MCITP SQL2005 Cert Problem
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Today I attended a Microsoft webcast on the certs available for SQL2005.
Beyond the first exam (70-431) three paths exist. They are Database Developer, Database Administrator and Business Intelligence developer. Each of these requires 2 additional exams. Here is the catch. If you complete the series of 3 exams for the Developer, DBA or BI certs, you will be required to re-test in 3 years or so. If you don't, your certs will expire. Micro$oft tried this a few years ago and caused a big ruckus.
My camper isn't happy.
When the snows fall and the white winds blow,The lone wolf dies but the pack survives.
Once you've accepted your flaws, no one can use them against you.
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I don't see any problem with recertifying periodically. It ensures that individuals still have the necessary and relevent skills for the certification.
As both a USSF and HSSO certified Referee, I have to recertify annually. Not an issue. It requires that I stay abreast of changes in FIFA Laws and interpretations so I may successfully complete my duties as a Soccer Official for Youth and High School soccer games.
Same is true as an IT Professional, recertifying should be a welcome change, not one to be feared or scorned.
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I agree with Lynn. Microsoft certifications have lost much of their value recently, and this is a good step toward making certification a legitimate barometer of one's skills. Though I don't look forward to dropping a few hundred bucks every few years, it should pay off through an increase in the marketability of those certs.
Tim Mitchell
TimMitchell.net | @tmitch.net | Tyleris.com
ETL Best Practices -
Continuing education is generally viewed as a viable method to maintain certification. Microsoft should already have much of the infrastructure required to support that model, rather than requiring repeated testing.
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There are so many changes in the platform and the services that a three-year timeout on the cert is quite valid, and only adds value to the cert. (Upgrade exams will be available; it's not like the cert just drops and you're back a t square 1.)
Compare MCDBA to MCITP: DBA... a fully-prepared, experienced DBA that can easily bag MCDBA - but has no SQL 2005 experience - will be guessing at a lot of questions when taking 70-447. If that MCDBA took advantage of the wealth of free training and beta software/trial software available for over a year before and months after the release of SQL Server 2005, then the re-cert would be more of a nuisance than the full cert-from-scratch exorcise. (note: I passed 4 of my 5 SQL 2005 exams in beta, and the fifth the week it became live.)
-Eddie
Eddie Wuerch
MCM: SQL -
I have a ton of Microsoft certs. In the past few years they haven't been nearly as well recieved as they were in the past. Lately I've begun to wonder If I'm even going to upgrade to 2005. I've been using it for a year and am sure I wouldn't have too much trouble with the exams, but I'm going for a masters in IT and am not sure the certs are worth the trouble.
AW
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I personally don't see a problem with expiration.
I've taken the Sql MCDBA tests (and passed) and I've also passed the MCTS: Sql 2005 and can say that the 2005 test was harder.
I've noticed that a lot of folks have been down on MS certs lately, and I agree that expiration (as well as more clearly defined exams) are the way to bring value back to the certs.
The reality is that this stuff is going to continue to change. To stay current I have to learn it anyways, so I might as well be doing the certs at the same time.
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I never had certification and it hasn't hindered me from any DBA positions. Is it really that valuable to have?
Actually the only time I lost out on a job wasn't due to certification but not having any Oracle knowledge.
Thanks!!!
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At the risk of being a contrarian, I see no value in expiring existing certifications. I think the certifications should merely be version specific. I'd challenge any recent SQL 2005 test passer (other than you old timers) to pass a SQL 6.5 exam, or better yet, to have to try and administer an upgrade from 6.5 to 7.0. Likewise if I'm running a company with old SQL 7 or 2000 installations with no desire/budget to upgrade to 2005, I want to know the person I'm interviewing has the skills I need, not skills with the latest whiz bang version of stuff.
This isn't just SQL either, as we have a lot of "legacy" VB 6 code in place.
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