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Attention IT Professionals - Microsoft Has Updated its Vista , Office and Exchange Exams and Certifications

As part of its run-up to the release of theWindows Vistaoperating system in late January, Microsoft Learning has been preparing the certifications and exams that will be used with the new operating system. Microsoft is also planning to incorporate Vista into its existing series of credentials.

The new generation of Microsoft certifications consists of three series and four credentials, providing a simpler and more tightly targeted guideline for IT managers to use when validating the core skills of their employees and job candidates. This new structure also provides IT professionals with a more flexible, relevant and cost effective method to show off their skills.

The Technology Series certification is designed to allow IT professionals to target specific technologies and to distinguish themselves by demonstrating an in depth knowledge of those technologies. Microsoft Technology Specialists will be capable of implementing, building, debugging and troubleshooting a particular Microsoft technology.

The Microsoft Technology series will typically consist of one to three exams, and they will be focused around a key Microsoft product or technology. This series will not include job role skills and the certification track will be retired when the mainstream product support for that technology ends.

A total of seven Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist certifications will be offered. Those seven certifications are:

While the technology series is designed to provided a focus on a particular Microsoft technology, the professional series credentials have been designed to prove a comprehensive set of skills needed on the job. The skills include design, project management, planning and operations management. By validating such a comprehensive set of skills, these credentials are designed to give job candidates a way to prove their skills, and hiring managers a way to ensure that those candidates possess the skills they need.

The professional series certifications will typically consist of one to three exams and be focused on a particular job role. In addition these certifications will typically have one or more prerequisites taken from the technology series, and they will require periodic recertification, most likely every three years. Microsoft currently offers two sets of professional series credentials - the Microsoft Certified IT Professional and the Microsoft Certified Professional Developer.

The Microsoft Certified Architect (MCAD) Program is designed to identify the top industry experts in the IT architecture arena. These professionals will possess a minimum of 10 years of advanced experience in the IT industry, in addition to three or more years of experience as practicing IT architects. Candidates will also possess strong technical and managerial skills. Unlike many other certifications, this credential has been built and is granted by the architect community. Candidates for certification must pass a rigorous review by the Certified Architect Review Board, consisting of previously certified peer architects.

In order to align its certification programs with the new technology of the Vista operating system, Microsoft has updated the credentials and exams it provides to include Vista, Office and Exchange. Candidates will have a single exam path to the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) as well as two Vista related Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) certifications.

These certifications include:

  • MCITP - Enterprise support Technician. This certification requires the MCTS: Windows Vista, Configuration certification.
  • MCITP- Consumer Support Technician. This certification requires the MCTS: Windows Vista, Configuration certification.

There will also be a one exam upgrade path available to those who hold the Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) certification (Exam 70-621). In addition the MCTS: Windows Vista, Configuration certification (Exam 70-620) can be used as an elective for the MCSA or MCSE for Windows 2000 Professional or Windows Server 2003.

There will also be three developer and three IT professional Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certifications for the new Microsoft 2007 Office System.

The certification paths for developers, with one exam required for each certification include:

The following exams are available for Microsoft Exchange Server 2007:

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