Info on "Longhorn" Certification

hanakuin

MCSA and MCSE are still the right certifications if you are working with WS2000 or WS2003.
MCSA and MCSE will not retire.
In one year, the WS2000 MCSA and MCSE exams will retire (that's the exams, not the credentials); more news of this to publish soon.
If you are planning for any of the core MCSA/MCSE 2003 exams, there are offers on related training: e-learning, ALL training kits and a few reference books, and practice tests through April/May 2007. Learn more.
There are new elective options for SA/SE tracks
Longhorn Server certifications will be in the "new generation" structure of MCTS (3 exams) and MCITP (2 exams, respectively); no details yet on names/exam numbers/paths
The first exams will beta at TechEd (June 2007) then MCTS exams available one month after Windows Server "Longhorn" releases to manufacturing (RTM); MCITP exams available 2 months after Longhorn RTMs. For reference RTM is in late October/early November, it sounds like.
There is no upgrade path from MCSA/MCSE 2000 to "Longhorn"
There is an upgrade path for both MCSA and MCSE 2003 to "longhorn"
Customers who hold an MCSA 2003 or MCSE 2003 by June 30, 2007 are eligible for a 40% savings voucher on their upgrade exam to Longhorn. You have to register for this offer in advance.
MCPs should see credential path details in May; public announcements in June.

royal

Link to source please.

hanakuin

No problem: http://blogs.msdn.com/trika/ I attended the MCP Live meeting yesterday on Windows certifications and they also said that the 2000 MCSA/MCSE exams will be retired on March 30, 2008. The exams are retiring not the certs.

Non-Profit Techie

hmm, makes me wonder if i should continue with my cert plan. I would never get my mcsa by the end of the year at my current study rate. perhaps i should just do my 70-290 MCP and then wait for the new test. Taking only Vista client exams until the longhorn exams come out might be a better idea for me.

hanakuin

During the live meeting that was a topic that came up, and if you're just starting or thinking about starting a MCSA/E track then you might want to wait until the new exams come out. 2003 exams will be on the table for another 3 - 4 years, it really depends on what you are working with. Some of the 2000 exams are 8 years old now, I guess it's time to retire them. If you have a 2000 cert and want an upgrade path to Lonhorn then you basically have 12 months to take the upgrade to 2003. 2000 will not have an upgrade path to Longhorn, 2003 will. I don't have all of the details but some of the 2000 electives will be around a little longer past March 2008, but the core exams will no longer be offered at that point.

sthomas

I am going to still finish my MCSE 2003, companies will be using Windows 2000/2003 Server for a few years to come. It will be awhile before companies start going to Server 2007. With that said at my current study rate I won't finish my MCSE until 2009. I better pick up the pace.

hanakuin

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/upgrade/ws2003/default.mspx

In addition, Windows Server 2003-certified professionals will have the most efficient path to the Microsoft Windows Server Code Name "Longhorn" operating system when certifications become available. Complete your Windows Server 2003 credential by June 30, 2007, and get a head start with a 40 percent exam savings voucher.

I've already signed up for this, 40% off anything is always nice

ajs1976

for anyone out there still working on Windows 2000 certifications, I hope you saw this part:

In one year, the WS2000 MCSA and MCSE exams will retire (that's the exams, not the credentials); more news of this to publish soon.

Cessation

sthomas wrote:

I am going to still finish my MCSE 2003, companies will be using Windows 2000/2003 Server for a few years to come. It will be awhile before companies start going to Server 2007. With that said at my current study rate I won't finish my MCSE until 2009. I better pick up the pace.

2009? Sounds like me

plettner

Thanks for the info, hanakuin.

I'm on the web site now and will start shopping for 70-290/291.

Megadeth4168

ajs1976 wrote:

for anyone out there still working on Windows 2000 certifications, I hope you saw this part:

In one year, the WS2000 MCSA and MCSE exams will retire (that's the exams, not the credentials); more news of this to publish soon.

Yeah, I saw that... I plan on having my MCSE done by July and then I will start the 292 and 296 upgrades to 2003 and have those done by December..... That's the plan anyway.

ajs1976

I'm hoping to finish the 2000 track by the end of May and hopefully 292 by the end of the summer.