Benefits of Microsoft Certification

Information Technology is a rapidly changing industry with constant changes
in software technology. The IT industry is very volatile and demands very high
quality of professionals. Preferably those who are internationally certified by
I.T. Giants like, Microsoft Corp.



The adoption and use of new technology by the industry has led to continous
change in manpower requirements. As a result, a professional needs to update
regularly, to keep their skill sets industry-relevant. To keep up with the
changing requirements of the Software Development Industry, an IT
professionals/job-seeker should not only be aware of and gain knowledge of new
products, but should also get Certified by the Industry Leaders on their
products.



Some employers require or prefer certain
MCP, MCTS,
MCPD,
MCITP certifications for specific jobs
that involve Microsoft products and technologies. Other vendors have their own
certification programs.



Microsoft Certified Professional- MCP refers to the broad certification program
for Microsoft, although in previous generations it also referred to an
individual candidate who had completed any one exam within the program (subject
to some exclusions).



The MCP program offers multiple certifications, based on different areas of
technical expertise. To attain these certifications, a candidate must pass a
series of exams within the program. Some of the current certifications are
Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist -MCTS (.Net 2.0), Microsoft Certified
Professional Developer- MCPD (.Net 2.0),
Microsoft Certified I T Professional - MCITP (MS SQL 2005).



The Benefits of Microsoft Certification Courses



1. Industry recognition of your knowledge and proficiency



2. Logos and certificates to identify your MCP, MCTS, MCPD, MCITP status



3. Access to an exclusive MCP, MCTS, MCPD, MCITP member Web site



4. Exclusive discounts on products and services



5. Access to career-related tools



6. Invitations to conferences, training sessions, and special events



If you would like to know more about Microsoft Certifications please contact me
at Testkingdom.com

Windows Server 2008 - Investing in it Careers

With the establishment of Windows Server 2008 there is quite a stir brewing
in the IT melting pot, both in overall industry demand and amongst already
certified professionals as well as yet to be certified IT professionals. The
demand for adept and adaptable IT professionals is greater than ever as the
highly progressive industry is generating calls of 'Windows Server 2008
certification' that can be heard loud and clear on domestic and international
soil. And it's no wonder that this is the current, blasting turn of events. With
analyst projections for the total amount of Windows Server 2008 deployments
hitting the 3.5 million mark (as estimated by IDC, a global analyst firm) within
it's first year the need for certified Server 2008 professionals will be
roaring.



Getting Certified The Investment-Worthy, Microsoft Way



In the IT industry getting certified isn't enough anymore - there's a bit more
involved. You need to be certified with the most desired type of certification
and under the right, most marketable company. And what better company than
Microsoft could any prospective IT professional pick? Really, not too many. Not
only will you gain the name with being certified under Microsoft, but you will
also acquire what you deserve most - acknowledgment and a return from your IT
career investment.



Get Noticed and Demonstrate Your Knowledge



There is no doubt that being a Microsoft certified professional will gain you
some attention. Especially, if you are already a Microsoft certified
professional and seek to upgrade your stance in the industry with Windows Server
2008, you will be an asset to the IT industry, one many will be willing to hire
or pay even more for their knowledge. And having certification in the new 2008
server is just a way for you display your comprehension of the newly attached
2008 features: virtualization capabilities, security improvements, Web tools and
management utilities.



By having these new pieces of knowledge in your possession you will project a
sense of confidence in your ability to operate, design, evaluate and maintain
Server 2008.



New, Differentiating Windows Sever
Certifications



There are two types of 2008 certifications. There are MCTS (Microsoft Certified
Technology Specialist) and MCITP (Microsoft Certified IT Professional)
certifications. The former certification is designed to demonstrate in-depth
technology skills whereas the latter is used to provide a fresh face to the
skill sets of industry leading professionals.



The MCTS certifications authorize an
individuals skills within particular features and functions of targeted
technological brackets in Windows Server 2008 operations; the intent here is to
feature the depth of specific gained knowledge. To show the varying depths MCTS
certifications come in 3 varieties for the Server 2008 operating system: the
Active Directory Configuration, Network Infrastructure Configuration and
Applications Infrastructure Configuration. Now, the
MCITP certifications are more so
credentials for those who desire to present themselves as excelling, real-world
IT professionals in the technological working world. And there are options here
as well - representative to two types of job roles, there are the Server
Administrator and Enterprise Administrator certifications available for
bettering already gained industry-leading professional skills.



For a more thorough overview of which Server 2008 Microsoft certification would
be best for you simply do a bit of research - it'll be worthwhile both in terms
of time and in investing to better your IT career.

Microsoft Certification: The New MCTS Tracks And Exams

Microsoft is revamping its certification tracks, and will eventually retire
the familiar MCITP certifications. The
new certification setup is much like Cisco's, where there are specialist
certifications to go along with the more general CCNA, then mid-level
certifications such as the CCNP, and then a more-advanced practical exam modeled
somewhat after the coveted CCIE certification.



Microsoft's new specialist exams are the Microsoft Certified Technology
Specialist (MCTS) exams. As of March 2006, there were five separate MCTS Tracks.
Three of them deal with .NET Framework 2.0; these are the Web Application,
Windows Applications, and Distributed Applications certifications. Each of these
separate certifications requires the candidate to pass two exams. There is also
a one-exam SQL Server 2005 certification, as well as a BizTalk Server 2006
single-exam certification.



The initial question is "Why is Microsoft doing this?" According to their
website, MS feels that IT hiring managers today have a tough time deciding which
computer certifications best identify job candidates who best meet their needs.
I know it's easy to take verbal shots at Microsoft (it'll be an Olympic sport
one day), but this new series of certs does have appeal for hiring managers,
which can only help qualified candidates. Instead of the more-general MCSE,
which does still suffer from the over certification of NT 4.0 MCSEs back in the
day, these more-specific certifications will make it easier for the job
candidate to prove that they can do the job - and easier for the hiring manager
to make an informed decision.



Microsoft hasn't announced the track that will eventually replace the MCSE, but
this track will be revealed with the next client-server Windows release. It's up
to you to stay informed of these changes, so I recommend you visit Microsoft's
certification website often. "I didn't know" isn't much help once a
certification expires!



Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of over
100 free certification exam tutorials, including Cisco CCNA certification test
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