During the past week, Microsoft has finally announced its 2013 certificates for Exchange, SharePoint and Lync products. Microsoft branded them respectively as MCSE Messaging, MCSE SharePoint and MCSE Communications. Yes, they were announced as part of the reinvented MCSE program, which is a drastic change from the way things were for the past 4 years with the MCITP certificate.
Before understanding the specifics of this change, make sure you have a general idea about how the MCSE and MCSA have changed.
What is extremely important about this new announcement is that all those three new MCSEs require MCSA. Window Server 2012 is now a prerequisite; a change that to say the least is debatable. This article does not aim to discuss the details of the three new certificates, but to shed a light on the implications of this change.
Read More: 5 Ways Microsoft Succeeds With the New MCSE
Let’s Recap
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MCSA stands for Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate. It validates the core technical skills needed to have a career in a Microsoft centered IT infrastructure. The MCSA that covers skills relevant to multiple MCSE certificates is the MCSA: Windows Server 2012, which is composed of three exams covering installing, configuring, administrating and the advanced services of Windows server 2012 like Failover Clustering, Disaster Recovery, File Services, etc.
MCSE stands for Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert. Microsoft claims that “The new certifications align to real world solutions rather than specific products,” and “are designed to recognize IT professionals who can design and build solutions across multiple technologies, both on-premises and in the cloud.”
Almost all MCSEs require the three exams: MCSA in Windows Server as an initiation ritual, with the exception of MCSE SQL 2012, which requires the three exams for MCSA SQL 2012 certification. To reach any MCSE statues you will need to do another two exams above the MCSA in the area where you wish to be a solution expert in:
- Messaging:
MCSA + Exam 70-341 Core Solutions Exchange Server 2013 + Exam 70-342 Advanced Solutions Exchange Server 2013 - Communication:
MCSA + Exam 70-336 Core Solutions Lync Server 2013 + Exam 70-337 Enterprise Voice & Online Services Lync Server 2013 - SharePoint:
MCSA + Exam 70-331 Core Solutions SharePoint Server 2013 + Exam 70-332 Advanced Solutions SharePoint Server 2013 - Desktop Infrastructure:
MCSA + Exam 70-415 Implementing Desktop Infrastructure +
Exam 70-416 Implementing Desktop Application Environments - Server Infrastructure:
MCSA + Exam 70-413 Designing & Implementing Server Infrastructure + Exam 70-414 Implementing Advanced Server Infrastructure - Private Cloud:
MCSA + Exam 70-246 Monitoring & Operating Private Cloud w/ System Center 2012 + Exam 70-247 Configuring & Deploying Private Cloud w/ System Center 2012
Everything Gets Simplified
For the past 4 years, Microsoft was preparing nice, creative, colorful diagrams showing the certification paths available for each area, each in its own PDF file with the different alternatives, and each was unique.
Now they are all look the same: the first step you need to take is completing the three exams and becoming a MCSA (usually in Server 2012). From there you will need two additional specialized exams in your solution of choice.
Certifications Gain Clearer Value
MCITPs used to come in all shapes and sizes. Few MCITPs, like the Enterprise Admin, required five exams to achieve. Many, like the Server Admin, required three and some were achievable after passing only two exams like the SharePoint 2010 and Exchange 2010 MCITPs!
Now you know that a MCSE holder has passed five hard exams to achieve this title, three of which cover the basics while the other two are more focused on a solution design specifics.
IMHO
Exchange, Lync and SharePoint are strongly dependent on active directory. For example, Exchange needs a global catalog, universal groups, and active directory to route Internet messages between sites (all of which are active directory concepts). It is also no secret that Exchange and Lync are heavily dependent on DNS and other windows Network Services like clustering, load balancing, etc. One cannot be a true solution expert in any of those advanced technologies without a strong background in the underlying Windows infrastructure.
The same applies to SharePoint, Private Cloud, Server infrastructure and even Desktop Infrastructure. The desktop infrastructure exams are all about servers that facilitates the management and deployment of desktops and their applications like images, Remote Desktop Services (RDS) and application virtualization. The idea, put simply: Solutions are composed of services and to offer services you need servers. Therefore, you need to master the servers to provide well-rounded IT solutions.
The Seeming Disadvantages of this Change
It may seem that Microsoft has positioned the MCSA as the entry level to its certification pyramid. But, three hard exams can hardly be considered “entry level.”
Microsoft states that by passing any one exam, you will become part of the Microsoft Certified Program. This gives you access to the private MCP site where you can view your transcript and progress toward certification. However, the MCP logo does not show in what area you have achieved that title for a good reason. Each of the three exams composing the MCSA are not very useful without the other two. They are designed as part of whole and do not represent much standing on their own.
This misconception is even more enforced by Microsoft’s announcement that MCTS (Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist) certifications are no longer in development. However, there are new entry-level certificates coming.
Microsoft MTA Program
Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) exams will be available to everyone (i.e., they won’t be limited to academic students and faculty) by the end of 2012. There are MTA certificates that cover technology fundamentals in areas of IT infrastructure, Windows operating systems, networking security, software development, and database administration knowledge.
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If you are looking for the best place to take your first step in your IT career and would like to start with the fundamentals then check our well-prepared MTA training packages.
Conclusion
The reinvented MCSEs are much simpler than the confusing MCITPs, with much clearer value. It resembles the original MCSE (Microsoft Certified System Engineer) in having a common core and specialization based on elective exams like the MCSE + Messaging and MCSE + Security of the past. Yet, it is much simpler and well thought out than the original MCSE, as the original MCSE had much annoying overlap between many of its exam.
The MCITP certificates are scheduled to be discontinued after July 31, 2014, and there should be no new development in MCTS certificates. On the other hand, the MTA certificate is rising as the new Microsoft entry-level certificate, and it has great potential to fill the gap effectively.