The three tiers are:
- Technology Series (TS)
- Professional Series (PRO)
- Architect Series
Microsoft has begun the new generation rollout with certification tracks aimed at both developers and database administrators with three core technologies being targeted; SQL Server 2005, BizTalk Server 2006 and Visual Studio. New generation certifications aimed toward system administrators and engineers will be introduced later as Microsoft launches their new platforms and technologies.
This essentially means that the MCDBA, MCAD and the MCSD are now effectively superceded by the new generation titles (although they will run concurrently and be recognized by Microsoft for some time), and the MCSE and MCSA will likely have their new generation counterparts rolled out in the not-too-distant future. Certification tracks like MCT, MOS and MCLC are unlikely to be affected.
One of the benefits of the new structure is that in many cases it takes fewer exams to become certified even for the upper level certifications, although the number of exams required isn’t necessarily a reflection on how much effort a particular track requires.
Another benefit to the new structure is that it gives Microsoft the chance to start afresh with a clean reputation for each certification track. Given that the MCSE has been somewhat devalued thanks to the proliferation of paper MCSE’s, this can only be a welcome thing for both candidates and employers.
Despite the new structure, Microsoft will continue to support many of the older certification tracks and will offer upgrade paths to the new certification titles where applicable. In most cases, a candidate will only be required to successfully pass one or two exams to upgrade and the upgrade exams only focus on the new concepts that are not covered through the older track.
The route to Microsoft Certification (new generation titles)
Candidates new to the industry can climb onto the new generation Microsoft certification ladder by completing one or more of the MCTS credentials, which entails passing one or two ‘Technology Series’ exams depending on the specific MCTS track chosen. Each of the exams at this level target a specific Microsoft technology which offers candidates the chance to demonstrate proficiency with specific Microsoft products.
From there a candidate can move up to the Professional Series where a range of certification tracks, equivalent to the level of the old MCSE/MCAD/MCSA etc., are available. Generally this requires passing two exams but the candidate must have already passed the corresponding MCTS certification as a pre-requisite. Exams at this level typically focus on job role responsibilities and scenarios as the technological concepts have already been largely covered by the comparative MCTS exams.
At the top of the Microsoft certification ladder comes the ‘Architect Series’ which offers up the MCA certification. The MCA, or Microsoft Certified Architect, is a highly selective peer review process for candidates with at least 10 years relevant industry experience and three years experience as a practicing architect. Not for the faint of heart, it culminates with a presentation in front of a review board where a candidate’s experience, work history and other factors are rigorously questioned. The candidate is awarded the MCA certification by a vote of the review board members.
