The other shoe drops: Upcoming changes for database, developer credentials unveiled

At Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference 2005 in Minneapolis over the weekend of July 9, group project manager Al Valvano of Microsoft Learning finally sketched out planned changes to the company's certification program in light of the upcoming November releases of Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and Visual Studio .NET 2005. Essentially, what surfaces from Valvano's presentation is that there is a more fully fleshed out vision for where the whole Microsoft certification apparatus is headed, as the company gears up for the forthcoming Longhorn platform releases in 2006 (desktop) and 2007 (server).

The Microsoft Certified Architect credential announced earlier this year emerges as the capstone in a new, three-tiered certification ladder or sequence that looks something like this:

While details still remain somewhat sketchy, more news should be coming soon simply because November is only four months away. What we discovered in the wake of Valvano's presentation is the following:

Following the release of Longhorn, similar developments for Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST), Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MC

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SE) holders are planned but have yet to be disclosed. An upgrade path will be announced when sufficient information is available, but with Longhorn's release more than a year away, that probably won't be for some time yet.

There are several interesting and encouraging signs in this newly minted approach to Microsoft certification. Regular or periodic recertification for second- and third-tier certs is not only in keeping with most other major cert programs, but it also reflects a sensitivity to currency that certified professionals and the organizations that hire them can appreciate.

Increasing the focus on job roles and key technologies in the middle tier also is in keeping with developing the right kinds of professional skills and specialties. Further developments and announcements should start coming thick and fast after the summer is over and will be interesting to observe and analyze.

Ed Tittel is a full-time freelance writer, trainer and consultant who specializes in certification and training, information security, markup languages and networking topics. He writes for numerous TechTarget Web sites, is technology editor for Certification Magazine, and writes an e-mail newsletter for CramSession called Must Know News. He has written or contributed to many computer books; his latest is The PC Magazine Guide to Fighting Spyware, Viruses, and Malware (Wiley Publishing). E-mail Tittel at etittel@certmag.com.