Microsoft Announces New Master-Level Cert Track

astorrs

From: http://mcpmag.com/news/rss.asp?editorialsid=1576

Microsoft has finally released some information on a new certification that has been in the works for some time, the Microsoft Certified Master certification.

The information on the new cert was announced by Jim Clark, Microsoft's senior product planner, and Per Farny, Microsoft's director of advanced training and certification, at a session during the Microsoft Tech-Ed Conference in Orlando, Fla.

The Microsoft Certified Master certification track, according to a press release, sits above the Professional series of certifications. In the works for about three years, the track has been at times unofficially called the "Series III," and there were indications that the cert would fill an apparent gap between the two current Technology and Professional tracks and the Microsoft Certified Architect series of certifications.

Much like the Architect series, the Master series will be open to a select group who can show some proof of readiness to create solutions and deploy technologies based on real-world experience. Details remain scant for the moment, but the certification will also offer higher-level training options fine-tuned for the new certification.

The Master series will first be offered for Windows Server 2008, Exchange Server 2007 and SQL Server 2008 starting some time later this year.

Microsoft has more details about the program here.

dynamik

Nice. The MCA seems ridiculously out of reach for most people while the current certs can't separate the good from the great.

Thanks for the update.

snadam

I like the sound of the MASTER series. Sounds like thats the next long term goal.


thanks for the link astorrs

royal

This makes me happy.

blargoe

I wonder how much it costs... and if, like the MCA, only going to be an realistic option if you have the backing of a company to pay your costs.

astorrs

The programs will focus on design, build, and troubleshooting skills, and will require three weeks of mandatory training per track, delivered exclusively by top subject matter experts and industry-renowned instructors.

Sorry, but it won't come cheap.

pLuhhmm

what are the certs you need to get to go up the ladder?

astorrs

Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) is the entry level Microsoft cert these days.

Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) is the next level up within a particular technology, usually consisting of a couple of MCTS certs plus one or more "Professional" level examinations.

The new master level cert (as yet unnamed) will be above that level.

leefdaddy

Nice... sounds cool.

whistler

Interesting, but it appears to be of limited use unless you are doing consulting or are administrator in a large corporation.

undomiel

Interesting. I'm not sure if I have the current focus to push for that considering my Linux leanings these days. But it may be worth consideration further down the road.

ajs1976

Since they discontinued the MCSE+I, I was hoping they would come out with something like this. I'm going to wait until I see more details to figure out if it is something I'm going to prusue. Until then i'm going to keep working on other things.

astorrs

Upcoming webcast on the new Master level credential:

Introducing the Microsoft Certified Master Credential (Worldwide)
Something new in Microsoft Certification: The Microsoft Certified Master program is opening its doors to highly experienced IT professionals ready to take their Microsoft skills and certifications to the next level. Microsoft Certified Master combines intense training and testing to distinguish experienced IT professionals who can produce complex business solutions using Microsoft technologies. Join us to learn more about this new program in a one-hour Live Meeting.

This meeting will be offered twice to accommodate worldwide calendars.

July 30, 2008, at 7:30 A.M. Pacific Time

July 30, 2008, at 5:00 P.M. Pacific Time

jryantech

I don't quite understand how to achieve MCTS status. There are a lot of certifications under MCTS, I hope you do not need to get them all in order to become a MCTS.

Someone please explain the "road" of certifications you need to get to go from MCTS -> MCITP -> "Master"

astorrs

Any single MCTS exam grants MCTS status. For example take exam 70-236 and you will become a "Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Exchange Server 2007, Configuring".

Add the two Professional level exams (70-237 & 70-23 to that MCTS exam and you will become a "Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Enterprise Messaging Administrator"

The master level certifications are a different level entirely and require prerequisite work experience, mandatory courses including written exams and labs and a final qualification lab exam. Details are limited at this point (hence the webinar) but what is available can be found here: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/master/default.mspx.

Read more about the new generation of certifications here: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/newgen/default.mspx

undomiel

Well the prerequisites for the MCM:Server 2008 don't look too bad. Most generic MCSE paths would meet that. I find it surprising that it doesn't require MCITP:EA. It'll require an extra exam for me though since I plan on the 298 for my MCSE instead of the 297.

dynamik

undomiel wrote:

Well the prerequisites for the MCM:Server 2008 don't look too bad. Most generic MCSE paths would meet that. I find it surprising that it doesn't require MCITP:EA. It'll require an extra exam for me though since I plan on the 298 for my MCSE instead of the 297.

I guess the prereqs aren't too bad, but those programs have to be intense.

It looks like that Server 2008 certification has AD as a primary focus. It'll be interesting to see if they introduce more that have different focuses, such as security.

I'm not sure how to interpret that 219/297 requirement. Why wouldn't they also let you use MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Configuration as an option?

Regardless, I'm still a little over two years short for that five-year requirement, so I'm not going to worry about these for awhile.

undomiel

I have three or four years I need to stack up before I can consider it. I'd really like to find a job though that I could use towards a CISSP. That would be of more interest personally than a Microsoft Masters program.

jibbajabba

astorrs wrote:

The programs will focus on design, build, and troubleshooting skills, and will require three weeks of mandatory training per track, delivered exclusively by top subject matter experts and industry-renowned instructors.

Sorry, but it won't come cheap.

Wow .. just had the idea after finishing the EA:2008 to pursue this .. 'not cheap' is an understatement ...

Nonrefundable program application fee: US$125
Program fee: US$18,500
Non-lab exam retakes: US$250
Lab exam retakes: US$1,500

Plus flight from the UK, plus three week accomodation and food and whatnot ...

I think I can skip the whole idea (not to mention getting four weeks off work - well three plus a bit)

Kaminsky

Initially I think this will definately be a work obtained certification and will easily cost 5 figures. This kind of thing is common where your company will send you to another company for several weeks for individual training. They will pay through the nose for such a thing but the befefits to that company are worth it.

However, I kind of fail to see the benefits of this cert really especially with so little information out about it. Is it possibly an attempt to match the Cisco CCIE level of certification ? This is well known to be extremely rigourous, from rumours I have read, requiring written papers, inteviews and the monster of all practical exams.

With the skill sets out there in the senior technical ranks of this industry, what's the real benefit and sending one employee on this would be a bit of putting a lot of your egs in one basket.

Kam.

jibbajabba

What I don't understand is the requirement of ie MCITP: EA 2008 AND 70-297 (Designing a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory and Network Infrastructure)

So you have to have a specific 2003 !! Exam even if you hold the EA:2008 AND this is a 2008 related certification - don't get it ... I highly doubt my manager will / would pay for it .. Although - you never know .. so far he paid so much money for my certs (starting with the Vmware course / hotel and certs) so I probably could get that too .. but serious ..

btw,

Here is the updated link :

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/master/

Requirements :

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/master/products/default.mspx#EKF

Price :

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/master/register/default.mspx


Considering the price of almost 20k bucks - the $125 NON-REFUNDABLE application is a joke .. so they could review thousands of applications and decline them without a reason and take $125 each in the process ...

dynamik

Kaminsky wrote:

Is it possibly an attempt to match the Cisco CCIE level of certification ? This is well known to be extremely rigourous, from rumours I have read, requiring written papers, inteviews and the monster of all practical exams.

Are you sure you're not thinking of the Architect designation? That's above the Master.

Gomjaba wrote:

What I don't understand is the requirement of ie MCITP: EA 2008 AND 70-297 (Designing a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory and Network Infrastructure)

So you have to have a specific 2003 !! Exam even if you hold the EA:2008 AND this is a 2008 related certification - don't get it ... I highly doubt my manager will / would pay for it .. Although - you never know .. so far he paid so much money for my certs (starting with the Vmware course / hotel and certs) so I probably could get that too .. but serious ..

If you're at the level where you're considering a Master-level cert in AD, you probably already have 297 or 219, or could at least pass 297 with your eyes closed. I don't think that's such an outrageous requirement.

Good luck if you decide to go for it. It'll be interesting to hear about your experience. I haven't seen anyone else going for it.

Gomjaba wrote:

Considering the price of almost 20k bucks - the $125 NON-REFUNDABLE application is a joke .. so they could review thousands of applications and decline them without a reason and take $125 each in the process ...

It's probably just to weed out the non-serious applicants. I don't think they're going to be getting enough applicants to make significant money off of them, and they're probably hand-reviewed by MS employees.

I still think Royal and HeroPsycho should go for the Exchange one

Kaminsky

Wow that price is extreme. I hope you get bed and board and the occasional lap dancer thrown in for that price.

One thing that niggles me is that once you get it, what will it give to the company you work for ? Will the candidate be likely to get an enhancement in their pay for completing it, especially as the company just forked out 20k to get them there ? If they don't, what's to keep them from upping sticks and moving to a new company for a very nice pay hike ?

Just what would the benefits be for the company footing the bill and would it be worth the price seeing as the candidate is probably already doing the job ?

royal

In 5-10 years, I'm going to take out a second mortgage to take my Masters Certification.

astorrs

Kaminsky wrote:

If they don't, what's to keep them from upping sticks and moving to a new company for a very nice pay hike ?

Probably a signed contract that agrees they will not leave the company for at least 2 years or they will have to pay back the cost of the training on a sliding scale - that's pretty common for training like that.

Kaminsky wrote:

Just what would the benefits be for the company footing the bill and would it be worth the price seeing as the candidate is probably already doing the job ?

The training is very advanced technically focused training, most people will come out of it knowing a heck of a lot more about AD/Exchange/or SQL (and they would have already known tons to have been accepted into the program). There is also an OCS one in the works.

blargoe

For first-class, large enterprise level consulting firms, it would affirm a certain level of expertise to a perspective customer.

Kasor

more money to go Bill Gate....