cloud certification | The Transcender Team Weblog

Everything old is new again: the MCSE and MCSA are dead (long live the MCSE and MCSA)

May 14, 2012 at 8:15 am | Posted in Certification Paths, Microsoft, Vendor news | 31 Comments
Tags: certification lifecycle, Certification Paths, cloud certification, mcsa, mcse, MCTS, zombie certifications

(ETA 10/01/12: Microsoft is still rolling out changes to these tracks. Be sure to check Microsoft Learning, Born To Learn, and our blog for the most current information on MCSA and MCSE.)

Yesterday a vendor called me on the phone and said that he had a great price on the latest MCSE classes. He went on to explain that these classes taught all the latest, hottest technologies. They were so virtualized, a team of physicists argued over their very existence. They were so far up in the cloud, you needed a telescope to find your exam. Once he’d wound down the hyperbole, I asked him what operating system that the classes covered. He told me, “Windows Server 2003.”

I have news for you, buddy: Windows Server 2003 is nine years old. The problem is that MCSE, as a certification, became both the gold standard for HR staff and a synonym for the “brand” of Microsoft certification. When Microsoft retired those certifications in favor of the MCITP and MCPD and MCTS in 2005, they had problems selling the switch to die-hard certification holders. More importantly, it faced uneven adoption in the business realm. No one really jumped on the bandwagon. Human Resource managers and hiring managers still referred to MCSA and MCSE in job listings. Vendors who called me on the phone only knew “MCSE” and “MCSA.” (Sales people in my own office still do not understand the differences between MCTS and MCTIP, but at least they realized the MCSE was gone.) I’ve had students tell me they’ve applied for recent jobs that cited a MCSE as a requirement. I guess Microsoft felt the time was right to reanimate the dead MCSA and MCSE certifications.

As I’m sure you’ve heard by now–that clueless vendor had it half-right. The MCSE and MCSA are back!

The new MCSE is not your Dad’s MCSE. First of all, MCSE now stands for Microsoft Certified SOLUTIONS EXPERT, not Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer. If you attain the new and re-released MCSE, you are an expert in Microsoft solutions, not an engineer. (You are an engineer if you passed a lot of physics and calculus classes.) The new MCSA is now called Microsoft Certified SOLUTIONS ASSOCIATE, instead of Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator. That also makes more sense. If you attain the MCSA you are certified in various Microsoft solutions, but not necessarily a sysadmin.

The old MCSE made you pass several tests based on the Windows operating system plus an elective subject, like Exchange Server or SQL Server. The new MCSE currently offers certifications in MCSE – Private Cloud and MCSE SQL Server 2012. Going forward, Microsoft will offer more MCSE certifications as new versions of products are released. Look for the MCSE Data Platform certification to roll out tests in June 2012.

The new MCSA is similar the old MCSA. Microsoft currently offers certifications in MCSA Windows Server 2008 and MCSA SQL Server 2012, but will offer more MCSA certifications as new versions of products are released.

To get the MCSA: Windows Server 2008, you would have to pass the following:

Exam 70-640 – windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuring
Exam 70-642 – Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuring
Exam 70-646 – Windows Server 2008, Server Administrator

Hey, wait a minute. Wasn’t there already a certification for someone who passed the above tests? Yeah, it was called the MCITP: Server Administrator on Windows Server 2008. The good news is that if you’ve been studying toward these exams, you haven’t wasted your precious certification time. The Private Cloud certification requires that you pass the following:

Exam 70-640 – windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuring
Exam 70-642 – Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuring
Exam 70-646 – Windows Server 2008, Server Administrator
Exam 70-247 – Configuring & Deploying a Private Cloud with System Center 2012 OR Exam 70-659 Windows Server 2008 R2 Virtualization
Exam 70-246 – Configuring Monitoring and Operating a Private Cloud with System Center 2012

The 70-246 and 70-247 exams should be released this summer.

The SQL Server 2012 MCSE Server certification has two different platforms: Data Platform or Business Intelligence. To get the MCSE: Data Platform, you have to pass the following:

Exam 70-461 – Querying Microsoft SQL Server 2012
Exam 70-462 – Administering a Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Database
Exam 70-463 – Implementing Data Warehouses with Microsoft SQL Server 2012
Exam 70-464 – Developing Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Databases
Exam 70-465 – Designing Database Solutions for SQL Server 2012

If you have a MCTIP: Database Developer 2008 certification or MCTIP: Database Administrator 2008 certification on SQL Server 2008, you can upgrade to the MCSE: Data Platform by passing the following:

Exam 70-457 – Transition your MCTS on SQL Server 2008 to MCSA: SQL Server 2012 Part 1
Exam 70-458 – Transition your MCTS on SQL Server 2008 to MCSA: SQL Server 2012 Part 2
Exam 70-459 – Transition your MCTIP to MCSE: Data Platform

To get the MCSE: Business Intelligence, you have to pass the following:

Exam 70-461 – Querying Microsoft SQL Server 2012
Exam 70-462 – Administering a Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Database
Exam 70-463 – Implementing Data Warehouses with Microsoft SQL Server 2012
Exam 70-466 – Implementing Data Models and Reports with Microsoft SQL Server 2012
Exam 70-467 – Designing Business Intelligence Solutions with Microsoft SQL Server 2012

If you have a MCTIP: Business Intelligence 2008 certification on SQL Server 2008, you can upgrade to the MCSE: Business Intelligence by passing the following:

Exam 70-457 – Transition your MCTS on SQL Server 2008 to MCSA: SQL Server 2012 Part 1
Exam 70-458 – Transition your MCTS on SQL Server 2008 to MCSA: SQL Server 2012 Part 2
Exam 70-460 – Transition your MCTIP: Business Intelligence 2008 to MCSE: Business Intelligence.

These exams should be released later this year.

This would be an excellent time to answer some questions I’m sure you have.

What about your MCTS and MCTIP certifications?

Well, you will still have those, but as time goes by they will retire.

If I get a new MCSA or new MCSE certification, will I have to recertify?

You betcha, brothers and sisters. The MCSA and MCSE certification will probably last only about 3 years before you have to recertify. What constitutes recertifying? You will have to pass a test or series of tests. The MCTS and MCTIP will become like a Cisco CCNA certification, the CompTIA A+, and other certifications where you will have to recertify every three years. Microsoft wants to keep the MCSE and MCSA certifications relevant. You can read more about this policy on Microsoft’s site.

If you’re still confused, I recommend these informative videos from the Born To Learn blog:

Microsoft Certified Trainers Explain MCSE

In my next blog post, I’ll go over the new “extended matching” item types being rolled out in Microsoft’s exams. Until then, keep you nose clean and your acronyms straight.

–George Monsalvatge

Cloud computing: coming to a certification test near you (part 2)

May 8, 2012 at 8:15 am | Posted in CompTIA | Leave a comment
Tags: cloud certification, cloud essentials, CompTIA

Way back in 2010, I started looking into all things cloud when I attended TechEd 2010 in New Orleans. Back then, I was trying to use my crystal ball to predict just what the cloud meant to us in the certification world. Fast forward to 2012, and we are starting to see the beginnings of the cloud certification offerings, as well as cloud-centric content added to existing certifications.

CompTIA announced its new Cloud Essentials specialty certification on December 13, 2011:

“As use of the cloud expands, the demand for IT workers with cloud computing knowledge grows as well,” Terry Erdle, executive vice president, skills certification, CompTIA, said. “CompTIA Cloud Essentials is designed to bolster the cloud computing credentials of the IT workforce.”

According to the CompTIA Cloud Essentials page, a test candidate will see 50 questions and have 60 minutes to complete the exam. Here is the objective breakdown for the Cloud Essentials exam:

1.0 Characteristics of Cloud Services From a Business Perspective - 15%
2.0 Cloud Computing and Business Value – 20%
3.0 Technical Perspective/Cloud Types – 20%
4.0 Steps to Successful Adoption of Cloud Computing - 15%
5.0 Impact and Changes of Cloud Computing on IT Service Management - 15%
6.0 Risks and Consequences of Cloud Computing - 15%

While there are no books currently on the market for this certification, there are general books available on cloud computing. McGraw-Hill will release CompTIA Cloud Essentials Certification Study Guide (Exam CL0-001) in November 2012, and I anticipate other study guides will follow.

While this is the only cloud-specific test currently in the CompTIA arena, many of their other, more popular offerings, including the Security+ and CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP) exams, now require low-level understanding of cloud computing types and terminologies.

But don’t expect Cloud Essentials to be the last you will hear about the cloud from CompTIA. Word has it that there is more to come from CompTIA in cloud computing and mobile computing as these two areas become more vital in the global marketplace.

Are any of you considering this certification? If so, are you worried about the lack of resources available that are specifically written to this certification?

Drop us a line here at Transcender, and tell us what you think. We would love to hear from you!

Until next time….

-Robin

Cloud computing: coming to a certification test near you (part 1)

April 16, 2012 at 1:21 pm | Posted in Vendor news | 2 Comments
Tags: cloud certification

The latest overused buzzword in our industry is ”cloud”. Microsoft has a Cloud. HP has a Cloud. Amazon has one. Apple has one, but they call it the iCloud (how i-riginal?).

The fundamental purpose of the cloud is to provide on-demand data and services via your network connection instead of providing (or sourcing) it locally via physical hardware. The cloud service provider determines what types of resources are available to you based on your user account type, permissions, and fees. You may be a cloud end user that’s focused on data storage, a business cloud user focused on providing services and data storage to employees, or a cloud engineer who needs to know the infrastructure behind building and maintaining a cloud.

Major cloud players

Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) allows you to launch instances on varieties of Linux or Windows operating systems loaded with your custom application environment for a specific fee structure. (In case you are wondering, it’s cheaper to use Linux than Windows in the EC2 cloud.)

Apple’s iCloud is your “magic hard drive”. It can store all your music, photos and other content from your PC, iPad, iPhone, iPod,or whatever iOS-based device you may have. Apple will keep all your email, contacts and calendars for all your devices without forced synchronization. According to Apple, they will store 20,000 of your songs for a year for only $25.00 so you don’t have to keep all those Widespread Panic or Black Crowes vinyl LPs in your basement. (Vinyl may sound a whole lot better than digital, but it’s tough to store without a cool dry place.)

Microsoft is not too interested in storing your vacation photos from Myrtle Beach or mp3s. Microsoft’s cloud strategy is to offer services like Exchange, Office, SharePoint, and Lync to integrate in a cloud environment. With Office 365, a user can have access to Office applications, like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, that are not installed locally on the user’s PC, but are downloaded and licensed from the cloud. Exchange Online is a hosted messaging solution based on Microsoft Exchange. SharePoint online centrally stores and allows you to share documents and information with your colleagues and customers. Lync is the next generation of Office Communications Server, which provides an infrastructure for enterprise instant messaging, presence, file transfer, peer-to-peer and multiparty voice and video calling, web conferencing and PSTN connectivity.

VMware, of course, was practically in the cloud already with its virtualization solutions. Instead of focusing on the end consumer, VMware products are aimed at the IT cloud architect who manages cloud infrastructure, public cloud services, hybrid cloud services, and private cloud services for organizations.

Certifying that your head is in the cloud(s)

So far, major cloud certification plans have been announced by CompTIA, Microsoft, VMware, and various smaller players. Some heavyweights, like Cisco and VMware, have incorporated strong cloud-based skills into new and existing certifications.

Here’s a quick overview of certifications from major vendors. Look for more information in the coming months as tests are rolled out.

Cloud Part One: Microsoft

These new Microsoft Cloud services will require new skills. According to the IDC, over 33% of software purchases will be delivered through the cloud. To survive in this new world, you will need to have cloud skills. Microsoft’s Cloud Services: Training and Certification Overview page covers exams in four functional areas:

Infrastructure management – MCSE Private Cloud
Software development - Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, Microsoft SharePoint 2010, and Microsoft Lync Server 2010
Database management – Azure Developer
Services management - MCSE: Data Platform

If you are a developing or building cloud-based applications using Windows Azure, you can achieve your MCPD: Windows Azure Developer certification by passing three tests:

Exam 70-513 TS: Windows Communication Foundation Development with Microsoft .NET Framework 4
Exam 70-516 TS: Accessing Data with Microsoft .NET Framework 4
Exam 70-583 PRO: Designing and Developing Windows Azure Applications

If you are prepping for the MCITP: SharePoint Administrator 2010 certification, it consists of the following tests:

Exam 70-667 TS: Microsoft SharePoint 2010, Configuring
Exam 70-668 PRO: Microsoft SharePoint 2010, Administrator

The 70-667 and 70-668 SharePoint exams are being updated to include cloud-related skills. As per Microsoft, 70-667 and 70-667 was updated to cover SharePoint 2010 SP1 and Office 365 as of January, 2012.

If you are prepping for any of the Exchange 2010 certifications that include exams 70-662 or 70-663, we expect those exams will be updated to include cloud-related skills.

The problem with adding cloud-related skills to an existing exam is that a lot of the exam prep materials listed on the Preparation Materials tab of the prep guide for these exams have not been updated to include cloud related skills. A lot of the Microsoft Press and third-party materials have not been updated either. If you are prepping for an exam that you know or suspect might be impacted by Microsoft’s Cloud Services make sure that you thoroughly research your topics. Do not rely solely on the materials that you received from a training class or the prep guide that you bought from your book retailer. Look at the Skills Measured tab on the prep guide for the exam and use the Internet to research the latest on the topics that are being covered on the exam. TechNet is a great resource for the latest info that may be on an exam. If you are not familiar with the Skills Measured tab of the prep guide for a particular exam, it’s a smart place to start! Here is where you find what the heck is on the test. The manual you got from the Microsoft Official Curriculum training class or the 700-page book you bought from Amazon may or may not include this information.

Look for an overview of cloud-focused certifications from VMware, Cisco, and CompTIA part 2 of this post. Until then, happy cloud computing!

–George Monsalvatge