Which MS Cert to go for

Hi guys,

Yesterday I got a large pay rise and promotion (Wooo, go me!), I've been promoted from 2nd/3rd line support to Installations, I've been doing install jobs to help out the installs team (Server installed, firewall replacements, SAN implementations, 365 migrations etc) for the past year or so but finally got the promotion.

My manager who gave me the promotion and pay rise said that if I'm to excel in this team I should be going down the cloud route, learning everything possible about Azure, 365 apps (Flow, Teams etc not MS office package stuff), Sharepoint and Azure as these are the areas where the current installs team don't have much knowledge.

I've done a fair bit with azure, a few of our customers use it and I use it myself for some personal stuff. I've always stayed away from Sharepoint as much as possible so this is an area I'll need to learn from scratch almost. As for the 365 apps side of things I already use Flow to manage my site visits and logging expenses from my phone but other than that I don't use it for much else.

My current certifications:
Microsoft:
MCSE: Messaging, Productivity
MCSA: Windows Server 2012
MCITP: Windows 7
MCP: Virtualisation & System Centre
MCSA: Windows 8

CompTia
Network+
Security+

Cisco:
CCENT

What cert would you recomend sitting next? I was thinking about going for the Sharepoint 2016 exam but I'm unsure. I'll base my study around what my next exam choice is (this has always been the best way to learn for me).

Thanks for your help.

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Comments

DatabaseHead

Whatever interest you

brkyfl

DatabaseHead wrote: »

Whatever interest you

What a great contribution to this discussion. You've been incredibly helpful. /s

I've already got certifications in the areas I'm currently interested in - I'm looking for someone who's an expert in Microsoft cloud apps/Azure to point me to a good starting point, I'm not looking for a "Oh I like Networking so I'll do a CCNA".

Sorry for the sarcasm but that's just not really very helpful.

nisti2

Nice MS Certs!

You can check also Cloud+ and CCNA Cloud.

Hope that help!

duta74

If your: "MCSA: Windows Server 2012" is active, pass one of this exam: 70-532, 70-533 or 70-535 and you will receive: "MCSE: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure".
You can continue your road to Azure learning

SteveLavoie

Whatever interest you

I know it is not the answer you are looking for, but this is the most useful one. After you have done a few basic certs, do certs in the subject you want to work in it.

However, in your case I would look for MCSA: Office 365 or MCSE: Cloud Platform.

TechGuru80

I think the CCIE would be your best route...don’t listen to your boss he doesn’t know what he is talking about and that way you can take his job and tell people what to do while he is racking and stacking empty boxes.

Seriously though did you ask your boss which area is most needed...why wouldn’t you get his buy-in. My guess is that the general answer is Azure but that doesn’t mean it’s accurate for your role.

DatabaseHead

SteveLavoie wrote: »

I know it is not the answer you are looking for, but this is the most useful one. After you have done a few basic certs, do certs in the subject you want to work in it.

I thought this was 101.....

SteveLavoie

DatabaseHead wrote: »

I thought this was 101.....

Yeah.. it is 101.. but often people come here, expecting to get the magic answer to solve all their life problem. Being certified is not a super power

N7Valiant

I only ever had 2 considerations:
1) What helps me do my current job better?
2) What would help me go the next step in my career?

And not particularly in that order either. My employer wanted me to pass an exam for a cert by the end of April, while I just started recently I still wanted to make a mad dash towards working with servers so I decided to pursue MCSA Windows Server 2016 since if I can nab that cert I figure my employer will be more willing to allow me to get more involved in working with servers despite my lack of experience since they'll be in the awkward position of my being certified with them having paid for it, yet letting it go to waste if they don't let me utilize that training they paid for.

yoba222

Isn't 5 enough already? How about a Linux cert?

TechGuru80

N7Valiant wrote: »

yet letting it go to waste if they don't let me utilize that training they paid for.

Happens in all kinds of companies.