What to do timing-wise about the MCITP: SA and Server 2012?

I have seven years in the field working for a consulting firm. I have my A+, Net+ and Security+. I have a good amount of experience with Exchange 2003-2010 and Server 2003, 2008 and 2K8 R2 (and the SBS varieties unfortunately) and AD.

I'm ready to tackle the monster known as MCITP but I'm concerned about starting now since the current certification and all the exams will expire next July 31st. I also know how the real-life industry works and know that Server 2K8 will be in production for years to come and a MCITP cert for 2K8 will be more valuable than 2012 even if the certs/exams are expiring (probably even moreso if there's the revolt against the Windows 8/Server 2012 GUI). The last thing I want to do is invest hundreds of hours on Server 2012 certs and have them be useless because the industry collectively decides to pass on Server 2012. In theory I imagine the perfect situation is bust my butt to get my MCITP for 2K8 and then take the few exams needed to upgrade myself to Server 2012 when the time is right.

I'll be doing all of the studying on my own so I doubt I'll be able to pass all of the current exams by next July since that's basically one every 4 months with no margin for error. Has anyone passed all the exams for the current cert in a calendar year? I believe I saw somewhere that self-studying will take about a year and a half to get all three exams under your belt. I'm single and have no kids so I can dedicate a ton of my free time to this endeavor. It's realistic to say I can dedicate 30 hours a week to this.

Thoughts? Advice? Thanks!

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Complete_IT_Professional

Hmm, that's a tough one. I just checked the Microsoft website and there isn't a lot of information in terms of prerequisites - I was thinking that the MCITP in Server 2008 might lead into the Server 2012 one.
If it was me, I would wait until the Server 2012 certification comes out - it seems like you have the experience in past versions of Server and this one may be used. There is a risk, as you said, that there is a revolt.
That's just my opinion, though!

kj0

Do you need the 2008 cert for your job? If you don't need it in the next 12 month (Unless it gets you promoted/higher paid). You might be better off going for 2012.

I am sort of wondering about this also, although, I have spent quite some time doing 60-740.

ptilsen

There are some clarifications in order.

MCITP: SA never expires. Once attained, the credential is held for life, barring any gross violations of the NDA and such. The title will no longer be attainable after July 2013. However, none of the prerequisite exams (70-640, 70-642, 70-646) are retiring in July 2013. The certification has effectively been renamed to MCSA: Windows Server 2008, and it will still be attainable into 2014, likely into 2015 or beyond. Anyone who has MCITP: SA or EA automatically receives MCSA 2008. The MCITP: EA exams (70-643 and 70-647, specifically) are retiring in July 2013, and after that the EA credential will no longer be attainable, nor will there be a Server 2008 R2-based equivalent exam. Finally, the MCSA 2008 credential can be upgraded to MCSA 2012 on a shorter path than starting from scratch.

Given this information, I do encourage you to pursue MCITP:SA/MCSA 2008. If you are able to complete it in time, you will get to use both titles, which, admittedly, serves only the purpose of getting past any foolish employers who value MCITP but not MCSA (there will be a few).

cjt20one

@ptilsen

Thanks for all that wonderful information, somehow I missed the whole part on the renaming the cert when scouring MS's website last night. Seemed a little odd that MS would nix anything related to Server 2008 this quickly. I feel much better now.

Thanks again!

On to 70-640 I go.....

ahphoto

I completely agree with this. I just acquired my trio of CompTIA certs (A+ Net+ Sec+), and am in the process of attacking MCITP: SA / MCSA 2008. Definitely worth it to me, not only because it's a part of my job, but also because there will still be 2008 servers out there for a while.

In comparison, Windows 7 has been around but how many times do you see Windows XP still? I've come across quite a few clients that still run it. I'm sure Server 2008 will not be an exception to that and will still be around for a few years.

ptilsen wrote: »

There are some clarifications in order.

MCITP: SA never expires. Once attained, the credential is held for life, barring any gross violations of the NDA and such. The title will no longer be attainable after July 2013. However, none of the prerequisite exams (70-640, 70-642, 70-646) are retiring in July 2013. The certification has effectively been renamed to MCSA: Windows Server 2008, and it will still be attainable into 2014, likely into 2015 or beyond. Anyone who has MCITP: SA or EA automatically receives MCSA 2008. The MCITP: EA exams (70-643 and 70-647, specifically) are retiring in July 2013, and after that the EA credential will no longer be attainable, nor will there be a Server 2008 R2-based equivalent exam. Finally, the MCSA 2008 credential can be upgraded to MCSA 2012 on a shorter path than starting from scratch.

Given this information, I do encourage you to pursue MCITP:SA/MCSA 2008. If you are able to complete it, you will get to use both titles, which, admittedly, serves only the purpose of getting past any foolish employers who value MCITP but not MCSA (there will be a few).

nosoup4u

Hi, I'm heading down this route and am taking my 70-640 in two weeks. Is there really any point to getting MCITP: EA over SA if they are both going to be the same MCSA 2008 tittle minus obviously the knowledge gained from studying and doing labs for the 643/647...

Also, is there any real point minus a love of pain for doing both SA/EA at this point?

Thanks

Dr IT

+1 for ahphoto

Server 2008 will still be around come 2013 and beyond and the certification exam will not retire after july 31 - 2013 - It is just that the Title will be changed to MCSA ( from the MCITP : SA )

As for the timeline ( i am preparing for the 642 myself and will post the good news once i pass it

soon ) i am pretty sure it is do able by July 31 next year . An exam every four months ( with 120+ hrs a month ) is definitely possible

Go for it but before you start off spend some time reading all the post from this forum ( this is what i did ) so that you know which areas you would need to focus and all the other info regarding your lab setup

Hoping to see the MCITP:SA / MCSA title Signature on your posts come June 2013

good luck

nosoup4u

So is SA the way to go now simply because of the new tracking from Microsoft and forget EA?

ptilsen

Yes. EA doesn't make sense for people not already invested in 70-643 or 70-647. It is a lot of work and a lot of risk to begin a track that will be unavailable in nine months that has two of the hardest server exams MS has ever released. MCSA 2008 (SA) will still be available, and has the same upgrade path to 2012 as EA.

nosoup4u

ptilsen wrote: »

Yes. EA doesn't make sense for people not already invested in 70-643 or 70-647. It is a lot of work and a lot of risk to begin a track that will be unavailable in nine months that has two of the hardest server exams MS has ever released. MCSA 2008 (SA) will still be available, and has the same upgrade path to 2012 as EA.

That would be awesome if it wasn't part of my curriculum at WGU lol........

ptilsen

WGU will have to change it. The exams retire in nine months. It won't even be possible to take.

Edit: WGU has already changed it. ND&M only requires 70-680, 70-640, and 70-642.

nosoup4u

Alright thanks ptilsen, I guess I'll get the low down in a few weeks because pdf still shows the 643, 647.

Lunchbocks

I say go for it. With your experience, you should be able to get the MCITP before next July with time to spare. The 640 is a rough exam, but your experience will probably cover more than 50% of testable materials.

discount81

Honestly you could do one per month, if you have the experience you just need to review the study material and learn what you don't know.

It is not that daunting I did MCITP in 4 months, and I was lazy about it, could of finished it up much quicker.

I think 1 year would be for someone with absolutely zero experience in Microsoft Server products.

In regards to EA vs SA, I believe if you have EA you can take 1 exam to become an MSCE

However if you are an SA, you take 1 exam to become an MCSA, and then need another 2 exams to be MCSE ?

to be honest though I'd just go for SA, do the rest of the 2012 exams to become MCSE rather than more 2K8 exams.

ptilsen

Discount, that is incorrect. EA has the exact same upgrade path to MCSE Server Infrastructure. Both SA and EA have a one-test path to MCSA 2012. EA does not fulfill any additional requirements.