Upgrading to MCSE 2012.

dhenderson · June 2012

Hi

I am currently aiming for the MCITP: Enterprise Administrator on Server 2008. Ive done the 70-640 and ive got the 70-642 exam the following week so im around half way through (ish).

As MS have decided to mess around with certifications i just wanted to clarify that this is right (bear with me here)?

Microsoft to discontinue MCITP : Server Administrator and MCITP: Enterprise Administrator on July 31, 2013 (ie. No more MCTS 2008 exams)

To upgrade:

MCSA on 2008 automatically granted when you get the MCITP: EA (which you need to upgrade to 2012)

Need to pass 70-417 (MCSA 2012 exam), 70-413 and 70-414 to get the MCSE: Server Infrastructure on 2012 (which is the equivalent of the MCITP: EA?)

If your still with me after all that, you still have to recertify every three years on the 2012 track and you have until July 31, 2014 to pass the upgrade exams before they are discotinued.

My point, is there any point in going for the MCITP: EA apart from the upgrade? Will there still be a market for professionals on 2008?

Dracula28 · June 2012

Yes, I am pretty sure there will be. I have for the past year installed several new Server 2003 domain controllers (upgraded the old Win2K ones to 2003) for a company. So if there is still a market for new Server 2003 DCs in 2012, then surely there will be a market for 2008 for a while too. Speaking of which, for another company I have swapped 2003 DCs with new 2008 DCs (non R2).

Now, when these DCs start to make problems, then obviously they will need someone to fix them, which again means, there is market still for 2003, and definitely 2008(R2). Just last week I had to reinstall Sever 2003 on a DC, because of a disk crash.

Companies are not so quick to jump from one OS to the next, thats more meant for the (private) consumers. Organisations are more interested in making money, and if their employees can still get their job done with XP clients running on 2003 servers, then they don't see the need to upgrade. Because upgrading the OS costs money and is time consuming, which will decrease their productivity, at leat for a while. Organistaions are all about getting things done efficiently and making money. The companies that have just made the jump from XP/2003 to 7/2008(R2), won't be making the jump to 8/Server2012, just like that, unless they find it necessary. To be more honest, I am more worried about organisations going away from the windows platform (due to the crappy Metro UI).

I am currently working on 640 myself, and will then take 642 and 646 to complete MCSA 2008. Probably won't go for MCITP: EA but thats due to time constraints, hard to study when you are married and have a full time job.

MeanDrunkR2D2 · June 2012

My plans late last year was to get the MCITP: EA. That's changed now a few times after I passed the 70-680 exam. After the first news came out about the MCSA 2008 and that the MCITP EA and SA will get you that certification, I had a hard time convincing myself to go the EA route as it's more tests than the SA and would just pick up the MCSA, then go for the MCSE after that.

Now, since I'm just 1 cert short of getting the MCITP: EDA, which is upgradeable to the MCSA 2012 with the 417 test, and then only 2 more exams to get MCSE, I'll going that route and for the time being will not worry about the MCSA 2008.

Slowhand · June 2012

No, you're not quite understanding it right. Microsoft isn't discontinuing MCITP: Enterprise Administrator, and they're 'retiring' MCITP: Server Administrator in that they're permanently changing the name to MCSA: Windows Server 2008.

Here are a couple of points from the Certification Overview page on Microsoft.com:

Q. How do these changes impact my existing Microsoft Certifications?
A. The existing MCTS, MCITP, and MCPD certifications are currently valuable in the market and will remain valuable as long as companies are using the technology covered in your certification. As new technologies are released, they will be released in the new solutions structure. Over time, the MCTS, MCITP, and MCPD certifications will retire and will transition to a legacy status. Legacy Microsoft Certifications will still appear on your transcript and will be designated as such.

Q. Will I be able to earn an MCTS for passing exams that count towards the MCSA: Windows Server 2008 certification?
A. You will continue to earn an MCTS for passing Exams 70-640 and 70-642 until April 2013. Until April 2013, when you earn an MCSA: Windows Server 2008 certification, you will also receive the MCITP: Server Administrator certification. After April 2013, the MCITP: Server Administrator certification will be discontinued.

Q. How long will I be able to earn a Microsoft Certified System Engineer, Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP), Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS), or Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD) certification?
A. When new Expert-level and Associate-level certifications are announced for a technology, the retirement dates for the older certifications in that technology will also be announced. Upgrade paths will be available from MCITP and MCPD certifications, so that you can easily make the transition to the MCSE.

The wording is a little bit odd on the site, since they're talking about the 70-640 and 70-642 exams and their MCTS status as well, but the Windows 2008 generation of exams aren't going away altogether. As for 70-640 and 70-642, they've not been announced as retiring, and judging by this quote from the MCTS FAQ page, they're probably not going away until Windows Server 2008 does, unless Microsoft decides to introduce new exams for MCSA 2008:

Q. How long will my certification be valid?

A. Today, most of our Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS), Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP), and Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD) exams retire when Microsoft discontinues mainstream support for the related technology. The certification will still appear on your transcript but will be listed in an inactive section with an expiration date. In most cases, an upgrade path, which allows candidates to earn the certification with fewer exams, will be available for individuals who hold the certification on the previous version of the technology.

The legacy Microsoft Certifications, such as Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) and Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA), currently do not expire, but some may no longer be awarded because all exams are retired or because Microsoft has ended extended support for the technology. In most cases, individuals who hold the certification on the previous version of the technology can earn the certification on the next version of the technology through an upgrade path.
To maintain the relevance and value of our certifications and ensure that candidates possess up-to-date skills on technologies that are constantly changing, recertification may be necessary for some certifications. In these cases, the certification will remain valid as long as the candidate continues to recertify at appropriate intervals.

Note that Microsoft reserves the right to retire exams and certifications as well as change our recertification policy at any time.

Keep your eye on the Exams Scheduled for Retirement page for announcements about any exams that are being discontinued. They haven't gone up as far as March of 2013 yet, but if any MCTS exams are being taken out of circulation then, that'll be the first place to look.

Slowhand · June 2012

Well, it looks like I spoke too soon, I was mistaken. It looks like the Windows Server 2008 certs, along with all the Windows 7 certs, are retiring on March 31st of 2013: MCITP (Microsoft Certified IT Professional) | Training Courses for IT Professionals

Chances are, they'll be replacing the MCITP: SA with some new exams for MCSA: Windows Server 2008, but we'll just have to wait and see what happens at this point.

jfmcaninch · June 2012

That is weird retiring MCITP certs before Windows 2003 is discontinued. So you can have MCSA 2003 and equivalent in 2012 or MCSE 2003 and MCSEx on 2012 for example and there is nothing for 2008? How is anyone suppose to apply for positions with Server 2008 after July 2013? Yes, HR I have MCSE on 2003 and 2012, which means surely I can support Windows 2008. I plan on finishing my MCITP:EA before July of next year, but there is a glaring hole with the 2008 certifications that surely must be addressed.

Slowhand · June 2012

As I mentioned before, what Microsoft is talking about is continuing to offer MCSA: Windows Server 2008 after March 31st of 2013. They're probably more interested in doing away with the MCITP title, than they are in getting rid of Windows Server 2008 itself.

jfmcaninch · June 2012

Stumbled upon a day old Born to Learn blog outlining new MCSE Certification paths:

New MCSE Certifications for Windows Server 2012 - Born to Learn - Born To Learn - Born to Learn.

Just a shame in that the premier certification for Windows 2008 will be MCSA after July 31, 2013. Why did they have to change the 2008 track? I still plan on getting my four tests done before July 2013 on the 2008 track even if MS downgrades it.

esims7120 · March 2013

Slowhand wrote: »

Well, it looks like I spoke too soon, I was mistaken. It looks like the Windows Server 2008 certs, along with all the Windows 7 certs, are retiring on March 31st of 2013: MCITP (Microsoft Certified IT Professional) | Training Courses for IT Professionals

Chances are, they'll be replacing the MCITP: SA with some new exams for MCSA: Windows Server 2008, but we'll just have to wait and see what happens at this point.

The MCITP certifications for windows 7 (680, 685 and 686) will not expire until January 31st, 2014.
The MCITP certifications for server administrator on 2008 (640, 642 and 646) do not currently have an expiration date. By passing all 3 of these exams you will acquire the MCSA for windows 2008.
The MCITP certifications for enterprise administrator on 2008 (643 and 647) will retire on July 31st, 2013.

Upgrading to MCSE 2012.

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