Exchange 2010 Exams in Development

[Claymoore]

From the MS Exchange Team Blog:
You Had Me At EHLO... : Want to help shape the upcoming Exchange 2010 MCP exams?

Looks like I will finish my 2007 MCITP just in time to upgrade.

[dynamik]

Looks like I will finish my 2007 MCITP just in time to upgrade.

That's how I felt about my MCSE. Oh well, at least I should be all caught up once these new ones go live.

Thanks for the link.

Edit: Nice comment on that article, Claymoore! I totally agree. Only two exams with no upgrade seems like a weird course of action.

[Tyrant1919]

I just ordered my 70-237/238 books too :^(. They better offer an upgrade option!

[dynamik]

Check the comments. He said they aren't since there's only going to be one TS and one Pro exam. That's when Claymoore laid the smack down

[Tyrant1919]

Their logic is flawed. There's only one TS and one Pro exam for EST. Yet they offer an upgrade exam for that.

[TravR1]

I have not even learned 2007 and they will be upgrading again. I am a slow, lazy bastard.

[astorrs]

Check the comments. He said they aren't since there's only going to be one TS and one Pro exam. That's when Claymoore laid the smack down

I'll need to re-read it but I was under the impression that they were going to ask you to just pass the TS level exam since there will be relatively few changes with design & delivery in Exch2010 compared to the Exch2007 versions.

[dynamik]

I'll need to re-read it but I was under the impression that they were going to ask you to just pass the TS level exam since there will be relatively few changes with design & delivery in Exch2010 compared to the Exch2007 versions.

Normally there would be an upgrade exam to cover the TS material plus the new Pro exam. But with such a short track it didn’t make sense to make an upgrade when there is only one TS exam. i.e. you take one upgrade exam or you take a TS exam – either way you’re taking one exam.

He makes it sounds like the TS upgrade exams only "upgrade" the TS exams in the track, and you will always have to take the Pro exams in addition to the upgrade. Therefore it would be redundant to have an upgrade exam when there's only one TS exam anyway. This is how the MCITP: SA and EA are setup (although the EST and various DB MCITPs are not). It seems like they're still working out the kinks with these new certs; there's not a lot of consistency.

[blargoe]

I better get on the stick then. I still have to pass the two pro exams for 2007, and I'm pretty sure my company is going to want 2010 pretty soon after it hits the shelf.

[Claymoore]

He makes it sounds like the TS upgrade exams only "upgrade" the TS exams in the track, and you will always have to take the Pro exams in addition to the upgrade. Therefore it would be redundant to have an upgrade exam when there's only one TS exam anyway. This is how the MCITP: SA and EA are setup (although the EST and various DB MCITPs are not). It seems like they're still working out the kinks with these new certs; there's not a lot of consistency.

That was how I read it too, that there wasn't going to be an upgrade path because it was just one test for the MCTS or MCITP. So, as a soon-to-be MCITP:EMA, would I need to take 1 test to update my MCITP or 1 test to update my MCTS AND 1 test to update my MCITP?

My other point was that only 2 exams for an MCITP in Exchange 2010 isn't enough, and that 4 exams were needed to cover the material in depth. Is 2010 so much less complicated than 2007 that we can eliminate an exam? I like that Database Availability Groups have replaced the SCC/LCR/CCR/SCR kluge, but as far as I can tell that is the only thing that has been simplified. Forget about those of us who already have 1 or more Exchange cert - this will be the first Exchange exam series many people take. With the improved ability to segregate administrative duties into recepient/server/organization roles, doesn't it make sense to have exams that focus on those roles? Wasn't that the whole point behind the change to the MCTS/MCITP exam configuration? Besides, would you rather study for and take 4 exams of 50 questions each or 2 exams of 100 questions each?

BTW, every time I say DAG I want to pronounce it with the Brad Pitt Pikey accent from Snatch. I just can't help it.

[Jordus]

Im ok with 2 tests but not if they are 100 questions a piece.

Ive never done much with exchange (installed 2003 once and got it worked in a very small sense of the word)

i plan to learn it after i finish the MCITP: EA, so at that point 2010 will be the natural selection to learn. (May learn SQL first, but i doubt it)

If its 2x100 question tests then yeah, they should break it down into 3 or so. But not if the sole purpose is to give prior certified people a windfall like 70-649 is (3 tests in one)

[royal]

4 exams (3 would be better IMO) would be fine as long as there is a proper upgrade path (1/2 exam upgrade.) If I have to sit 4 exams, I would be VERY unhappy.