll be profiling for our recent contest. Our last winner, Flavio B from Brazil, will be featured in my next blog on Friday.

The enduring value of IT certification

In running the contest to select winners for some MCP exam vouchers graciously donated by Microsoft, and in profiling four of the six winners (so far, I’m still chasing the other two) I’ve found myself revisiting several thoughts and ideas that have confronted me throughout my dozen years toiling in and around the IT certification marketplace. I’ll state these ideas briefly and directly, then comment a bit on the thoughts and observations they prompt.

• Earning IT certifications takes real time, money, and effort.
  As obvious as this is (and should be) lots of people don’t really get just how much time and effort is involved (the money is pretty straightforward) until they go through the process a few times. We’re talking about giving up evenings and weekends, sacrificing on leisure or family time, and knuckling down to get some real work done.
• Acquiring and maintaining IT certifications really can help an IT career.
  If there’s one thing that pops out at me from my interviews with the winners, and from thinking about those I know who’ve earned major certs and then put them to work on the job, it’s that the same interest and passion that goes into earning IT credentials can also be employed to help people advance their careers. Does that mean there’s no real connection with the IT certifications themselves, but only with the drive required to earn them? No; rather, it means that you have to talk them up, use them, and build on them to do your career some good.
• For some, IT certifications are like potato chips: they can’t earn only one.
  All of the winners had passed at least a dozen IT cert exams, and many had earned half-a-dozen IT certifications or more. Most started with A+ and/or Network+, then went on to chew through two or more mid-range Microsoft certs such as MCSA and MCSE, with MCTS and MCITP credentials either earned or underway (why else would they want to win an MCP exam voucher?)
• IT Certs build confidence as well as competence.
  To a person, all the winners talked about how earning IT certifications helped them in their careers because they improved their attitudes and confidence about encountering and handling problems on the job, as much because of the experience they gained in developing problem-solving, research, and learning skills in earning certifications as because of the various subject matters they had to master to pass their exams.

I’ll be commenting further on this experience in upcoming blogs, but thought you would find these observations interesting. I’ve seen this all before, but it’s refreshing to see it again, especially in such a positive light in these times of economic crisis and uncertainty.

MS Certification Profusion Leads to Confusion?

In the latest round of articles posted at one of my favorite IT Certification Websites, GoCertify.com, guest author and full-time trainer Brian Nelson raises some interesting issues about the latest crop of MS credentials, especially the many different flavors of MCTS and MCITP certifications that Microsoft now makes available (with many more to come, too, as soon as Windows 7 goes commercial). Nelson’s basic points might be summarized as follows:

• Microsoft’s decisions to create an MCTS-MCITP-MCM-MS Architect ladder creates too many rungs, with too many possibilities at the lower rungs.
• Hiring managers seem confused about the relative weight and merit of these credentials based on a survey of “mentions by name” at Monster.com.
• Microsoft has been forced to up the ante on its exams, question coverage, levels of difficulty, currency, and validity since the original MCSE came out, but too many people earn MS credentials without really mastering the associated subject matter. This comes largely thanks to multiple-choice exams, which are too easily documented online and reduced to rote memorization to ensure a passing grade.

All of this leads him to conclude that current MS credentials are somewhat debased, and that they’re not worth anywhere near what they used to be in the marketplace, thanks to the implications of the preceding summary points.

FWIW, I tend to agree with this analysis, but don’t think the situation is quite as dire as he paints it to be. In recent conversations with MS Learning I’ve also learned that they’re introducing more simulation- and hands-on based forms of testing, which work much better to assess real skills and knowledge than do multiple choice exam questions. That said, Microsoft’s emphasis on job roles and related credentials works very well for those who understand IT, job roles, and the technologies to which they pertain, and not so well for those who don’t–which probably does include hiring managers at a great many small and medium sized businesses where IT is primarily a necessary evil, rather than an important means to realizing business goals.

What do you think? Are MS certs as worthy as they used to be? Does this mean they’re becoming worthless? As with so many other grey areas in life, I think the truth is somewhere inbetween “moderate worth” and “worthless,” but certainly not all the way down at the bitter end of that spectrum.

Erik Eckel Opines on “10 Best IT Certifications”

In digging through some Microsoft PR materials recently, I came across mention of a Top 10 IT certification list that Erik Eckel put together for TechRepublic, later reprinted by big-time training company Global Knowledge. Though it’s dated December 12, 2008 it still provides some interesting information for consideration, and some fodder for ongoing debate. I’m not quite sure that I fully understand his selection criteria which he describes as follows “While this list may not include the 10 best accreditations for you, it does catalog 10 IT certifications that possess significant value for a wide range of technology professionals.”

Here’s his list as ranked at TechRepublic in straight numerical order:

1. MCITP (Microsoft Certified IT Professional), with specific mention of database developer, database administrator, enterprise messaging administrator, and server asministrator
2. MCTS (Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist), with specific mention of SQL Server business intelligence, database creation, or SQL server administration
3. CompTIA Security+, with an observation that “security continues to be a critical topic”
4. MCPD (Microsoft Certified Professional Developer) with specific mention of the Windows Developer 3.5, ASP.NET Developer 3.5, and Enterprise Applications Developer 3.5 tracks
5. CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate), with an emphasis on increasing dependence on remote access technologies, even at smaller companies
6. Comptia A+, iwth an emphasis on “proven support expertise” in the areas of desktop installation, problem diagnosis, preventive maintenance, and computer/network troubleshooting.
7. PMP (Project Management Professional) with an emphasis on “job skills and knowledge required to plan, execute, budget, and lead a technology project”
8. MCSE/MCSA (Microsoft Certified System Engineer/Administrator) represent Microsoft’s previous take on basic admin (MCTS) and professional (MCITP) certs, and enjoy amazing certficiation population numbers–as Eckel observes “…these certifications tend to indicate holders that have been working within the technology field for a long time.”
9. CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) receives mention for “…building a respected, vendor-neutral security certification,” that’s also accredited by ANSI.
10. CompTIA Linux+ get a nod because “…the open source alternative is an important platform…”

Given these choices, it’s no wonder that Microsoft is promoting this list: they’ve garnered 4 out of 10 (really 5 out of 11) choices therein. CompTIA might also take cheer as well from the inclusion of Network+, Security+, and A+ (of which Network+ and A+ are by far its most popular credentials). And certainly, all the other elements in the list–CCNA, PMP, and CISSP–are all immensely popular and highly sought-after credentials as well.

Though Eckel’s selection criteria and methods aren’t entirely clear, this blog makes me wish that CertCities.com would revive its Top 10 lists, which used to be an interesting marker between one year and the next for IT professionals. At  least their list came from a survey of thousands of active IT participants, an could in some sense be argued as representative of collective interests. Funny how those lists of yore don’t differ too much from Eckel’s list, either.

I wouldn’t have any arguments with this list, in fact, if it used the word “Popular” instead of “Best” to describe its constituents, because there’s almost no argument about any of these on a pure numbers basis. But the definition of best is one that’s fraught with peril, and certainly subject to lots of differing interpretations. While he does give the CCIE passing mention in his CCNA item, I’d be inclined to put it in any Top 10 Best I were to put together,  and I’d be more inclined to pick rather more senior-level credentials rather than entry-levels ones like the CompTIA items, MCTS, and CCNA. But that’s my “best” interpretation showing. What’s yours?

MCPBACK gets you your next MCP exam for $25

Microsoft MCP exams — which include any and all exams that count toward MCTS, MCITP, and MCPD — usually cost $125 a pop. Right now, if you sign up for any MCP that leads to one of those three credentials, you can get it for a mere $25. But you have to act fast: this offer extends only to the first 4,000 individuals who seek to exercise this offer. The only qualification is that you must have taken your most recent certification exam (if any) prior to January 1, 2007. My last one was in 2001, when I took the Windows 2000 installing and configuring exam, so I immediately jumped on this offer for exam 70-620 “Installing and Configuring Windows Vista.”

Here’s how to exercise this offer for yourself (and as far as I can tell,  the SecondShot promo does NOT apply, but at $25, who cares?):

1. Log into www.prometric.com
2. If you don’t already have an account, register to create one
3. Sign up for the MCP exam of your choice
4. Include the promotion code MCPBACK as you work through the payment process

If you’re within the first 4,000 folks to do this, you’ll be able to take an exam for only $25. Between this and the $35 collection for Installing and Configuring Vista available through the Microsoft “SecondShot” program I’m shooting for an MCTS on Vista in late May, 2009, for a whopping $60. Anybody with the luck and/or hustle to qualify for these programs (act fast!!!) can do likewise.

As the old saying goes: “This is too good a deal to pass up.” I’ve already said, “Act fast!” but I’ll say it again just so you don’t forget. See you in the testing center soon!

Windows 7 Exams Are Coming!

The “Born to Learn” blog from Microsoft Learning is proving to be an effective and useful source of advance information from MS. Call it a “source of planned leaks” and you wouldn’t be at all out of line. Fortunately, MS Learning has been forthcoming and straightforward enough for this to be a source of genuine and useful info rather than another outlet for official PR information. The blog in question is entitled “Sneak Peek at Windows 7 exam development” and it offers the following tidbits of information:

• Three exams are currently under development (see next bulleted list below for as much information as I can provide on same at this time)
• MS is building one of these exams for a hitherto unserved job role: Desktop Administrator. Here’s how MS describes this job role:

…Desktop Administrators (DAs) are IT Professionals who are responsible for provisioning desktop PCs and deploying service packs and updates to these PCs. They are also responsible for setting the strategic direction for the desktop operating system and applications. DAs work with other lines of businesses in their company and are responsible for addressing high-end desktop infrastructure needs. DAs are Tier 3 level support and mostly handle escalations related to system and large site issues.

• The lone Windows 7 TS exam scheduled in this batch will provide one more additional option to meet desktop exam requirements for the MCITP Enterprise Administrator cert, rather than replacing the Vista TS exam of the same ilk outright.

That said, here are the three exam identifiers mentioned in this blog:

1. 70-680 TS: Windows 7, Configuring: all that MS Learning says at this point is that this exam is “under development.” I take this to mean that 70-680 will be cast in the same mold as exam 70-620 except with Windows 7 as its focus, rather than Windows Vista. I don’t expect to see any more change in coverage or skills measured than the changes from Vista to Windows 7 require.
2. 70-685 MCITP: Windows 7, Enterprise Desktop Support Technician: ditto 70-680, except this time the analogous Vista exam is 70-622 “Supporting and Troubleshooting Applications on a Vista Client for Enterprise Support Technicians.”
3. 70-686, MCITP: Windows 7, Desktop Administrator: development on this exam is scheduled to start this week. MS is also looking for experienced desktop administrators to get some help and feedback in developing this exam. If you read this blog, you may want to check the other blog to get Krista Wall’s e-mail address and drop her a line indicating interest. It will be interesting to see how much of the cool technology that enterprise Windows Desktop admins have available to them (WAIK, Deployment Toolkits, Business Desktop Deployment, MDOP, and so forth) appears in this exam. I’ve perceived a “burning need” to make order out of the many options (not to say chaos) that make up today’s offerings, and am hopeful that this exam and related training materials could provide some much-needed guidance and clarity.

I’ve called the MS Learning PR person and have requested a follow-up conversation on these topics, and about when related online and classroom training materials should become available. Stay tuned over the next couple of weeks if this discussion interests you: I’ll be sure to revisit it as soon as I get a chance to talk further on these exams, and this general subject matter, with the people in charge of this effort.

Now that we know some of what’s coming Windows 7’s way, the next obvious question is “When?” Of course, answering that would mean disclosing the real planned release date for the OS, and Microsoft has remained resolutely mum on that subject of late. Don’t expect me to drop any news (or bombs) in that direction in my follow-up and you are much less likely to come away disappointed. Those kinds of scoops I leave to my infinitely better connected peers and colleagues at TechARP.

A Conversation with Bill Wall, MS Director of Certification and Career Excellence, about performance based testing

To begin today’s blog, I need to disclose some shared background and history with Mr. Wall. He’s the guy who developed the Novell Certified Engineer (CNE) program at Novell at the same time that I worked there (from 1987 through 1994) and who developed Novell’s excellent performance based testing for that credential as well as for the Certified Directory Engineer (aka CDE). Suffice it to say that Bill probably knows as much or more than anybody else alive about how to design, build, deliver, and maintain quality performance based testing content (and has probably been doing it longer than anybody else as well, at least outside academia and inside the IT-related certification marketplace).

That’s probably why the first few minutes of our talk together were more like a couple of older and wiser classmates meeting up at a high school reunion, rather than the more typical “skeptical-journalist-meets-IT-vendor-expert” encounter. Nevertheless, a number of interesting items emerged from this conversation, with promises of more such nuggets to come, so I was not only glad to reconnect with a former colleague and respected peer, but also to unearth some items of information that my readers might also appreciate knowing. Here’s a list of noteworthy bits and pieces that I recorded from that conversation:

1. The initial performance-based testing (PBT) target was chosen–namely, exam 70-640 TS: Configuring Windows Server 2008 Active Directory–because it’s among the most popular of all the current MCP exams and represents the strength of Microsoft’s commitment to PBT going forward. Bill called it Microsoft’s “highest-volume” exam, in fact.
2. That said, PBT will not be an across-the-board testing tool/technique. It’s best used on subjects where candidates really do need to show their abilities to solve problems and understand instructions in a real-world situation, and Mr. Wall is pretty keen to keep things that way. Thus, look for more PBT exams to show up for other Windows Server 2008 areas and for Exchange Server, and to see their use increase for the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) program. No specifics nor timetable are available for any of this yet, because the PBT project while two years in getting to its current status, it still very much in the making.
3. When the first PBT goes live later this month, it will be in Ireland, Singapore and Canada only. Look for more sites to gain this exam and PBT capability in 2009, wherein the US won’t be first in that series, nor will it be last, but more than that Mr. Wall was simply unable to say (plans and schedules are not yet completely developed, elaborated, or available).

When I asked Bill how students might tackle preparing for a Microsoft PBT exam, he first opined that the basic preparation process shouldn’t be terribly different from that for other exams. Then he went on to dispense the following really good advice:
1. “Pay attention in class.” Always good advice for test-takers, this reflects the notion that what gets covered in MS training or e-learning classes on specific subjects is very likely to show up on exams as well.
2. “Get some practice time in the lab, and make sure to pick classes or programs that offer such labs.” Indeed, the hands-on component for PBT exams is their very raison d’etre, so whether you build your own lab, or use somebody else’s, time in the lab becomes an essential part of the preparation process.
3. “Take advantage of the ‘Second Shot’ program.” For some time now, Microsoft offers a free retake for those who tackle a cert exam and don’t pass on their first try. Though this will be even more helpful for typically more expensive PBT exams, it’s good advice for any Microsoft cert exam of any kind.

I’m supposed to check back in with Mr. Wall and his gang in mid- to late January 2009 for more PBT exam news. Count on me to do just that, and share what I learn with you here.

–Ed–

Microsoft’s First Foray into Performance Based Testing Extended Again

Anybody who’s followed the IT certification game for any length of time is aware of two basic types of tests used to assess candidate skills and knowledge: static, question-and-answer testing and dynamic, performance-based testing. For the former, you sit down in front of a screen or face a piece of paper, and work your way through a series of questions, mostly multiple-choice questions of some kind. For the latter, you sit down in front of a real or simulated runtime environment and complete a series of assigned tasks by manipulating the environment in front of you.

Most education experts believe that performance based testing returns more accurate results when it comes to assessing candidate skills and knowledge, because they require working knowledge of and skills with actual interfaces, situations, and scenarios rather than relying on the candidate’s ability to remember specific questions, topics, terminology and strategy. That said, performance based testing remains in the minority for many certification programs–including Microsoft’s–because of the increased difficulty, effort, and expense involved in crafting and scoring performance based exams that are both good and meaningful. Novell pioneered this technique of testing (as it introduced so many IT cert innovations) and continues to use it; today the best-known practitioner is probably RedHat whose RHCE and RHCT are performance-based and highly regarded.

Microsoft has finally dipped a toe into these waters with a no-credit, test-phase remake of its 70-640 “Configuring Active Directory” in the form of the 70-113 exam that is itself peformance-based. Thanks to virtualization technology, test takers get their own AD domains and servers to mess around with (and mess up, if that’s how things turn out), and are allowed to fix or implement things in their own way.

What’s interesting is that this exam has been available to the general public for free since June, and has just been extended from its recently-current end date of 10/30/2008 to a new end date of 12/17/2008. Interestingly, Microsoft is still offering “the first 3,000″ test-takers 3 free Microsoft exam vouchers in exchange for their participation and feedback (they otherwise get no credit for this exam, because it isn’t yet scored and thus doesn’t function like a regular beta). Given that the exam has been out for 4 months and MS is still reaching for that 3,000 goal tells me that the MS cert population may not be as excited about performance based testing as they could or should be (it almost always helps to increase the value of the credentials for those who earn them, but also almost always increases failure rates as well).

For Andy Barkl’s impressions of this exam see his CertCities.com article: “Windows Server 2008 Exam: Performing Under Pressure.” For the Microsoft page on this exam, with necessary access and sign-up info, see this MSDN Blogs page “Register for New Performance Based Testing Pilot Exam 70-113…“

Microsoft Certified IT Professional Credentials

To some extent, it’s fair to look at the MCITP credentials as an answer to the question: “Where do MCTS on the networking/admin side go for the next rung in the MS certification ladder?” This is territory that’s still being explored and mapped, because a growing crop of new MCTS certified professionals is starting to seek answers to that very question. That’s where a look at the various MCITP credentials becomes instructive (I skip the MCITP at the beginning of each credential name below in the interests of brevity; Microsoft does not):

• SQL Server 2005 credentials:
  Business Intelligence Developer:
  Pre-req 70-445 SQL Server 2005 BI; Exam: 70-446: Designing a BI Infrastructure using SQL Server 2005. “Business intelligence developers design and implement multi-dimensional database models (logical and physical), data marts, data warehousing, data transforms, data analytics, and reporting solutions.”
  Database Developer: Pre-req: 70-431; Exams: 70-441 Desginign Database Solutions by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and 70-442 Designing and Optimizing Data Access by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005. “…design, create, deploy, and maintain database solutions by using SQL Server 2005.”
  Database Administrator: Pre-req: 70-431; Exams: 70-443 Designing a Database Server Infrastructure by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and 70-444 Optimizing and Maintaining a Database Adminsitration Solution by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005. (Note 70-431 and 70-447 permit MCDBA’s to upgrade to this cert.)
• SQL Server 2008 credentials:
  BI Developer 2008: Pre-req: one of 70-448; Exam: 70-452 Designing a BI Infrastructure using SQL Server 2008. Business intelligence developers design and implement multi-dimensional database models (logical and physical), data marts, data warehousing, data transforms, data analytics, and reporting solutions.
  Database Developer 2008: Pre-req: One of 70-443; Exam: 70-451 Designing Database Solutions and Data Access Using Microsoft SQL Server 2008. “…design, create, deploy, and maintain database solutions by using SQL Server 2008.”
  Database Administrator 2008: Pre-req: 70-432; Exam 70-450 Designing, Optimizing, and Maintaining a Database Infrastructure using Microsoft SQL Server 2008. “…design, deploy, optimize, and maintain SQL Server 2008.” (Note upgrade exams from 2005 to 2008 are also available.)
• Consumer Support Technician:
  Pre-req 70-620 Configuring Microsoft Windows Vista; Exam: 70-623 Supporting and Troubleshooting Applications on a Windows Vista Client… “…highlight and validate your expertise and skill set in a job role supporting a broad range of consumer desktop operating systems, desktop applications, mobile devices, networking, and hardware support issues related to the Windows Vista operating system.”
• Enterprise Messaging Administrator:
  Pre-req: 70-236; Exams: 70-237 Designing Messaging Solutions with Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 and 70-238 Deploying Messaging Solutions with Microsoft Exchange Server 2007. “…validates the knowledge and skills associated with performing as the lead engineer for messaging solutions within an enterprise organization, as well as the ability to design and deploy messaging solutions with Microsoft Exchange Server 2007.”
• Enterprise Project Management with Microsoft Office Project Server 2007:
  Pre-reqs: 70-632 and 70-633; Exam: 70-634 Micorsoft Office Project Server 2007, Managing Projects and Programs. “…designed specifically to help project managers apply the leading project management best practices and methodologies as established by the Project Management Institute (PMI), resulting in better project outcomes, greater efficiency, and optimal resource management.”
• Enterprise Support Technician:
  Pre-req: 70-620; Exam 70-622 Supporting and Troubleshooting Applications on a Windows Vista Client for Enterprise Support Technicians. “..validates the knowledge and skills required to deploy and support the Windows Vista operating system.” (Note a separate upgrade exam is available to those who already hold the MCDST.)
• Enterprise Administrator:
  Pre-reqs: 70-640, 70-642, 70-643, 70-620 or 70-642 (4 total); Exam: 70-647 Windows Server 2008, Enterprise Administrator. “…demonstrate your skills in Windows infrastructure design and your readiness to excel in working with Windows Server 2008.” (Note upgrade paths from MCSA or MCSE on Windows Server 2003 have been defined; they involved a transition exam plus two additional MCTS exams for MCSA and a transition exam plus three additional MCTS exams for MCSE, plus the MCITP Enterprise Admin exam.)
• Server Administrator:
  Pre-reqs: 70-640 and 70-642; Exam: 70-646: Windows Server 2008, Server Administrator. “…demonstrate your leadership and problem-solving skills in working with Windows Server 2008.” (Same upgrade path as for preceding item for MCSA and MCSEs, plus the MCITP Server Admin exam.)

Careful reading of the preceding information and perusal of the related MS Certification Pages (all available through the MCITP Home page) makes several interesting things clear. First, the database certifications for both SQL Server 2005 and 2008 are partitioned into developer, administrator, and business intelligence roles. Second, the Enterprise Administrator emerges as the successor cert to the MCSE, and the Server Administrator the MCSA certifications, and will probably be recognized in the marketplace as such next year. And finally, I see strong evidence that Microsoft has put a lot of time and effort into its cert program designs to make exam requirements more transparent and logical, and to tie credentials to specific platforms and versions so that individuals will have an easier time of explaining or claiming what they know, what they can do, and what problems they can solve to HR professionals and hiring managers in the future.

All in all, the MCITP looks like a serious and hefty credential, especially for Windows Server 2008 Enterprise and Server Administrator credentials, and all the various database credentials. Kudos to Microsoft for defining clear, intelligible upgrade paths, and good certification descriptions and qualifications. This takes a lot of the mystery out of the programs that I and others had to painstakingly decode in previous incarnations.

Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist Certs

A quick look at the MCTS Web page confirms several observations:

• Lots of credentials fall under this umbrella (32 in all)
• These credentials cover lots of different ground: .NET Framework 2.0 (3) and 3.5 (6), SQL Server 2005 (2) and 2008 (3), BizTalk Server 2006 (1), Project Mgmt (2), Office Live Communications 2005 (1) and SharePoint Server 2007 (2) and SharePoint Services 3.0 (2), Exchange Server 2007 (1), Windows Embedded CE (1), Windows Mobile 5.0 (2), Windows Server 2003 (1), Windows Server 2008 (3), Business Desktop Deployment (1), and finally, Windows Vista Confiugration (1).
• As the foregoing item enumerates, there’s something here for nearly everybody in IT: developers, database and platform specialists, administrators, and more

What’s not immediately apparent is that earning some of these credentials requires passing only a single exam, while others require two exams. Some of the credentials, such as the MCTS: Microsoft Visual Studio 2008, offer specialties in up to 6 areas, where each one requires passing two exams related to that specialty (7 total number of exams fall under this umbrella, where the .NET Foundation 70-536 exam is common to all of them). Interestingly, Microsoft also indicates where MCTS exams also apply to related MCITP certifications (for example, all the SQL Server 2008 exams for MCTS also apply to MCITP, which adds more exams together and to those requirements for candidates).

Moving to the next rung in the MS certification ladder, the tracks for MCTS lead either to the Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) or to the Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD) credentials. Hopefully that explains the large number of developer oriented and platform/administrator oriented offerings in the MCTS program, as well as the large number of constituent credentials underneath this particular umbrella.

Microsoft appears to be moving away from its earlier, more monolithic MCP-MCSA-MCSE and MCSD certifications. The emphasis in this program is more scattered, but that paradoxically allows IT professionals to specialize more narrowly and dig more deeply into the many different platforms and technologies that Microsoft currently offers to its customers. I’m glad to see that the marketplace is endorsing this approach with recognition, salaries, and uptake on both the working professional and hiring organization sides. This can’t be anything except good for IT Professionals interested in digging into one or more of these credentials, or organizations seeking to find qualified professionals with specific skillsets.

The only thing I’m not sure about is how much traction some of the service platforms such as BizTalk Server, MS Office Project Server, and SharePoint are likely to gain. I suspect that in these areas we’ll see fewer certified professionals and a greater proliferation of other platform focused credentials as they come and go on the MS product landscape.