70-687, 70-688, 70-689 now retiring 2016

So according to Microsoft the retirement dates for the exams have changed. The exams were going to retire 30 November 2015, and now:

Retiring on January 31, 2016

70-689: Upgrading Your Skills to MCSA Windows 8
70-692: Upgrading Your Windows XP Skills to MCSA Windows 8.1

Retiring on July 31, 2016

70-687: Configuring Windows 8.1
70-688: Supporting Windows 8.1

The question is whether the MCSA is also being removed. The MCSA Windows 8 web page still says "Fall 2015".

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TacoRocket

OctalDump wrote: »

So according to Microsoft the retirement dates for the exams have changed. The exams were going to retire 30 November 2015, and now:

Retiring on January 31, 2016
70-689: Upgrading Your Skills to MCSA Windows 8
70-692: Upgrading Your Windows XP Skills to MCSA Windows 8.1

Retiring on July 31, 2016
70-687: Configuring Windows 8.1
70-688: Supporting Windows 8.1

The question is whether the MCSA is also being removed. The MCSA Windows 8 web page still says "Fall 2015".

From my understanding it's the MCITP and MCSA for the combined that's going away. If that's not the case, let's find out because Win 8 still segways some of the MCSE certs.

OctalDump

Yeah, so the situation was a bit strange. They announced that they were getting rid of MCSA Windows 7 and MCSA Windows 8. They also announced that the Windows 8 exams (687/688/689/692) were all retiring on 30 November. Strangely, no retirement date for Windows 7 exams was announced. The web pages for MCSA Win7 and Win8 both said that the certifications were being retired. The MCITP: EDT is already retired, the MCITP:EDA is still current (needs 680+686).

The MCTS Windows 7, Configuration (680) says that it is retiring Fall 2015 also, but no retirement date for the exam.

I don't think that the Windows 8 exams get you /anything/ except for MCP by themselves, so it would be odd to have the exams without a corresponding certification. The only other track to a certification with these exams seems to be MCSE: Enterprise Devices and Apps.

I half expected that the retirement date for the Windows 8 exams would be pushed out, but I am puzzled about what they are for.

TacoRocket

OctalDump wrote: »

Yeah, so the situation was a bit strange. They announced that they were getting rid of MCSA Windows 7 and MCSA Windows 8. They also announced that the Windows 8 exams (687/688/689/692) were all retiring on 30 November. Strangely, no retirement date for Windows 7 exams was announced. The web pages for MCSA Win7 and Win8 both said that the certifications were being retired. The MCITP: EDT is already retired, the MCITP:EDA is still current (needs 680+686).

The MCTS Windows 7, Configuration (680) says that it is retiring Fall 2015 also, but no retirement date for the exam.

I don't think that the Windows 8 exams get you /anything/ except for MCP by themselves, so it would be odd to have the exams without a corresponding certification. The only other track to a certification with these exams seems to be MCSE: Enterprise Devices and Apps.

I half expected that the retirement date for the Windows 8 exams would be pushed out, but I am puzzled about what they are for.

Honestly, even though from on the ground experience Windows 7 is still being deployed. I think the retirement of the MCSA for 7 and 8 is more of a technical push for Windows 10. Which I get it, it's Microsoft. However, I still think the MCSA for Windows 7 stick around. With Windows 8, I would rather see a firm standpoint than the wishy washy that we are seeing. Doesn't give a lot of faith to the people who are trying to wrap things up (such as I, 685 and 686 left).

someperson49

Surely if the MCSA upgrade exam is available until 31st January, then that means the MCSA will still be valid?

OctalDump

someperson49 wrote: »

Surely if the MCSA upgrade exam is available until 31st January, then that means the MCSA will still be valid?

Maybe, maybe not. Maybe they are keeping it around for the MCSE Devices and Apps. Which might be due to problems with the Windows 10 exam not being ready yet.

It's annoying, because they list the exams due for retirement under the Retired Exams page, but do not list the Certifications due for retirement under the Retired Certifications page.

I think this is because, normally, Certifications are only retired if they are replaced. More usually, they just retire the necessary exams for a certification and not the certification itself. For example, the MCITP Enterprise Administrator has not been retired, but two of its required exams (647 and 643) have been. So, you could still get that certification if you had passed those exams, but hadn't yet passed all the other required exams (646,642,640 and 680).

Ctcc

I am ecstatic that they are not retiring the tests until 2016. Just passed the 70-687 and was targeting mid November for 70-688. I have got to believe that they will align the MCSA retirement with the exam retirements. Even though the MCSA Windows 8 page states Fall 2015 in the same line, it states, "The MCSA: Windows 8 certification, Exam 687, Exam 688, Exam 689, and Exam 692 are retiring in the fall of 2015". This is no longer correct as Exam 687 and 688 are not retiring in the Fall. Keeping my fingers are crossed in the mean time.

Ctcc

I found more info on Microsoft Born to learn site: https://borntolearn.mslearn.net/b/weblog/archive/2015/10/20/certification-update-windows-10-exams

They are quoted as saying, "Due to the overlap between the Windows 8.1 exams and this Windows 10 exam, the Windows 8.1 upgrade exams 689 and 692, as well as the MCSA: Windows 8 certification will retire on January 31st, 2016. Exams 687 and 688 will remain as Specialist exams until they retire on July 31st, 2016."

OctalDump

MCSA Windows 7 and Window 8 "Retiring in Fall" has now gone from the MS website. So, I am guessing we will have until at least Jan 2016 to get these certifications - pending any new announcement.

someperson49

So if I do the 689 and upgrade to MCSA: 8, will that give me the Windows 8 specialist, when the MCSA retires.

I am surprised the Windows 10 will only have one exam.

OctalDump

someperson49 wrote: »

So if I do the 689 and upgrade to MCSA: 8, will that give me the Windows 8 specialist, when the MCSA retires.

I'm not 100% what you are asking, but it seems like the MCSA will retire at the same time as the 70-689 exam - 31 Jan 2016. If you gain the MCSA Windows 8 before then, then it will still be valid after that date (it won't expire). But you won't be able to get the MCSA after retirement, even if you sit the same exams (688, 687), instead you will get two Specialist (MCTS) designations. At least, that's what I understand.

culpano

OctalDump wrote: »

MCSA Windows 7 and Window 8 "Retiring in Fall" has now gone from the MS website. So, I am guessing we will have until at least Jan 2016 to get these certifications - pending any new announcement.

I've just emailed Microsoft to ask them to confirm MCSA retirement date. If MCSA retires end Jan 2016 I may have time to do 70-685.

detroitwillfall

OctalDump wrote: »

So according to Microsoft the retirement dates for the exams have changed. The exams were going to retire 30 November 2015, and now:

Retiring on January 31, 2016
70-689: Upgrading Your Skills to MCSA Windows 8
70-692: Upgrading Your Windows XP Skills to MCSA Windows 8.1

Retiring on July 31, 2016
70-687: Configuring Windows 8.1
70-688: Supporting Windows 8.1

The question is whether the MCSA is also being removed. The MCSA Windows 8 web page still says "Fall 2015".

yeah im taking mine in june, i failed twice, once with the second shot.. got 627 last time.. so hope i can get it before then!

ssnyderu2

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/mcsa-windows-8-certification.aspx

The Microsoft MCSA Windows 8 says: The MCSA: Windows 8 certification is retiring in July 2016.

OctalDump

ssnyderu2 wrote: »

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/mcsa-windows-8-certification.aspx

The Microsoft MCSA Windows 8 says: The MCSA: Windows 8 certification is retiring in July 2016.

What I recently discovered is that the pages for different language/country show different things.

Here is English GB, English Australia, Singapore, Italian and German/Germany. All still say 'autumn 2015' (which in Australia was back in March/April/May).

I think two reasons: other countries' pages don't get updated as quickly, and MS does in fact have different retirement dates in different markets. If you check the 'retired exam pages' for all those countries, it is the same as the main US site with the July 2016 retirement date - although strangely the text is in English even on the Italian and German pages.

USA has it so good