Confirmed dates re MCSA retirement

Guys sorry if this has been covered, but the reason I am posting is because of a plethora of conflicting information.I'm busy with the Windows 7 MCSA and would like to know when exactly the cert is retiring.

Somewhere on the Microsoft site it states that it is 30 Nov however some forum users reported that the cert will still be available as long as the exams are and others say that the cert is retiring January 2016, whilst the exams will still be around albeit for the Specialist cert.

Anyone managed to get hold of someone in the know? Any confirmed dates as to when will be the absolute last day for which one can earn the Windows 7 MCSA?

Thanks guys/gals!
Really appreciate your help on this.

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Comments

dxedave

mmbarton wrote: »

So I went ahead and rolled the dice and took (and passed) the 70-685 this morning. Unfortunately I am not seeing the MCSA certification in my Microsoft account. I am seeing MCITP for the test I took today, and MCP and MCTS for the 70-680 that I passed back in June. Anyone know if there is any chance the MCSA is going to appear or if I have any chance of Microsoft granting me an exception and giving me the MCSA?

Same here. I took the exam today and only got the MCITP. No MCSA in my transcript. I called support on the phone and they gave me the September retirement date and that being the reason for no MCSA. Doesn't make sense seeing others got it this month.

stryder144

Wow, that is odd. Seems rather arbitrary. I wish MS would get their act together and provide clear, hard dates for removal and not the general "fall" or "autumn" verbiage.

OctalDump

dxedave wrote: »

Same here. I took the exam today and only got the MCITP. No MCSA in my transcript. I called support on the phone and they gave me the September retirement date and that being the reason for no MCSA. Doesn't make sense seeing others got it this month.

I agree, it doesn't make any sense. It makes even less sense that they are keeping the MCITP but not the MCSA. When I passed earlier in November they both showed on the transcript within a couple hours of finishing the exam.

I've just checked again and it is still showing under "Active" on my transcript - Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate.

As of right now (about 2AM GMT, 1 Dec), the MCSA Windows 7 is still on the MS website, and is not yet on the withdrawn certifications list. In 6 more hours it will be 1 December in Seattle.

The Fall/Autumn withdrawal date means they could maybe kill it any time from Sept 23 to Dec 21. The MCSA Windows 8 page still says Autumn/Fall 2015, too.

mmbarton

I also contacted MCP support and the lady at first told me that MCITP was what I had but after checking with her supervisor she advised I would be receiving the MCSA within the next 24-48 hours and if it did not appear on my transcript to call back and they would make sure it was applied.

dxedave

mmbarton wrote: »

I also contacted MCP support and the lady at first told me that MCITP was what I had but after checking with her supervisor she advised I would be receiving the MCSA within the next 24-48 hours and if it did not appear on my transcript to call back and they would make sure it was applied.

Thanks for update. I'll check my transcript over the next couple days too. I'll post here if something shows up.

dxedave

This morning 2 certifications showed up but not MCSA yet. They are labeled as Microsoft Specialist, one for each (70-680 & 70-685)

OctalDump

dxedave wrote: »

This morning 2 certifications showed up but not MCSA yet. They are labeled as Microsoft Specialist, one for each (70-680 & 70-685)

Well, that is interesting. I didn't get a specialist designation for 685, as far as I am aware. This might mean that they have cut over to the new certifications.

Did you get the MCITP?

dxedave

OctalDump wrote: »

Well, that is interesting. I didn't get a specialist designation for 685, as far as I am aware. This might mean that they have cut over to the new certifications.

Did you get the MCITP?

Yes. So I got 3 new ones. The MCITP, and the 2 specialist.

OctalDump

dxedave wrote: »

Yes. So I got 3 new ones. The MCITP, and the 2 specialist.

Well, that's cool. Just means that you call it MCITP instead of MCSA. You are two exams from MCSA 2012, also. 70-686 and 70-417. Or 3 from MCSE: Enterprise Devices and Apps, 689, 695 + 696.

Raxephion

Just saw on Microsoft Learning that MCSA Windows 7 has officially retired. Listed under Windows Client.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-za/learning/retired-certifications.aspx

OctalDump

Raxephion wrote: »

Just saw on Microsoft Learning that MCSA Windows 7 has officially retired. Listed under Windows Client.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-za/learning/retired-certifications.aspx

MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Administrator isn't on that list yet. I guess that means that the 680+686 path is still an option.

If the MCITP Enterprise Desktop Support Technician is still available, then you can do the upgrade to MCSA Windows 8.

They've announced that MCSA Windows 8 will be available until 31 July, but the 689 and 692 upgrade exams will only be available until end of January. There is a one exam path upgrade to MCSA Windows 10, as well.

I am guessing that they didn't really want to retire MCSA.

There are options.

Raxephion

Indeed there are, and I am still on track, MCITP is good enough for now. So yeah, this should be interesting!

culpano

stryder144 wrote: »

I just passed the 685 exam today. When I got home from the test center and logged into my MS account, it showed that I had gained the MCSA designation.

Well done. You just made it in time !

DrewLazz

Could someone explain the logic behind retiring the MCSA for what is by all rights the standard enterprise platform currently (and very probably for the next few years)?

I'm just starting my cert path with MS after gaining my A+ and ITIL, but I see zero value in getting a Win10 MCSA when not a single company runs it.

UncleB

DrewLazz wrote: »

Could someone explain the logic behind retiring the MCSA for what is by all rights the standard enterprise platform currently (and very probably for the next few years)?

... I see zero value in getting a Win10 MCSA when not a single company runs it.

I see things quite differently here in the UK - I have just finished contracts in the private and public sector where I was developing a project to roll out Windows 10, so I see a lot of the user base upgrading over the next few months.

A lot of companies replace their computers on a 3 year rolling basis so know that anything new will have Win 10 support for hardware drivers and it is the nature of hardware suppliers to replace components regularly, so the same model of PC you use now, bought in 6 months will need even more work to find windows 7 drivers if they even exist.

Microsoft have a vested interest in getting you to buy a new version of the OS and the hardware manufacturers are also keen to make you buy new, so the overwhelming force of these players makes it ever more difficult to justify keeping old kit with an old operating system.

I think the vast majority of people who adopted Windows 10 early on have had positive experiences with it, certainly less than the win 7 to Win 8 upgrade fiasco, and it fits well with the likes of server 2012 and SCCM 2012 for management.

It is better in my opinion to get the latest version of the certs on the basis that if (probably when) your company moves out of the dark ages to the current OS then you have a chance to be in on the project and put these skills to good use and furthering your career at the same time. If you are happy doing the same as everyone else then stay on the soon-to-be obsolete track and play catch up in a few years.

That was a bit sarcastic but I hope you see the point

thanks
Iain

OctalDump

DrewLazz wrote: »

Could someone explain the logic behind retiring the MCSA for what is by all rights the standard enterprise platform currently (and very probably for the next few years)?

I'm just starting my cert path with MS after gaining my A+ and ITIL, but I see zero value in getting a Win10 MCSA when not a single company runs it.

The exams are still active, you just end up with a different cert. I think the MCITP Enterprise Desktop Support Technician on Windows 7, and Enterprise Desktop Administrator on Windows 7 are both active, along with the Specialist certifications for each exam, and the MCTS for 70-680 Windows 7, Configuring. So, if you do the three exams you'll end up with maybe 6 certifications. It's just that none is MCSA.

The upgrade to MCSA Windows 8 is still available if you have 70-680 and 70-685 or 686. If you have 70-686, you can also upgrade to MCSA Server 2012.

culpano

I have just started work on a major rollout at a large NHS hospital in Yorkshire.

We are rolling out Windows 7 to 1600 PCs.

Windows 7 is still respected 7 years after it's release.

With regards the MCSA certification it should not have been retired.

Ridiculous decision.