| Microsoft is revamping its certification | | | | candidates who best meet their needs. I know |
| tracks, and will eventually retire the | | | | it's easy to take verbal shots at Microsoft |
| familiar MCSE certificatons. The new | | | | (it'll be an Olympic sport one day), but this |
| certification setup is much like Cisco's, | | | | new series of certs does have appeal for |
| where there are specialist certifications to | | | | hiring managers, which can only help |
| go along with the more general CCNA, then | | | | qualified candidates. Instead of the |
| mid-level certifications such as the CCNP, | | | | more-general MCSE, which does still suffer |
| and then a more-advanced practical exam | | | | from the overcertification of NT 4.0 MCSEs |
| modeled somewhat after the coveted CCIE | | | | back in the day, these more-specific |
| certification.Microsoft's new specialist | | | | certifications will make it easier for the |
| exams are the Microsoft Certified Technology | | | | job candidate to prove that they can do the |
| Specialist (MCTS) exams. As of March 2006, | | | | job - and easier for the hiring manager to |
| there were five separate MCTS Tracks. Three | | | | make an informed decision.Microsoft hasn't |
| of them deal with .NET Framework 2.0; these | | | | announced the track that will eventually |
| are the Web Application, Windows | | | | replace the MCSE, but this track will be |
| Applications, and Distributed Applications | | | | revealed with the next client-server Windows |
| certifications. Each of these separate | | | | release. It's up to you to stay informed of |
| certifications requires the candidate to pass | | | | these changes, so I recommend you visit |
| two exams. There is also a one-exam SQL | | | | Microsoft's certification website often. "I |
| Server 2005 certification, as well as a | | | | didn't know" isn't much help once a |
| BizTalk Server 2006 single-exam | | | | certification expires!Chris Bryant, CCIE |
| certification.The initial question is "Why is | | | | #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, |
| Microsoft doing this?" According to their | | | | home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The |
| website, MS feels that IT hiring managers | | | | Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate |
| today have a tough time deciding which | | | | CCNP Study Packages. |
| computer certifications best identify job | | | | |