As many of you know, the Microsoft Certified IT Professional / MCITP and Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist / MCTS programs are ending. This has been inferred by many of us, but the reality is that Microsoft has stated this flat out. However, they never really made a big deal about it. And this is going to catch many people flat footed. Remember though that these certifications, once earned are good for life. The program is expiring but the certs are not.
The MCTS / MCITP program has a simple premise: you received a certification specific to exactly what you knew. This was most evident in the differences between a Microsoft Certified IT Professional / MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician on Windows 7 and a Microsoft Certified IT Professional / MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Administrator on Windows 7. They sounded the same but in reality were completely different certifications.
Here was the problem. There were too many certifications. They just get out of control. For example, I am a consultant. So, I need certifications a variety of topics. My resume has fifteen MCTS titles on it. It also has four MCITP. Isn’t that a bit much?
In the old days (yes, even IT has old days, and older days), there was just the MCSE and MCP. You could do something (nothing specific was listed) or could do everything (totally a misnomer). Today Microsoft if trying to find a happy medium; I wish them luck, but I am not sure it is going to work as well as they think.
I have one MCSA and one MCSE from the new program. I will say that the MCSE was hard. And the old Microsoft test taking techniques don’t work quite as well as you would think. It actually impressed me. My only concern is that they are pulling away some of the advantages they used to have with the MCTS / MCITP programs. For example: Windows 7 support does not equal deployment. On the MCSA it does.
I am going to say let’s all give it a try. However, if you want that last MCITP or are prepping for an MCTS… get it before they are gone. I have included a limited list of when many of these are expiring; make sure you don’t plan your lives by it though: Microsoft may change it.
Some of the expiration schedule:
Expires: Thursday, January 31, 2013
– Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist / MCTS: Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007, Configuration Exam 70-638
– Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist / MCTS: Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, Configuration Exam 70-630
– Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist / MCTS: Microsoft Office Visio 2007, Application Development Exam 70-545
– Microsoft Certified IT Professional / MCITP: Enterprise Project Management with Microsoft Office Project Server 2007
Expires: Friday, February 01, 2013
– Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist / MCTS: Enterprise Project Management with Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 Exam 70-633
Expires: Saturday, February 02, 2013
– Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist / MCTS: Microsoft Office Project Server 2007, Configuration Exam 70-639
Expires: Wednesday, July 31, 2013
– Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist / MCTS: Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Database Development Exam 70-433
– Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist / MCTS: Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007, Configuration Exam 70-401
– Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist / MCTS: System Center Data Protection Manager 2007, Configuration Exam 70-658
– Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist / MCTS: Windows Server 2008 R2, Server Virtualization Exam 70-659
– Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist / MCTS: Windows Server 2008 R2, Desktop Virtualization Exam 70-669
– Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist / MCTS: Microsoft .NET Framework 4, Windows Applications Development Exam 70-511
– Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist / MCTS: Windows Vista, Configuration Exam 70-620
– Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist / MCTS: Microsoft Windows Embedded CE 6.0, Development Exam 70-571
– Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist / MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Applications Infrastructure, Configuration Exam 70-643
– Microsoft Certified IT Professional / MCITP: Consumer Support Technician on Windows Vista
– Microsoft Certified IT Professional / MCITP: Enterprise Support Technician on Windows Vista
– Microsoft Certified IT Professional / MCITP: Enterprise Administrator on Windows Server 2008
– Microsoft Certified IT Professional / MCITP: Virtualization Administrator on Windows Server 2008 R2
– Microsoft Certified IT Professional / MCITP: Database Administrator 2008
– Microsoft Certified IT Professional / MCITP: Database Developer 2008
– Microsoft Certified IT Professional / MCITP: Business Intelligence Developer 2008
– Microsoft Certified IT Professional / MCITP: Lync Server Administrator 2010
Expires: Friday, January 31, 2014
– Microsoft Certified IT Professional / MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician on Windows 7
– Microsoft Certified IT Professional / MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Administrator on Windows 7
– Microsoft Certified IT Professional / MCITP: Server Administrator on Windows Server 2008