MCSA: Windows Server 2016 Path

There have been several new Windows Server 2016 courses added to the Microsoft Learning IT Training page, release dates between mid-late September:

This appears to be shaping the certification path requirements for MCSA Windows Server 2016:

Candidates starting from scratch will require passing of x3 exams: 70-740, 70-741 & 70-742.
Candidates upgrading from MCSA Windows Server 2012 will require passing of x1 exam: 70-743

The Microsoft Certification exam list page has yet to show these exam outlines, will keep a close watch..

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Slowhand

I understand Microsoft's reasoning for wanting to make the MCSE-level certs renewable, it's the renewals that gave the likes of Cisco a good reputation in the past; the same reasoning was used when VMware decided to make their certs expire and need to be renewed, as opposed to simply upgraded from release to release.

That being said, it made so much more sense for each MCSA/MCSE (and later, MCITP,) to track to a specific technology. Even with the advent of the R2 updates, things don't really change that much for a single version of Windows Server over the course of it's lifetime. If you got your MCSA 2012 certification when Windows Server 2012 RTM came out, those skills and that knowledge still serves you well today, the only changes were a few updates that Microsoft didn't consider impacting enough to make a whole new version out of. It's really only when a new platform comes out, (look at the jump from the Windows Server 2003 to 2008, and the jump from 2012 to 2016,) when you need to update your skills.

I'd love to see Microsoft go back to the methodology they had with the MCITP certs. The idea was that you took a certain number of MCTS exams, which focused on specific technology, along with one or two PRO exams which focused on design and management. The plan they had for upgrades was that the PRO exams were broad in scope, and you just needed to take newer versions of the MCTS exams to upgrade yourself to the latest MCITP. The way you can think of it is like this: if you took the MCSA 2012 and then did MCSE: Server Infrastructure, you'd just need to take the upgrade exam for MCSA 2016 to be current on both certs, since the MCSA is meant to be technology-specific and the MCSE is more about architecting, management, and design.

alokin123

so i sat the upgrade exam today. Man i wish i had studied some more! Anyone who has there server 2012 certs and brushes up on the new stuff in server 2016 should find this exam reasonable. I have been out of the game for too long so i reckon i have failed this one.

I got bombarded with ipam questions. For such a crappy product MS really targeted my exam anyway.

I would recommend brushing up on the new stuff in:

- ipam
- ADFS
- Hyper-v
- Clustering

An know obscure powershell commands to do with the above. Dissapointed that i hardly got anything on nano.

Also, it wasn't broken up into 3 sections like past upgrade exams have been. There was 10 question section where once answered you couldn't go back but after that it was just a straight up exam.

Piers

Cool, thanks for the review. Good luck to you!

I wish I had been able to get a seat, I just finished my 2012 MCSA in April, so it's all still relatively fresh

alokin123

there was also a tonne of standard DNS questions.

If it get my act together i will post some good video links for server 2016 viewing.

alokin123

Didnt these video links used to display much nicer?

Feature Comparison:Attachment not found.

W2016.pdf

Blackzer0

I was preparing for 70-410 and I saw now 2016 is available. I am thinking to start preparing for 2016 rather than 2012 is it a good idea or bad?

Micronewb

Blackzer0 wrote: »

I was preparing for 70-410 and I saw now 2016 is available. I am thinking to start preparing for 2016 rather than 2012 is it a good idea or bad?

Great question! I too wonder when 2012 will be taken down.

MeanDrunkR2D2

It won't be removed anytime soon. Companies are still migrating to 2012 and won't jump to 2016 immediately. This exam will be relevant for the next few years at the least. Get 2012 now and then do the upgrade exam to 2016 later.

Slowhand

Considering that the 2008 exams are being retired next year, nearly a full decade after they launched, I wouldn't worry too much about the 2012 path going away any time soon.

emmanwike

Can you tech me on windows server 2016 path..

wseyller

I having been studying on and off for 70-410 and now I'm have been in full gear to get one test under my belt. Then I see 2016 exam coming soon and I wonder if I should just do the 70-740. So it seams they change the layout of what you need to know for the exam. So now I would need to study clustering which I haven't spent too much time on. Then you have need features such as nano and containers that I would still need to learn. Now I'm just thinking to stay with 2012 R2 and then upgrade later. I'm about ready to take the plunge but if I go the 2016 route I have to learn different stuff and the training material is not as highly available as 2012 R2 material is now.

joeswfc

wseyller wrote: »

I having been studying on and off for 70-410 and now I'm have been in full gear to get one test under my belt. Then I see 2016 exam coming soon and I wonder if I should just do the 70-740. So it seams they change the layout of what you need to know for the exam. So now I would need to study clustering which I haven't spent too much time on. Then you have need features such as nano and containers that I would still need to learn. Now I'm just thinking to stay with 2012 R2 and then upgrade later. I'm about ready to take the plunge but if I go the 2016 route I have to learn different stuff and the training material is not as highly available as 2012 R2 material is now.

I would stick to the 2012 exams, I imagine it will benefit you more on the job than 2016 would as 2012 is already out there being used by a lot of companies.
Then upgrade to 2016 doing 1 more exam and you are qualified in both... Doing just 2016 would take 3 exams for 1 technology, whereas 2012 then 2016 would take 4 exams.

Also, like you said, there is more information on 2012 out there.

AndersonSmith

wseyller wrote: »

I having been studying on and off for 70-410 and now I'm have been in full gear to get one test under my belt. Then I see 2016 exam coming soon and I wonder if I should just do the 70-740. So it seams they change the layout of what you need to know for the exam. So now I would need to study clustering which I haven't spent too much time on. Then you have need features such as nano and containers that I would still need to learn. Now I'm just thinking to stay with 2012 R2 and then upgrade later. I'm about ready to take the plunge but if I go the 2016 route I have to learn different stuff and the training material is not as highly available as 2012 R2 material is now.

If you've been studying for the 2012 I'd just stay on that path and upgrade to 2016 later. 2012 will still be relevant for quite some time and after you upgrade to 2016 you'll have both certs for your resume! Good luck!

niles312

Well at long last it appears that the beta testing period for Exam 70-743: Upgrading Your Skills to MCSA: Windows Server 2016 is complete.
First published 22 July 2016, it took just a little over 3 months.

Looking forward to hearing some good news from those that have taken the exam earlier & will be receiving their score reports.

Piers

Add Exam 744: Securing Windows Server 2016 to the track

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/exam-70-744.aspx)

alokin123

Got my beta results and I somehow managed to pass with 764. Not the best score but a pass is a pass. I have to say this exam was a lot easier than the MCSA 2012 exam. The fact that they don't break it down into sections where you cant go back any more should make it a lot easier for you guys looking to update. Good luck!

fchirara

Assist me I had already booked for 70-410, 411 and 412 advise should I cancel and proceed with the new courses.

fchirara

Which is the best practice test engine to use 70-410 -414

Arkrain

Beta testing period for Exam 70-740 has finished.

Lappy

All of 74x exams became live today

Smilymarco

Still no results from the betas though

Arkrain

Today i have my score for the 70-740 beta, with a score of 731, but a pass is a pass.
I am happy!!

Smilymarco

Same here... 731... but a pass is a pass

crazyirish

Does anyone know if there are any good practice exams for 70-740? I just got through the class and I need to hit the practice exams before I sit for the test. Thx!

Arkrain

Arkrain wrote: »

Today i have my score for the 70-740 beta, with a score of 731, but a pass is a pass.
I am happy!!

Today I have the score for 741 and 742 and pass with 731 and 762, I am waiting to update the microsoft site with MCSA 2016 in next days.

Lappy

Passed 741 with 772, 742 with 855 and 744 with 840 (all of these exams was beta). Unbeliveable. I didn't expect such high scores

Lappy

Lappy wrote: »

Passed 741 with 772, 742 with 855 and 744 with 840 (all of these exams was beta). Unbeliveable. I didn't expect such high scores

passed 740 today with 928

Arkrain

Has anyone updated the results of the 70-741 or 70-742 beta exams in the Microsoft transcript?

Lappy

Arkrain wrote: »

Has anyone updated the results of the 70-741 or 70-742 beta exams in the Microsoft transcript?

edited: 02/20 still no updates for MS transcript

Arkrain

20 days later they updated the result and transcript.