What you need to know about the new Microsoft Certifications

How the new MCTS & MCITP Certs relate to your MCP/MCSA/MCSE

by James Carrion, Mountain View Systems' Principal & Senior Instructor

Many people have emailed or called me because they are confused about Microsoft's new line of certifications. They are not sure whether to embrace the new certifications or hold off and pursue the existing MCP/MCSA/MCSE certifications. They are also not sure what benefits the new certifications offer and how the industry at large perceives the new certifications. I recently went to Redmond, Washington to the Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) Summit to find out for myself the scoop on the new certifications so I could answer some of the common questions I have been receiving.

What's happening with Microsoft Certifications?

Microsoft is transitioning away from the MCP/MCSA/MCSE certifications to the new MCTS (Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist) and MCITP (Microsoft Certified IT Professional) certifications and exams. Does that mean that your current MCP/MCSA/MCSE certifications are no longer going to be valid? No! Your current certifications will still be valid and will not expire. In fact it will be some time before Microsoft even expires the MCP/MCSA/MCSE exams themselves which means that if you are already working toward MCP/MCSA/MCSE you can finish up your certification track and keep the acronyms on your resume and business card indefinitely.

Why did Microsoft create an entirely new line of certifications?

Microsoft wanted to get away from the "one title fits all" mentality of the MCP/MCSA/MCSE. For example, I could pass the 70-270 Windows XP exam and achieve a MCP certification. You could take the 70-291 Server 2003 Network Infrastructure exam, a much more difficult exam and also achieve the MCP certification. When sorting through resumes, how does a hiring manager know that your MCP achieved through a more difficult exam is worth more than my MCP achieved through an easier exam? They don't know - hence the change to the new line of certifications. One of the other problems with the old certifications is that they did not expire. So you could have a MCP in Windows 95 and still call yourself a Microsoft Certified Professional.

• The MCTS (Technology Specialist) designation is technology specific, so for example, a MCTS in Windows 7 Configuration can be easily distinguished from a MCTS in Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure Configuration. The MCTS credential expires when Microsoft technical support for that product expires.
• The MCITP (IT Professional) designation is role specific. For example, a MCITP Sever 2008 Administrator would equate to a junior administrator role whereas a MCITP Server 2008 Enterprise Administrator is more akin to a senior level administrator. The MCITP certifications don't expire but will have continuing certification requirements every three years. To achieve MCITP, you have to first achieve one or more prerequisite MCTS certifications.

I don't have a current certification - where should I start?

If you are currently employed and you already have practical hands-on real-world experience with older Microsoft products, I would suggest starting with the MCTS/MCITP. Achieving the new certifications will allow you to distinguish yourself from your coworkers and industry peers. If you are new to the industry or job searching, you would be better served starting with the MCP/MCSA/MCSE certifications which have greater industry recognition among hiring managers which will make it easier to land a job.

When will the new certifications receive industry recognition?

If you are currently job hunting, the older certifications are still highly valued, as most hiring managers already recognize the MCP/MCSA/MCSE certifications. It will take them some time, probably at least two years, for them to catch on to the new line of certifications and begin to sort resumes based on the MCTS/MCITP certifications.

Is MCTS the replacement for the MCP/MCSA and is MCITP the replacement for the MCSE?

Not really, although many will perceive it that way. If you keep in mind that Microsoft revamped the certifications to more closely match what certifications are supposed to be for - namely proving that you have what it takes to competently perform in a profession, then trying to map the old to the new certifications doesn't make a lot of sense. As an analogy think of car mechanics - 30 years ago anyone could certify as a car mechanic and fix most mechanical problems. Today with sophisticated electronic components and computerized systems, mechanics specialize in a line of cars - Subaru or Toyota, for example. If I own a Toyota dealership, I don't want to hire just a "mechanic", I want to hire a Toyota Certified mechanic. Similarly, if I am looking to hire someone to implement Windows Server 2008 in my organization, I want to hire someone who is Server 2008 certified, not just someone who happens to have the words Microsoft and Engineer in the same title on their business card.

Will the new MCTS/MCITP exams be more difficult than the exams for MCP/MCSA/MCSE?

I have been in Microsoft training and certification long enough to see the cyclic changes made to the Microsoft certification program, from NT3.51 to NT4.0 to Windows 2000 to Windows 2003. With each new cycle, I become increasingly concerned about the validity of the exam as an instrument of testing job competence. The Windows Server 2003 exams for example are infamous for being difficult - with ambiguous and misleading questions that would make a psychometrician have fits. Microsoft did little to improve the question base and in fact left the question pools stagnate for years. Based on what I have seen so far of the MCTS/MCITP exams, the questions are more straightforward and easier to decipher but of course, this could change at a moment's notice depending on how Microsoft seeds the question pools.

Microsoft did announce that they will eventually move to complete performance based testing in the future, where each exam will contain operating system/program simulators, and you have to perform a given set of tasks rather than just be asked probing knowledge questions about a given product. I applaud this move as it has always been my belief that if you are an experienced professional, testing by "doing", is a more validating test of professional competence than is simply "probing knowledge".

I am Windows 2000 certified and I need to know whether I should pursue Windows 2003 (MCP/MCSA/MCSE) or Windows 2008 (MCTS/MCITP) training and certification?

Again it depends on whether you are currently employed and your organization will stick with Windows 2003 or will be an early adopter of Windows 2008. If your ripping out 2003 in favor of 2008 this year, you best get to 2008 training and pronto as the alternative is working with a sinking feeling in your stomach of having to implement new software that you don't have a clue about. If your organization doesn't see Windows 2008 on the horizon for the next couple of years, then go to Windows 2003 training so you can finally wrap up that certification you have been procrastinating on. If you can swing both 2003 and 2008 training and certification, then you are one step ahead of most IT professionals out there today.

I am Windows 2003 certified and I need to know whether to pursue Window 2008 (MCTS/MCITP) training and certification now or wait?

It has taken Microsoft five years to get to a new round of certifications. There is a plethora of Windows 2003 certified MCPs/MCSAs/MCSEs out there competing for jobs. Achieving the 2008 certification early on will help distinguish you from all of the other currently certified professionals.

The harsh reality of certifications or better known as "What have you done for me lately?"

I remember a colleague boasting about how his MCP number was in the low digits, how he had been in the computer industry forever and had been Microsoft certified early on. My comment to him was, so you know how to install Windows NT 3.51 very well, but what have you done lately to keep up with the advances in technology? The harsh reality of certifications is that you must maintain a current one if you want to remain employed in the computer industry. In other words, your prospect for staying employed in the computer field is directly proportional to how current your certifications are. Keep up or retire as there is no in between. I call this the certification cycle or better yet the certification game, although in this game you are betting your livelihood.

Any IT Professional will eventually reach a certain level of burnout in this scramble to keep up with the latest advances in hardware and software. For some, the burnout level will be severe enough to prompt them to retire early, switch careers or take a job that they perceive will be less demanding. Couple the demands of family life, other pursuits, and the pressure to stay current, and burnout seems inevitable. The situation will become even direr in the next 5-10 years as software developers release new products on a more frequent schedule. For example, Windows Vista is barely out the door and Microsoft has already announced plans to release the next version of Windows - Windows Seven within the next year and a half. Blame the bottom line or demanding shareholders, but regardless of whom you put the blame on - it is the reality you have to live with as an IT Professional.

Great, I understand everything you have been telling me so far, but how do I convince my boss that paying for training and certification is in the company's best interest?

It is one thing for you to recognize the importance of certification on your long term career prospects in the computer field, and another to convince your boss to loosen up the purse strings and send you to training and pay for your exams. It has been my experience that certified professionals are not only more competent but also more content in the workplace. As a manager, I have always found that happy employees are more productive and more likely to stay around rather than job hop - all things being equal, including comparable pay scales. Even then, an increase in salary does not always motivate people as feelings of competence and job satisfaction are great substitutes for many IT Professionals, especially when faced with daily stresses of the job.

So it boils down to convincing your boss that the training will make you more competent on the job and the certification will keep you employable and if he/she pays for both, then you will be a happier camper with a greater sense of company loyalty, then if he/she denies you these opportunities. Frame it in such a way that highlights the positives as you don't necessarily want to blackmail your boss into sending you to training based on threats of leaving the organization.

I have decided to purse Windows 2008 training and certification - how do I start?

So where do you get started with the Windows Server 2008 certification process? That depends on whether or not you are currently certified as a Windows Server 2003 MCSA/MCSE (MCP doesn't count). If you are already 2003 MCSA/MCSE certified, there is a direct upgrade path to Server 2008 MCTS/MCITP. If you are not Windows 2003 MCSA/MCSE certified, then you will have to take all the core and required Server 2008 exams. Here's a table that breaks it down for you.

Exams required to achieve MCTS & MCITP Certifications

As you can see from the table, the 70-648 and 70-649 exams will only upgrade you to a MCTS designation, and you have to take additional exams to achieve MCITP. The 70-648 exam is taken in lieu of 70-640 and 70-642 but you must already be a Windows Server 2003 MCSA. The 70-649 exam is taken in lieu of 70-640, 70-642, and 70-643 but you must already be a Windows Server 2003 MCSE.

Some other things to keep in mind are:

• There are no upgrade paths for those with a Messaging or Security specialization in Windows Server 2003.
• There is no upgrade path from Windows Server 2000 certifications - another reason to finish out the Windows Server 2003 track if you are already on it.

Summary

As an IT Professional you are playing the certification game that demands that you stay current to stay gainfully employed in the long run. You can only play this game for so long before burnout will dictate the next move in your career. I have been playing the certification game for over twenty years, starting with Novell and then Microsoft and Cisco certifications and have flirted with burnout myself so I can sympathize.

Your certification decisions today will impact your career choices tomorrow and you will have to weigh a few factors to make the right choices with the new line of Microsoft certifications. Some of those factors include, whether you maintain a current Microsoft certification or not, whether you are Windows 2000 or Windows 2003 certified, whether or not you are currently employed and whether your organization will be an early or late adopter of Windows 2008.

Once you have made your decision, then you will have to put on your best salesperson hat on and try and convince your boss to invest in you and that by doing so, you will become a long term asset to the organization. The bottom line is not necessarily whether or not you pursue Windows 2003 or 2008 training and certification but rather that you are doing something to enhance your professional career. Take some action today.