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Future of certification with Microsoft.

Robert MacLean
17 September 2012

Over the next 10 months the learning & certification program at Microsoft will change drastically. This post is really just a cheat sheet of the new certifications and exams that are coming, as always for the latest source of news on this check out: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/default.aspx

High level

At a high level the three tiers will change as follows:

  • The MCP will certification will drop away and be replaced with MCSA (Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate). This applies to IT Pro’s & DBA’s – there is no MCSA for developers!
  • The MCPD & MCITP will be replaced with MCSD (Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer) & MCSE (Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert) - yes, those are the same names from about a decade ago.
  • The top level MCM will be replaced with MCSM (Solutions Master). I am not covering that in this post.

IT Pro’s

MCSA for IT Pro can be obtained in two ways:

  • MCSA - Server 2012. Made up three exams:
    • 410*: Installing and configuring Windows Server 2012
      411*: Administering Windows Server 2012
      412*: Configuring Advanced Windows Server 2012 Services
    • Can upgrade with the 417 exam from
      • MCSA: Windows Server 2008
        MCITP: Virtualisation Administrator
        MCITP: Enterprise Message Administrator
        MCITP: Lync Server Administrator
        MCITP: SharePoint Administrator
        MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Administrator
  • MCSA - Server 2008. Made up of three exams:
    • 640: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuring
      642: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuring
      646: Windows Server 2008, Server Admin
    • Can upgrade with the 417 exam from
      • MCSA: Windows Server 2008
        MCITP: Virtualisation Administrator
        MCITP: Enterprise Message Administrator
        MCITP: Lync Server Administrator
        MCITP: SharePoint Administrator
        MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Administrator

There are three ways to get an MCSE as an ITPro:

  • MCSE Server Infrastructure: You need a MCSA – Server 2012 & the 413* (designing and implementing a server infrastructure) & 414* (implementing and advanced server infrastructure).
  • MCSE Private Cloud: You need a MCSA – Server 2012 or MCSA – Server 2008 & the 246 (monitoring and operating a private cloud with system centre 2012) & 247 (Configuring and deploying a private cloud with system centre 2012).
  • MCSE Desktop Infrastructure: You need a MCSA – Server 2012 & the 415* (implementing a desktop infrastructure) & 416* (implementing desktop application environments).

DBA’s

MCSA for a DBA can be obtained in one way:

  • MCSA - SQL 2012. Made up of three exams:
    • 461: Querying Microsoft SQL Server 2012
      462: Administering a Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Database
      463: Implementing Data Warehouses with Microsoft SQL Server 2012
    • Can upgrade by doing both the 457 & 458 exams from any MCTS on SQL Server 2008

There are two ways to get an MCSE as a DBA:

  • MCSE Data Platform: You need a MCSA – SQL Server 2012 & the 464 (developing Microsoft SQL Server 2012 databases) & 465 (designing databases solutions for SQL Server 2012).
  • MCSE BI: You need a MCSA – SQL Server 2012 & the 466 (Implementing Data Models and Reports with Microsoft SQL Server 2012) & 467 (Designing business intelligence solutions with Microsoft SQL Server 2012)

Developers

There is no MCSA for developers so the three ways to get a MCSD are:

Web Application Developers requires three exams:

  • 480: Programming with HTML 5 with JavaScript and CSS
  • 486: Developing ASP.NET 4.5 MVC Web Applications
  • 487: Developing Windows Azure and Web Services
  • You can also upgrade to this from MCPD: Web developer 4 by doing
    • 480: Programming with HTML 5 with JavaScript and CSS
    • 492: Upgrade exam

Windows Store Apps using HTML 5 requires three exams:

  • 480: Programming with HTML 5 with JavaScript and CSS
  • 481: Essentials of developing Windows Store Apps using HTML 5 and JavaScript
  • 482: Advanced Windows Store App Development using HTML 5 and JavaScript
  • You can also upgrade to this from MCPD: Windows developer 4 by doing
    • 480: Programming with HTML 5 with JavaScript and CSS
    • 490: Upgrade exam

Windows Store Apps using C# requires three exams:

  • 483: Programming with C#
  • 484: Essentials of developing Windows Store Apps using C#
  • 485: Advanced Windows Store App Development using C#
  • You can also upgrade to this from MCPD: Windows developer 4 by doing
    • 483: Programming with C#
    • 491: Upgrade exam


*Beta exams currently - will change.

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