Take an Exam, get TechNet Plus
It was mentioned recently in a guest editorial, and it bears repeating: TechNet Plus is a great subscription for testing your own software.
And now you can get a free year subscription of this by taking a certification exam and buying exam insurance. With the price of an exam at $125 and insurance running $45 for me (on top of the $125 for the exam), this seems like a good deal. TechNet is $350, so it's a nice savings, plus get I get two chances to pass an exam. Or I get to take two exams for $260 if I pass on the first try.
I've written about certifications (Certification Should Be Required, Certification Thoughts) as have others (Getting Certified, Hiring a DBA, etc.). It's a bit of a quandary in getting certified. On one hand it doesn't necessarily prove anything in the real world. The tests don't do a great job in stressing Real World skills, but at the same time they do allow you to prove that you know something about the product. And much of the time you need to study other areas outside those you use to be sure you're prepared.
The whole certification process is getting a little better with the new exams from MS, but it has a long way to go. However it's still a useful way to beef up your resume if you have experience.
I've passed the 441, 443, and 444 exams and just need the 70-431, needed for the MCTS: SQL Server 2005, and I'll have my MCITP: Database Administrator. It doesn't really help my career at this point, but I've gotten this far, so I'd like to complete the certification. Plus if I pass on the first try and I go for my with 25% off the 70-442 exam 🙂
If you're considering certifying on SQL Server 2005, this is a great offer and not only do you get a free Technet subscription, you also get some motivation to get to work!