The last twelve months in my certification world have been rather odd. First, Microsoft has terminated their Microsoft Certified SQL Server Master program, which caused a large uproar in the community. Enough has been said on this subject… 

Next, since the SQL Server platform is going through more frequent releases, the SQL Server certification requirements are no longer being held to each major release version. This is a good thing, as it keeps you current without overwhelming you with constantly studying for upgrade exams. It does force you to keep on top of the certification track, however, and that means constantly keeping up. I fully endorse this, as if you wish to pursue certifications, you should be keeping them current. It’s the price we pay for going down this path.

Now, VMware has changed their policy in a similar manner to Microsoft’s, effective starting March 10 of this year. It looks like you have to re-certify every two years or you lose your certification. Previously, you certified against a product release version, and it was yours for life.

At first glance, I was a bit off-put by this change. Re-certifying every two years is tough, especially when you have a large number of certifications to renew constantly. But after pondering this change for a bit, based on the last few vSphere releases, it appears that major versions are being released every two years. The certification blueprints indicate that the tests are updated with every product release.  It makes sense to force people to try to keep up with the product releases. After all, you do need a costly VMware-accredited course to obtain your VCP in the first place. Let’s maintain it and keep the value of the certification high.

So, if you have let your VCP or better certification lapse with the recent releases, you should consider attempting your upgrade exams soon!