Will MCSA/MCSE phased out in 2008?

kenny831

Hello,

My co-worker compelted a boot camp for MCDST and his instructor told him not to waist his time going for MSCA/MSCE because those will be phased out and new specialty certs will take their place.
Has anyone heard of this? If so how long can we continue achieving MCSE?

Thank you,
Kenny

ajs1976

The MCSA/MCSE are being phased out and replaced by the MCITP:SA and MCITP:EA. The Windows 2000 MCSA/MCSE exams are being retired in March, but the Windows 2003 exams will be around for a couple of more years.

/usr

So if I'm thinking about starting for my MCSA/E, I should maybe wait...?

ajs1976

Ask yourself two questions: What are you working with now? How soon will your company update to Vista / Windows 2008?

For most people, MCSA/MCSE 2003 would be the right place to start.

spree610

because many companies (especially the gov) take a few years to change over to a new os, microsoft recommends finishing an MCSA/E now then upgrading to MCTS/MCITP 2008. this makes sense for both you and microsoft because well of course microsoft will make more money but the OS will continue to be used and microsoft certs dont expire until the product falls out of mainstream use.

ajs1976

spree610 wrote:

. . . and microsoft certs dont expire until the product falls out of mainstream use.

The MCSA/MCSE will never expire. The exams will be discontinued.

The MCTS expires when the product is out of mainstream support.

The MCITP needs renewed every three years.

Vogon Poet

Go for it. People know what the MCSA/MCSE means. Some of us have yet to figure out the new MS certs. Looks good on the ol' resume. Also, not only will it take businesses a while to update, but not all businesses will update. Why fix something that isn't broken? (I know, I know, MS will discontinue support in time, etc.) Note that there are still some NT 4.0 and 2000 machines out there.

Mishra

For almost anyone taking the MCSE path is your best bet. 2003 will be around for a long while.

kenny831

Thanks guys.

Daniel333

We still have NT4 servers, most of them are 2000 servers, and a growing number of 2003 servers. We still are migrating our desktops from 2k to Xp. We still even have a few NT4 workstations floating around.

Vista goes into a "test" phase in August of next year. (our bank runs almost 100 specialty programs!)

So lets put it this way, the MCSE2k3 cert will be around for years to come and demand will still be there as well.

spree610

ajs1976 wrote:

The MCITP needs renewed every three years.

Where did you read that MCITP will expire in three years?

leefdaddy

spree610 wrote:

ajs1976 wrote:

The MCITP needs renewed every three years.

Where did you read that MCITP will expire in three years?

I read the same thing somewhere, do a search.

spree610

wow you're right. I found it here:
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/newgen/lifecycle/default.mspx

The new generation of Microsoft Certifications—Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS), Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP), and Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD)—have lifecycle policies that are new to the Microsoft Certification program. These policies help ensure that Microsoft Certification remains an indicator of up-to-date, relevant skills on current Microsoft technologies.

Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certifications are retired when Microsoft discontinues mainstream support for the related technology


Typically, mainstream support is discontinued 7 to 10 years after the initial product release. When support ends, your related MCTS certification is retired. For example, your MCTS: Exchange Server 2007 might be retired in 2016.

When an MCTS certification retires, it no longer appears on your transcript, and you cannot create or use the related logo. All related exams that you have passed remain listed as “passed” on your transcript.
• Find out more about the support lifecycle

Professional-series certifications (MCITP and MCPD) require an update every three years from the date that you earned the certification, or your certification will lapse.


The update requirement is that you take a refresh exam. This may happen in one of two ways:
•

You pass a new MCTS exam that supports your professional-series certification.

or:
•

You pass a professional-series exam specifically designed for the refresh process. In this case, you earn the latest, related MCTS certification and maintain your professional series credential by passing this one exam.

If you do not refresh your MCITP or MCPD in the stated time period, your certification no longer appears on your transcript, and you cannot create or use the logo. All related exams remain listed as “passed” on your transcript.