Is MCITP; Virtualization Admin worth it at this point?

pwjohnston

So I haven't really been keeping up with the MS flipflop. I didn't even know they were going back to MCSE till about a month ago. I have one more test, the 70-693 for my MCITP: VA cert. Is it worth it at this point. My employer is paying for it so I guess that's a plus. Still I don't like the uncertainty. Do you guys think MS will just convert it over to MCSE: VA?

pumbaa_g

I was checking for some time regarding this and on the MS Blogs MS seem to be really quiet about the future of this Certification. Personally I dont think this will be carried forward to MCSE on Win2012 the reason is that 2012 brings separate tracks for Desktop and Server deployment both which include virtualization as core technologies.
The Virtualization Admin & EA dont seem to have any space in the new order of things as virtualization is a part of all the solutions.
The only advantage I see as of now of getting MCITP: VA will be the 70-659, this exam will count towards MCSE Private Cloud as well as MCSA 2008 This will be a bonus of sorts if you give MCITP VA and MCSE Private Cloud
I am working on my 659 as of now and to tell you the truth the material looks quite dated. Either way MCSE Private Cloud will have to be renewed every 3 years so doesnt make much difference next time I can cover System Center 2012

Zartanasaurus

It's not going to convert directly to an MCSE. The MCSE version of VA is Private Cloud.

If you have it, it counts as an MCSA: Server 2008. And by taking the 70-659 exam to get your MCITP:VA, that means you only need to take 70-246 to get your MCSE: PC.

ptilsen

It's definitely not worth starting, but since it's paid for you might as well finish it. I'm still planning (or, apparently, talking about planning) to finish my MCITP:EA just because I've studied for (and failed) 70-643, even though it will have no special upgrade path to any MCSE exam (same path as MCSA/MCITP:SA, despite being a much more difficult credential). VA, like the EA, will have standalone value (not a lot, but some) and never expire, so I don't view it as a waste of time for you.

pumbaa_g

Same here, I have studied for MCITP:EA but at the last moment switched plans to do MCITP:SA. The primary concern for me was the cost, I had completed 2 exams 640 & 642. I have completed studying for 70-643 but didnt give the exam (developed cold feet), prepared for and gave the 646 instead. This was to get the MCSA 2008 on the Resume.
One plus point was that the research done while studying for 643 came in handy in the 646 and now 659 exam. 643 has a huge amount of content that is worth a look into like IIS, Cluster & High Availability, VM's. I just wish it was structured a little better.
I am trying for the Private Cloud now but hoping to come back to EA sometime later.

MrAgent

Zartanasaurus wrote: »

It's not going to convert directly to an MCSE. The MCSE version of VA is Private Cloud.

If you have it, it counts as an MCSA: Server 2008. And by taking the 70-659 exam to get your MCITP:VA, that means you only need to take 70-246 to get your MCSE: PC.

I dont think that MCITP:VA counts as the MCSA requirement for MCSE Private Cloud. I am looking at MS's site and I dont see anything about it. I could be wrong.


Microsoft Private Cloud Overview

Zartanasaurus

MrAgent wrote: »

I dont think that MCITP:VA counts as the MCSA requirement for MCSE Private Cloud. I am looking at MS's site and I dont see anything about it. I could be wrong.


Microsoft Private Cloud Overview

You're right. I've been looking at the upgrade path to MCSA:2012 and been asssuming that all of the upgradeable certs counted as MCSA:2008. But only MCITP: EA/SA count as MCSA 2008.

fly2dw

ptilsen wrote: »

It's definitely not worth starting, but since it's paid for you might as well finish it. I'm still planning (or, apparently, talking about planning) to finish my MCITP:EA just because I've studied for (and failed) 70-643, even though it will have no special upgrade path to any MCSE exam (same path as MCSA/MCITP:SA, despite being a much more difficult credential). VA, like the EA, will have standalone value (not a lot, but some) and never expire, so I don't view it as a waste of time for you.

+1. You might as well do it for completion as you are only one away.

Besides if you move jobs to somewhere that requires Hyper-V knowledge this will no doubt help with agencies. It took them long enough to recognise MCITP as new MCSE 2003, but now they have to get their heads round the fact we are back to MCSE, so it could take a while and your MCITP:VA may stand out better for the time being. You may think this is a little exaggerated, however once an agency did not put my CV forward for a job because I had MCSE 2003 on there, and the guy told me that his client was looking for an MCP in server 2003 . Despite the fact I had detailed my entire exam path that I had taken to get the MCSE.

pumbaa_g

I have only one concern, its the same concern that I had while giving the 70-659 the material has not been updated. Essentially when you are studying for the exam you are working on Hyper V 2.0/Powershell 2 and System Center 2008 R2. If you are looking forward to working on Hyper V in the future then Hyper V 3.0 Powershell 3 and System Center 2012 will be the way to go.
Working on Hyper V 2 feels clunky at best, compared to that VMWare seems to be effortlessly intuitive however, this is not the same with System Center 2012 and Hyper V3. MS has done some pretty decent job on these
Personally I believe with the VMWare/MS war hotting up we may see enterprises going in for System Center 2012 or vSphere 5.1 directly for the ROI