May 19, 2012 at 11:30 am
Comments posted to this topic are about the item SQL Server 2012 Certifications Revamped
Brad M. McGehee
DBA
May 19, 2012 at 12:26 pm
I have been through numerous Microosft certifications over the years. It seems that Microsoft has this gigantic urge to revamp things all the time. There is value in stability. "MCSE" means something to a lot of people. Now that Microsoft has apparently realized this (and thus the mistake of creating MCITP), they have now created an identical acronym "MCSE" that means something different and just adds even more confusion. This all cheapens the value of these certifications. If hiring people do not understand these certs, how can they be expected to properly evaluate someone who has them???
In addition to more renaming, the certification effort for SQL 2012 is much more significant. At some point, people will just skip them. This also adds to the deteriorization of the perceived value. A straightforward upgrade from the 2008 certification organization/structure would have made far more sense and it would have been far more realistic as well as obtainable for typical database systems people.
May 21, 2012 at 12:13 am
I agree with wrboyer123 - will it even be possilbe to write upgrade exams for 2008 certificate holders?
May 21, 2012 at 2:32 am
At least I'll be a lot closer to remembering the acronym I'll be working towards now!
Not a huge fan of the course contents, however, it's like the first year in uni which makes you study a few subjects - it helps keep a person balanced
May 21, 2012 at 3:07 am
I just don't see why Data Warehousing *must* be a core exam for MSCA. Warehousing is a specific usage for SQL Server, why not concentrate on functionality/usage that spans any type of system being built using SQL Server? Having taken the beta exam for 463 I would not say this is a good indicator of someone's skills in implementing a DW solution, far from it.
May 21, 2012 at 6:45 am
This really gets frustrating. I feel like they constantly move the finish line. I've been a SQL Server professional for over a decade, and I have a Masters degree in MIS with a database focus, but passing these tests just seems like far more trouble than they're worth. They're not creating a scenario that measures the ability to effectively work with SQL Server, they're creating a scenario that measures the ability to pass a Microsoft Certification Exam.
May 21, 2012 at 7:32 am
I've been in IT and a database professional since 1984. Over the years, my career has progressed and each new job has been much better than the previous. Each time I changed (6 employers 5 changes) jobs it was a substantial advancement in position, salary, and benefits. These advancements were all based on my experience. I have no certifications. I completed my BSIT in 2006 and I completed my MBA in 2011.
So in nearly 30 years, it's been my experience that certifications mean nothing. I'm very happy that I didn't waste any time, money, or energy in the pursuit of meaningless designations.
To answer your question, I couldn't care less about these changes in the Microsoft certification process (aka waste of time).
May 21, 2012 at 8:12 am
Dave62 (5/21/2012)
I've been in IT and a database professional since 1984. Over the years, my career has progressed and each new job has been much better than the previous. Each time I changed (6 employers 5 changes) jobs it was a substantial advancement in position, salary, and benefits. These advancements were all based on my experience. I have no certifications. I completed my BSIT in 2006 and I completed my MBA in 2011.So in nearly 30 years, it's been my experience that certifications mean nothing. I'm very happy that I didn't waste any time, money, or energy in the pursuit of meaningless designations.
To answer your question, I couldn't care less about these changes in the Microsoft certification process (aka waste of time).
I agree, they are meaningless, particularly if someone can just braindump them. 😀
"Technology is a weird thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. ...:-D"
May 21, 2012 at 9:04 am
Whenever I meet anyone from microsoft who's talking about certifications, I challenge them to disprove the following statement: "Certification exams are so easy every kid from high school passes them". The reason is microsoft does not release the number of certified professionals anymore. Without this piece of information, certifications are worthless. I need to know the passing rate, and how many professionals exist, by location, for each certification.
May 21, 2012 at 11:04 am
A couple of comments: (1) MS needs to stick with one acronym for these certs and that's it , i.e:. MCSE, MCDBA in the first days of certs, then comes MCITP and, now MCSA and back MCSE.. Any hiring manager and professionals can get confused with these.. (2) Implementing Data Warehouses should not be on basic SQL Server cert. It should be on its own track under BI .. anyone with logical sense would agree with that.
May 21, 2012 at 11:18 am
Marco,
The reason they keep changing them all the time is because the main purpose of certifications is to continue to make money for the certifying body IMHO. 😀
"Technology is a weird thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. ...:-D"
May 21, 2012 at 12:36 pm
I've got some mixed feelings on this one.
The ever changing acronyms do confuse employers. I've met a few that think MCTS is higher level than MCITP. However they all know what MCSE is. So maybe that makes for an easier transition.
I like that the certs are becoming harder to attain. A basic SQL Server certification should IMHO cover administration, development, and basic BI. I like how the new certs take this into account. I do agree though that data warehousing is more a subset of BI and would better be served in a higher tier.
I do think however that at the MCSE level thats the place where one should be able carve out their niche (admin, dev, bi). In the lower tier the basics of all three are already covered.
That all being said, I do think this is a giant step forward.
May 21, 2012 at 2:41 pm
See, I've been prepping to take 70-448. I'm a BI Professional. I can write the heck out of queries and sp's and functions, etc. but I'm not a DBA or a Programmer and I'm never going to be one. But learning SSIS, SSAS, and SSRS in more depth than I've ever had to for my job has been a great experience.
But now, according to what this article says, it sounds like I'd have to pass all three of the so-called "basic" SQL tests before I could even take the BI one. If I were trying to get certified as a know-all-SQL-DBA expert then that makes sense. I had a plan to take 70-448, then tackle learning more of the Implementation and Maintenance with the goal of becoming an MCSA. Now it all seems so far out of reach, with three exams I'd have to pass that have nothing to do with my job, before I could even take the BI test? It just doesn't make sense to me.
May 21, 2012 at 3:39 pm
I don' t like this change neither. I think that stability is an important factor, and MS is not thinking that same... People need to set a goal to reach, but that goal is continuously moving.
May 21, 2012 at 5:53 pm
any update on MCDBA SQL 2005 and/or SQL 2008 Upgrade exam or policy to SQL 2012?
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