UPCOMING MICRO$OFT OS

c-nap

With the impending upgrade of Windows XP probably sometime next year and with the MCSE taking so long to obtain, does anybody think it's even worth getting an MCP in 70-270? Does anyone think that it's just better to get a cert with another vendor and just wait for the new client OS to rear it's ugly head? I'm kind of on this fence with this.

Webmaster

Vista will be released this year, but regardless, the exam is not available yet, and won't be for some time. Also, companies will keep using Windows XP for many years to come. It's not like you have a choice either, 70-270 is the current exam. You'll have several years to finish your MCSE 2003, and you can also use the 70-270 as a client exam for the next MCSE (like you can use 70-210 as the core client exam for the MCSE 2003 track).

I.o.w. a new Windows version is currently not an issue at all when choosing a MS cert track.

kalebksp

Most businesses won't be switching to Vista right away, and for the next couple of years at least there will be probably be more XP systems than Vista. If I remember correctly the next generation version of Windows Server won't becoming out until a while after Vista does. So I think the obvious choice would be to take the XP exam. You can always take the Vista exam later on.

Edit: I was apparently writing this at the same time Webmaster was, sorry for the repeat on some parts.

c-nap

Actually, I think Windows 2000 Pro is currently an option for the client portion of the MCSE 2003, right? So I assume Microsoft will do the same thing with XP. So what you guys are saying does make sense.

skully93

considering they don't seem to be retiring even the 2000 track for a while, the '03 track is very feasible.

Especially considering the new OS and server versions will only run in 64-bit mode, it'll take a while before you see a mass rollout.