Confirmed dates re MCSA retirement

Raxephion

Guys sorry if this has been covered, but the reason I am posting is because of a plethora of conflicting information.I'm busy with the Windows 7 MCSA and would like to know when exactly the cert is retiring.

Somewhere on the Microsoft site it states that it is 30 Nov however some forum users reported that the cert will still be available as long as the exams are and others say that the cert is retiring January 2016, whilst the exams will still be around albeit for the Specialist cert.

Anyone managed to get hold of someone in the know? Any confirmed dates as to when will be the absolute last day for which one can earn the Windows 7 MCSA?

Thanks guys/gals!
Really appreciate your help on this.

gncsmith

Yeah, I'm wondering also.

tmurphy3100

I just noticed they changed the expiration from "Fall 2015" to "Autumn 2015."

TacoRocket

The Windows 7 MCSA and MCITP will expire at the end of November. The Window 8 MCSA will expire at the end of January. If you are studying for Windows 7 go ahead and finish it up.

thatguy67

tmurphy3100 wrote: »

I just noticed they changed the expiration from "Fall 2015" to "Autumn 2015."

lol, maybe you are looking at the British version or something.

Slowhand

Sometimes the answer is right in front of you. . .

I've made sticky-posts in all the forums that are being hit with exam/cert retirements from Microsoft.

OctalDump

The exams have no announced retirement date. Strangely, the Windows 8 exams do have a retirement date set.

As for the MCSA certification itself, from the mouth of MS:
"Note The MCSA: Windows 8 certification and MCSA: Windows 7 certification is being withdrawn in the autumn of 2015. See the lists of withdrawn exams and withdrawn certifications for more information."

That notice is on the MCSA page, the MCSA Windows 7 page has:
"Note The MCSA: Windows 7 certification is retiring in the fall of 2015. Exam 680, Exam 685, and Exam 686 will continue to be available to earn Specialist certifications. See the lists of retired exams and retired certifications for more information."


I have not read anywhere on MS official communication anything more specific about a withdrawal date for MCSA Windows 7 or MCSA Windows 8, or MCITP Enterprise Desktop Administrator on Windows 7. I've not seen a post here talking about a withdrawal date that links back to an actual Microsoft source stating clearly a withdrawal date. There is a lot of noise and speculation, not helped by out of date information due to MS changing their minds.

At the moment, I'd say it is still worth studying for and doing the exams. Windows 7 is still likely to be in enterprises for a few years yet. Also, a lot of stuff is similar between versions, so a lot of the knowledge will transfer to later versions.

EDIT:

Just had an interesting chat with an MS representative. They said that MCSA Windows 7 retired on September 30, but that no retirement date for MCITP Enterprise Desktop Admin (680 + 686) had been announced.

However, in another thread someone said that they had gained MCSA Windows 7 this month. Possibly, you can still gain the certification but it is "Legacy". If I pass 685 (or 686) this month, I'll let you know

TacoRocket

OctalDump wrote: »

The exams have no announced retirement date. Strangely, the Windows 8 exams do have a retirement date set.

As for the MCSA certification itself, from the mouth of MS:
"Note The MCSA: Windows 8 certification and MCSA: Windows 7 certification is being withdrawn in the autumn of 2015. See the lists of withdrawn exams and withdrawn certifications for more information."

That notice is on the MCSA page, the MCSA Windows 7 page has:
"Note The MCSA: Windows 7 certification is retiring in the fall of 2015. Exam 680, Exam 685, and Exam 686 will continue to be available to earn Specialist certifications. See the lists of retired exams and retired certifications for more information."


I have not read anywhere on MS official communication anything more specific about a withdrawal date for MCSA Windows 7 or MCSA Windows 8, or MCITP Enterprise Desktop Administrator on Windows 7. I've not seen a post here talking about a withdrawal date that links back to an actual Microsoft source stating clearly a withdrawal date. There is a lot of noise and speculation, not helped by out of date information due to MS changing their minds.

At the moment, I'd say it is still worth studying for and doing the exams. Windows 7 is still likely to be in enterprises for a few years yet. Also, a lot of stuff is similar between versions, so a lot of the knowledge will transfer to later versions.

EDIT:

Just had an interesting chat with an MS representative. They said that MCSA Windows 7 retired on September 30, but that no retirement date for MCITP Enterprise Desktop Admin (680 + 686) had been announced.

However, in another thread someone said that they had gained MCSA Windows 7 this month. Possibly, you can still gain the certification but it is "Legacy". If I pass 685 (or 686) this month, I'll let you know

I said I gained the MCSA Windows 7. If you will please read above what I posted.

OctalDump

TacoRocket wrote: »

I said I gained the MCSA Windows 7. If you will please read above what I posted.

Thanks, I just looked again at that thread, and the September date was mentioned there also. I have still not seen anything actually published by MS with a date only "Fall/Autumn 2015", which is really the thing that will do it for me, something "from the horse's mouth". There's no retirement date announced yet for the exams.

My question is: does it currently show on your transcript as "legacy"? My working hypothesis at the moment is that it has retired, and is now just "Legacy" so you can still gain it if you do the exams.

Raxephion

Thanks OctalDump, really appreciate the input and it seems we are in more or less the same boat. Its exactly as you say, there's a lot of noise and speculation, and so much conflicting info so yeah, I also would like to get confirmation from the horses' mouth so to speak. In the interim I will carry on preparing for the exams.

Goodluck with your exam and hope you pass so you can let me know what's what!

Thanks guys, really appreciate all this

TacoRocket

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B98BOjY4v3HMcnFtdnQxWllXWjQ/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B98BOjY4v3HMRTRoOXNRZTc3cXc/view?usp=sharing

I also received the 686 MCITP a week later. I will upload here soon once I run my errands.

Raxephion

Wow! Congrats!!!

OctalDump

TacoRocket wrote: »

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B98BOjY4v3HMcnFtdnQxWllXWjQ/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B98BOjY4v3HMRTRoOXNRZTc3cXc/view?usp=sharing

I also received the 686 MCITP a week later. I will upload here soon once I run my errands.

You could have knocked that up in photoshop
Nah, just kidding. Evidently MS is acting weird again.

And Congratulations.

gncsmith

Well, when I chatted online with someone on MS's website chat, they claimed it was retired on Sept 31st, HOWEVER, they did say for me to speak with the Regional MS Representative (I think it was regional). I didn't ask him to clarify but from what I got out of the conversation it sounded as if they are allowing exceptions or something. I have no additional information and the email of the chat didn't make it to my email address so I don't have the phone # he provided.

No worries. I'm scheduled to take the 70-680 on the 19th and the 70-685 on the 24th.

OctalDump

So, I just passed 70-685, and got confirmation emails from MS saying that I now have:
Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician on Windows 7
Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate: Windows 7

I checked the online transcript, and it shows there also. No "legacy" marking or anything. So, take that to mean whatever you like. I'm taking it to mean that I now have a full active, non legacy, MCSA: Windows 7.

culpano

Here is the official response I received from Microsoft....

"According to the feedback we received from the resoponsible department,
certification MCSA: Windows 7 retires November 30, 2015. Exams 680, 685,
686 remain in market as Specialist exams.

Certification MCSA: Windows 8 retires January 31, 2016. Exams 687, 688
retire July 31, 2016. Upgrade exams 689, 692 retire January 31, 2016."

OctalDump

culpano wrote: »

Here is the official response I received from Microsoft....

"According to the feedback we received from the resoponsible department,
certification MCSA: Windows 7 retires November 30, 2015. Exams 680, 685,
686 remain in market as Specialist exams.

Certification MCSA: Windows 8 retires January 31, 2016. Exams 687, 688
retire July 31, 2016. Upgrade exams 689, 692 retire January 31, 2016."

That is at least consistent with what TacoRocket and I experienced, and still makes sense with respect to other information on MS site and previous announcements.

I've ordered the MCSA Windows 8 book, so might get that before end of January. Still undecided about doing the 686 for MCITP:EDA. I might attempt after I finish MCSA Server 2008 (december, hopefully).

Raxephion

Eish...well that seems I will miss the MCSA deadline, so not able to write before Nov 30. Hell's Bell's, that's in two weeks! It just does not make sense retiring a cert when the technology is still mainstream, let alone relevant, and the exams are still available O_o

I'm still going to sit for the exams though, but now there's no rush. Would have liked to have earned the MCSA though....

OctalDump

Raxephion wrote: »

I'm still going to sit for the exams though, but now there's no rush. Would have liked to have earned the MCSA though....

It's just MS changing their mind. Not that it matters that much, since I have yet to see a job asking for MCSA Windows 7. Generally it is MCP with Windows 7 experience/knowledge and then a whole bunch of other generic stuff (networking, hardware, WiFi, printers, getting coffee). It was discussed in another thread about the relative benefit of various certs, and MCP and MCSE seem to be bigger bang for buck than MCSA.

Funnily, today I saw a Junior role that had listed "MCSE" as desirable, and paying what would be in this part of the world about minimum wage. And another strange one which was "Service technician/driver" - they wanted skills along A+ lines and "MUST HAVE" truck and fork lift licenses. There's some odd things out there.


EDIT: I forgot to say that it seems like the MCITP: EDA might be around for a while longer, so you might consider skipping 685 and just doing 686. If you can get them done before end of Jan, there /might/ be time to get the MCSA Windows 8 via the delta 689 exam.

gncsmith

Raxephion wrote: »

Eish...well that seems I will miss the MCSA deadline, so not able to write before Nov 30. Hell's Bell's, that's in two weeks! It just does not make sense retiring a cert when the technology is still mainstream, let alone relevant, and the exams are still available O_o

I'm still going to sit for the exams though, but now there's no rush. Would have liked to have earned the MCSA though....

Same here. I took the 70-680 on Thursday (19th Nov) and failed; only made a 487, so I've got more work to do. The tests are a lot different than I expected; lots more scenario and sims or multiple choice questions with about 12 possible answers. I'm back to doing labs so hopefully I'll pass next time and move on. Just not with the ability to get the MCSA though. Oh well, stuff happens.

Raxephion

OctalDump, how long do you think the MCITP: EDA will be around for if you must speculate?

TacoRocket

Raxephion wrote: »

OctalDump, how long do you think the MCITP: EDA will be around for if you must speculate?

Until November 31.

OctalDump

Raxephion wrote: »

OctalDump, how long do you think the MCITP: EDA will be around for if you must speculate?

I was told that no retirement date has been decided earlier this month. I would guess that means it will be around for a little while longer, since they tend to announce retirements months in advance. No retirement date has been given for the 686 exam, so worst case you would "unofficial" EDA.

Probably, unless you have 70-680 and are ready to do 686 very very soon, the best path to aim for at this point would be the MCSE: Enterprise Devices and Apps. It's more exams, but MCSE is better than MCITP. It also encompasses more current technology, with a transition to Windows 10 happening some time next year (once 70-697 ends beta and goes live). The Windows 10 path to MCSE ED+A will be 3 exams.

The desktop/device area is growing as companies slowly wake up to the benefits competent staff can bring in shortening deployment and update cycles, along with end device management.

mmbarton

I had planned to get the Windows 7 MCSA and have already passed 680 but was not aware of the retirement and I am not currently prepared to take the 685. What would be my best course of action at this point?

stryder144

I just passed the 685 exam today. When I got home from the test center and logged into my MS account, it showed that I had gained the MCSA designation.

gncsmith

Congrats styder144! Nice to see you made it under the deadline. I'm hoping they extend the deadline for at least another month.

gncsmith

mmbarton wrote: »

I had planned to get the Windows 7 MCSA and have already passed 680 but was not aware of the retirement and I am not currently prepared to take the 685. What would be my best course of action at this point?

I'm curious about this as well.

stryder144

Thank you, gncsmith, I appreciate it.

OctalDump

mmbarton wrote: »

I had planned to get the Windows 7 MCSA and have already passed 680 but was not aware of the retirement and I am not currently prepared to take the 685. What would be my best course of action at this point?

You can still do the 685, since the exam itself does not appear yet to be retiring, but you might end up with two "Specialist" instead of one MCSA. Possibly (depending on what MS decide), you might still be able to get MCITP:EDA with the 686 exam. The 686 exam is similar to 685, but a little more high level. My guess is that if MCITP:EDA isn't on the retired certifications list on 1st December, then it will be active for a while longer.

If you get MCITP:EDA before the end of January, you can upgrade to Windows 8 (possibly getting either MCSA Windows 8 or two 'specialist' certs but this is not clear) with the 689 exam (which is being withdrawn at the end of January 2016). That would then allow you to pursue MCSE Enterprise Devices and Apps, by completing 695 and 696 (possibly you will need to do this before the end of July 2016, when the Windows 8 exams will be withdrawn).

If you hold the Windows XP MCDST, then there is also an upgrade path to Windows 8, which will also be withdrawn at the end of January.

Alternatively, just go and do the Windows 10 exam when it ends beta since that is meant to be equivalent to 687+688 or 680+685. You can then pursue the MCSE ED&A with 695 and 696 sometime before that path is retired (no date announced).

Whether any of that will work for you depends on if your timeline will fit MS's timeline.

mmbarton

So I went ahead and rolled the dice and took (and passed) the 70-685 this morning. Unfortunately I am not seeing the MCSA certification in my Microsoft account. I am seeing MCITP for the test I took today, and MCP and MCTS for the 70-680 that I passed back in June. Anyone know if there is any chance the MCSA is going to appear or if I have any chance of Microsoft granting me an exception and giving me the MCSA?

gncsmith

According to MS Born to Learn

• Windows Client exams, 687 and 688, retirement dates have been extended to July 31, 2016. The associated MCSA will retire on January 31, 2016 as will the upgrade exams, 689 and 692. As previously announced, the MCSA: Windows 7 certification retires on November 30, 2015, but the associated exams will remain in market and earn a Specialist credential. To earn a Specialist credential on Windows 10, take 70-697!