In the world of information technology, you must learn to adapt and be part of what is new and what will be “useful” in the near future. This is the reason certification providers update and change their certifications; to help them stay relevant to what is happening in the real world. Hence, we see major certifications being retired now and then.
Changes coming ahead
In the next six months and beyond, there are some well-known certifications due to be retired, mainly because they’re no longer considered as suited for real-world IT problems. You’ve probably heard about most of these before, but it’s often easy to ignore this sort of news until it’s time to get certified. It’s hard keeping track of where everything stands in the cert world, so I hope this check-in helps.
Cisco redesigns CCNA Certifications
Although Cisco terms it as a “redesign,” people pursuing CCNA Routing and Switching, CCNA Security, CCNA SP Operations, CCNA Wireless, CCNA Voice and CCDA should still take note of the changes.
For one, CCENT certification is now a pre-requisite for more advanced exams, besides the CCNA. The move has made it easier for candidates to get advanced level certifications. For example, those who are aiming for the following exams will now only need to pass two examinations.
The Cisco exams that will no longer be offered after September 30, 2013 are:
- 640-802 CCNA
- 640-822 ICND1
- 640-816 ICND2
Cisco says that the redesign helps make certifications up-to-date with real job roles of today and in the immediate future.
The newly redesigned exams will cover more troubleshooting subjects, IPv6 technology and other newer technologies. It was also updated to reflect how routers and switches from Cisco are currently used.
Furthermore, those who are aiming for CCDA will need a CCENT certification after September 30, 2013.
Cisco Retires CCIE Storage Networking Certification
Cisco has retired the CCIE Storage Networking Certification, wherein written exams for the certification are expired starting May 1, 2013. Consequently, lab exams will stop after June 30, 2013. No new certifications will be offered starting on July 1, 2013.
The CCIE Storage Networking Certification validates your expertise in storage area networks (SAN). However, over the years, IT networking has become narrower and narrower, and thus the certification no longer reflects what has happened in the data center. Cisco is retiring this exam to focus on broader data center solutions.
Cisco recommends that people who are unable to get a CCIE Storage Networking certification pursue a CCIE Data Center or Data Center Specialist certification instead.
Microsoft is retiring Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP)
The Microsoft Certified IT Professional or MCITP validates your skills, knowledge and experience in your job. You need a MCITP certification if you are performing as a database administrator, messaging administrator, server administrator, database developer, and other job roles using Microsoft technology.
All MCITP certifications will no longer be available by July 31, 2014, with a bulk of them expiring by July 31, 2013.
Retiring certifications:
- MCITP certifications on Windows 7: January 31, 2014
- MCITP certifications on Windows Vista: July 31, 2013
- Windows Server: July 31, 2013
- Microsoft SQL Server: July 31, 2013
- Enterprise Messaging Administrator on Exchange 2010: Retirement date TBA
- SharePoint Administrator 2010: Retirement date TBA
- Lync Server Administrator 2010: July 31, 2013
These certifications are being retired because the company has newer versions of the software and organizations are expected to adopt these new versions along the way. While MCITP will stay on your transcript as a legacy certification, it would not be as valuable as it was.
Fortunately, if you are working towards a MCITP certification or have a MCITP designation, you can upgrade to a Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert or MCSE certification.
Additionally, Microsoft is also retiring the following exams:
Retiring Project Server exams:
- Exam 70-177: TS: Microsoft Project Server 2010, Configuring
- Exam 70-178: Pro: Microsoft Project 2010, Managing Projects
Retiring System Center exams:
- Exam 70-400: TS: Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007, Configuring
- Exam 70-401: TS: Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007, Configuring
- Exam 70-658: TS: System Center Data Protection Manager 2007, Configuring
Retiring Microsoft virtualization exams:
- Exam 70-659: TS: Windows Server 2008 R2, Server Virtualization
- Exam 70-669: TS: Windows Server 2008 R2, Desktop Virtualization
- Exam 70-693: Pro: Windows Server 2008 R2, Virtualization Administrator
Note: Visual Studio exams will have two exams for Windows Embedded 2007 retire on July 31, 2013 and two exams for Windows Embedded 2009 retire on July 31, 2014. Also, a Windows Phone exam will be reitred.
- Exam 70-571: TS: Microsoft Windows Embedded CE 6.0 Application Development
- Exam 70-181: TS: Windows Embedded Compact 7
- Exam 70-577: TS: Microsoft Windows Embedded Standard 2009, Development
- Exam 70-582: TS: Windows Embedded Standard 7 for Developers
- Exam 70-599: Pro: Designing and Developing Windows Phone Applications
Oracle retires several exams and certification paths
In March 2013, Oracle also announced that it would be retiring a couple of certification paths and exams by July 31, 2013. Oracle explains that those who hold the affected certifications need not worry, as their credentials would remain valid. However, those who are yet to complete the soon-to-be-retired exams would need to take the updated ones starting August 1, 2013.
Retiring exams:
- 1Z0-007 Introduction to Oracle9i: SQL
- 1Z0-031 Oracle9i Database: Fundamentals I
- 1Z0-032 Oracle9i Database: Fundamentals II
Retiring certifications:
- Oracle Application Server 10g Administrator: Certified Professional
- Oracle9i Database Administrator Certified Associate
- Oracle9i Database Administrator Certified Professional
The complete lists of all exams and certification paths that are to be retired are on Oracle’s certification page. All will expire on July 31st. Take note that Oracle will continue to administer 1Z0-141 and 1Z0-147, despite announcing that these two exams will be discontinued after July 31, 2013.
These are just some certifications and exams that are set to be retired. Expect more to come in the coming months as many providers are still considering and revising some of their outdated solutions.
If you’re looking to further your skills in either of these areas, check out TrainSignal’s training on Server 2012 Hyper-V and Cisco CCNA. Sign up for a 3-day free trial to get access to these courses and many more!