4/2/2019 Microsoft Certification Guide: Overview and Career Paths

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Microsoft Certification Guide: Overview and Career Paths

By Ed Tittel and Mary Kyle January 24, 2019 11:29 am EST
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Microsoft is best known for its Windows operating systems and Office software.
But the company has a much broader product portfolio that includes online
services (Bing, MSN, advertising), gaming (Xbox 360), hardware (tablets, PCs,
keyboards and mice) and more. The company also has a sizable certification
program that turns out qualified administrators and technicians to support its
system and application products.

Achieving IT certifications through the Microsoft Certification Program shows a

person's competence in a specific IT role, and it can result in all kinds of work-
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4/2/2019 Microsoft Certification Guide: Overview and Career Paths

related and personal benefits. For example, studies show that IT certifications
increase the chances of landing a job (or getting a promotion), and over 80
percent of hiring managers report IT certifications are medium to high priority
in hiring decisions.

Microsoft certification program overview

Currently, the Microsoft Certification Program is divided into seven main

categories:

Cloud Platform and Infrastructure: This category encompasses business intelligence, Windows
Server 2016, Microsoft Azure, machine learning, cloud data platform solutions, data analytics and
big data, software-defined data centers, server infrastructures, private and hybrid clouds,
DevOps, and more. This is the "new mainstream" for Microsoft certification.
Mobility: This category is for end-user and desktop topics, including Windows 10, desktop and
enterprise applications, working with System Center Configuration Manager and Intune, and
planning for and managing devices in an enterprise setting.

Data Management and Analytics: This arena now incorporates machine learning, business
intelligence, business applications, and data management and analytics, along with Microsoft SQL
Server 2016 and other Microsoft database technologies. Database development is also important
and includes working with Transact-SQL and developing SQL databases. Business applications
include extensive coverage of Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Dynamics AX. Data
management and analytics cover a range of topics, including cloud data platform solutions, big data
analytics solutions, database solutions, implementing data models and reports, and various aspects
of business intelligence solutions.

Productivity: This category brings the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) credentials together with
those related to Microsoft productivity offerings, such as Exchange Server, SharePoint Server and
Skype for Business, as well as Office 365 identities, requirements and services.
App Builder: This is a development-oriented category that covers the ins and outs of using
Microsoft solutions and platforms to build compatible software. Topics in this category include
architecting, designing, testing and building solutions around Azure, programming in HTML5 with
JavaScript and CSS3, developing ASP.NET MVC Web apps, managing development throughout the
entire software lifecycle, and more

Business Applications: This category focuses on Microsoft Dynamics 365 platforms and
technologies, including Dynamics 365 for Sales, Customer Service, Marketing, Distribution and Trade,
Trade, financial management (Finance and Operations), Retail, Talent, and Field Service and other
focused applications.

Core Infrastructure: Core Infrastructure focuses on virtualization, storage, networking, system

management, identity management, and modern data centers.

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Certifications within the Microsoft Certification Program include the following

credentials:

Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA)

Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA)

Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE)

Microsoft Solutions Developer (MCSD)

Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS)

After you pass your first qualifying Microsoft certification exam, you are deemed
a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP). MCP status provides access to a
benefits and exams dashboard, with certificates and transcripts, downloadable
certification logos, promotional offers and lots more. You also get the MCP
designation on your Microsoft transcript. It's important to understand that only
the MCSA, MCSD and MCSE qualify as MCP certifications. Neither MTA nor MOS
certifications qualify for MCP status, and none of those exams are prerequisites
for MCSA, MCSE or MCSD certifications.

In addition to the certifications outlined above, Microsoft offers its MCT:

Microsoft Certified Trainer and MCE: Microsoft Certified Educator credentials to
those interested in teaching others about Microsoft technologies and products.

Microsoft recently released a new set of role-based certifications focused on

Azure and Microsoft 365 developers, administrators, and solution architects.

Microsoft Cloud certifications

The Microsoft Cloud certification track includes MTA and MCSA credentials.
Within the MTA program, there is one relevant certification: Cloud
Fundamentals. To earn the MTA: Cloud Fundamentals credentials, candidates
must pass a single exam that validates knowledge and skills using basic
Microsoft cloud services. Candidates should have experience using firewalls,
network ports, Office 365, network topologies and devices, and Microsoft Intune.

The MCSA Cloud track includes BI Reporting, SQL 2016 BI Development certs,
Windows Server 2012, and Windows Server 2016 credentials. The Windows
Server certifications require three exams each while BI Reporting and SQL 2016
BI Development require only two exams.
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Microsoft Mobility certifications

The Microsoft Mobility certification track includes MTA, MCSA and MCSE
certifications. The MTA program has just one relevant certification – MTA:
Mobility and Device Fundamentals. —The MTA: Mobility and Device
Fundamentals certification is earned by passing a single exam that attests to a
candidate's knowledge of mobility and Windows devices. Candidates should
possess practical experience with Active Directory, Windows devices, Windows-
based networking, network topologies and ports, firewalls, and antimalware
products.

MCSA: Windows 10 is the only MCSA Mobility track credential available. Earning
the MCSA: Windows 10 requires passing two exams.

The remaining credential in this track is the MCSE: Mobility. This requires
earning the MCSA: Windows 10 plus passing one more exam, from a list of two
possibilities that deal with Windows desktops and enterprise applications, or
administering System Center Configuration Manager and Cloud Services
Integration.

Both the MCSA: Mobility and MCSE: Mobility credentials retire on March 31,
2019. If earned prior to the retirement date, the credentials will continue to
show as "active" certifications on your transcript. The MCSA: Windows 10 will be
replaced by a new role-based credential – the Microsoft Certified: Modern
Desktop Administrator Associate. Two exams are required to earn this credential.
At present, no announcement has been made regarding whether the Modern
Desktop Administrator Associate credential will become a prereq to the MCSE:
Mobility. There's a lot of ongoing ferment in MS certification programs right
now. We expect 2019 to see major changes in MS's cert programs and offerings.
Next year's update should be a big one!

Microsoft Data certifications

Microsoft's Data certification track includes the MTA, MCSA and MCSE. (To see
the Data track, go to the Microsoft Certification page and click Data from the
Category dropdown menu.) The MTA program requires one exam on database
fundamentals. There are six certifications in the MCSA Data track– namely, Data
Engineering with Azure, Machine Learning, SQL 2016 BI Development, SQL 2016
Database Administration, SQL 2016 Database Development, and SQL Server

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4/2/2019 Microsoft Certification Guide: Overview and Career Paths

2012/2014. All certs require two exams except for SQL Server 2012/2014, which
requires three. The Data Engineering with Azure and Machine Learning
certifications both retire on June 30, 2019.   

The MCSE Data category includes a single certification, the MCSE: Data
Management and Analytics.

The prerequisite MCSAs that qualify for MCSE: Data Management and Analytics
are SQL Server 2012/2014, SQL 2016 Database Administration, Database
Development, BI Development, Machine Learning, BI Reporting, or Data
Engineering with Azure. One additional exam from a list of 13 possibilities must
be passed to earn this credential. Topics covered include cloud data platform
solutions, big data analytics solutions, developing or designing SQL Server
databases, implementing data models and reports, designing business
intelligence solutions, implementing a data warehouse, developing SQL data
models, analyzing big data with Microsoft R, cloud data science with Azure
machine learning, data engineering with Azure HDInsight, and implementing
with Azure Cosmos DB solutions.

Microsoft Productivity certifications

Certifications in the Microsoft Productivity category vary widely, from proving

competency in using a single Office product to managing Office 365 services
and user login credentials. This track is also fairly large; it includes an MCSA
and MCSE certification as well as Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) offerings.

The MCSA Productivity track includes a single certification – the MCSA: Office
365. Two exams are required to obtain the credential. This credential is targeted
to retire on Mach 30, 2019. The MCSE: Productivity certification requires
candidates possess either the MCSA Office 365, Windows Server 2012, or
Windows Server 2016 credential as a prerequisite. Candidates must also pass
one additional exam, from a list of eight possibilities. Topics covered include
Exchange Server, SharePoint Server and Skype for Business, for multiple
versions of these platforms.  

Microsoft offers a MOS Office 2016 certification for each Office application
(Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, and Outlook). Office 2013 credentials
are still available, but unless you have a specific reason for achieving them,
focus on Office 2016.

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The MOS 2016 Expert certification identifies individuals with advanced Office
skills and requires candidates to pass two exams. The MOS 2016 Master
certification is the pinnacle of the MOS Certification Program and requires
successful completion of six exams.

Microsoft App Builder certifications

The Microsoft Developer certification path includes MTA, MCSA and MCSD
certifications. The MTA program recognizes individuals who are entry-level
software developers. The certification requires candidates to pass one of five
exams. Possible topics include software development fundamentals, HTML5 app
development fundamentals, and intro to programming using block-based
languages, Python or JavaScript, and using HTML and CSS.

There are two credentials in the Microsoft App Builder MSCA track. The MCSA:
Universal Windows Platform (UWP) credential prepares candidates to tackle
professional development projects. They must pass two exams, one on
programming in C#, the other on developing mobile apps. The MCSA: Web
Applications credential prepares candidates for building web-based
applications. They must pass two exams, one of which is required while
candidates may choose from two possibilities for the second exam. All
candidates must take the exam relating to developing ASP.NET MVC Web
applications. Topics for the second exam include programming in HTML5 with
JavaScript and CSS3 or programming in C#.

The MCSD Developer track consists of the MCSD: App Builder certification. It
requires earning either the MSCA: Web Applications or MCSA: UWP as its
prerequisite, followed by your choice of one exam from a list of five possible
options. Topics covered in include architecting and developing Azure solutions,
developing Azure and web services, developing mobile apps, programming in
HTML5 with JavaScript and CSS3, programming in C#, developing ASP.NET MVC
Web apps, or developing MS Azure and Web services.

Microsoft Business Applications certifications

The Microsoft Business Applications certifications include MCSA and MCSE

certifications. There are two MCSA options: MCSA: Microsoft Dynamics 365 and
MCSA: Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Operations. Each requires passing two
exams. The plain vanilla Dynamics 365 certification draws from a list of two

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4/2/2019 Microsoft Certification Guide: Overview and Career Paths

exams, both of which are needed to meet its requirements. One exam covers
Dynamics 365 customer engagement online deployment, while the other covers
Dynamics 365 customization and configuration. The MCSA: Microsoft Dynamics
365 credential retires on April 30, 2019.

The Dynamics 365 for Operations draws from a list of three exams, one of which
is required while candidates may choose the topic for the second exam. Topics
covered include administering a Microsoft SQL database infrastructure,
provisioning SQL databases, and development, extensions and deployment for
Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations (required).

The MSCE: Business Applications credential is the sole MCSE item for this
certification track. It takes either of the Microsoft Dynamics MCSAs covered in
the preceding paragraph as its prerequisite, then requires candidates to pass
another exam drawn from a list of eight possibilities. Topics covered include
Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales, customer service, marketing, distribution and
trade, trade, financial management (finance and operations), retail, talent, and
field service.

Core Infrastructure

Microsoft offers a single credential focused on core infrastructure – MCSE: Core

Infrastructure. The MCSE: Core Infrastructure certification validates a candidate's
knowledge and skills related to data centers, virtualization, systems
management, storage, networking and identity management. The credential
requires either the MCSA: Windows Server 2016 or MCSA: Windows Server 2012
as a prerequisite. In addition to the MCSA, candidates must pass a single exam
from seven topics. Exam topics include designing and implementing Cloud Data
Platform solutions, designing and implementing Big Data Analytics solutions,
securing Windows Server 2016, implementing software-defined datacenters,
designing and implementing server infrastructures, implementing advanced
server infrastructures, and configuring and operating a hybrid cloud with
Microsoft Azure Stack.

Microsoft Trainer and Educator certifications

MCT: Microsoft Certified Trainer

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Folks who teach others about Microsoft technologies and products should
consider (and are often required to have) the Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT)
certification. The MCT can be obtained by submitting an application to Microsoft
that proves that you hold a current Microsoft certification, one year of
instruction experience (supporting reference required), plus verifiable
instructional skills in the form of an acceptable instructor certification (such as
CompTIA CTT+, Microsoft Certified Trainer Instructional Skills Certification (MCT-
ISC) or IAMCT Approved Technical Trainer).

To renew, credential holders must possess at least one current Microsoft

credential, meet the minimum instruction requirements of teaching at least one
class, and maintain a Metrics that Matter quality score of at least seven. (Check
the MCT website for a list of qualifying certifications and instructor
certifications.)

As an MCT, you have access to the MCP benefits and exams dashboard, prep kits,
the MCT community, Microsoft Online Labs and much more.

MCE: Microsoft Certified Educator

The Microsoft Certified Educator (MCE) credential is aimed at educators in

academia, such as colleges, universities and training facilities. To become an
MCE, you must demonstrate technology literacy by passing at least one exam.

The literacy competency is mapped to the UNESCO ITC Competency Framework

for Teachers, Technology Literacy and includes education policy, curriculum and
assessment, pedagogy, ICT/technology tools, organization and administration,
and professional development.

Related jobs and careers

IT professionals who earn Microsoft certification often receive extra recognition

from hiring and supervising managers, and enjoy improved on-the-job success
and promotion opportunities. Companies that negotiate large volume purchase
or subscription agreements with Microsoft (or its partner resellers) often include
funding for official curriculum training and Microsoft certification exam
vouchers as part of what's covered therein.

Here are how the various Microsoft certification areas shake out, job- and
career-wise:
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A Microsoft Cloud certification is ideal for the IT professional who designs, deploys, configures
and/or manages a Windows Server environment, stand-alone or cloud-based, which may include
various desktops and devices. Folks who achieve this type of certification work as systems
administrators, systems analysts, technical specialists (often with a platform focus such as SQL
Server, Skype for Business or Exchange Server), and the like.
A Microsoft Mobility certification is designed for those who deploy, configure and/or manage a
Windows desktop environment and related devices, whether on-premises or in the cloud. IT
professionals with this type of certification usually fill positions such as help desk technicians,
support personnel and systems administrators, to name a few.

Of late, Microsoft Productivity credentials have been gathering interest, coverage and
momentum. People who pursue these certifications work with key Windows platforms such as Office,
Office 365 and Microsoft Dynamics 365, which covers CRM, ERP and more. They are usually
responsible for making sure that rank-and-file employees are able to work effectively and
productively, and that technology provides a boost to the bottom line.
Microsoft Data certifications cover a lot of ground. Database design, creation and maintenance
are particularly important to organizations today, considering that data storage is key to most
business computing, and nearly every website is supported by one or more databases running in the
background. A database administrator is in charge of all kinds of database-related functions, from
development to storage and retrieval, troubleshooting and security. Now, Microsoft's database
coverage also integrates business intelligence and big data/data analytics components, too, so IT
professionals interested in these subject matters will find a lot to chase down and learn here.
Microsoft App Builder certifications aim at application and mobile app developers who use
programming languages and source code to create software. A developer may work independently
or, more often, with a team, to develop, prototype, deploy, test, and modify applications for
computers and many types of electronic devices. This certification portfolio also includes
development for Microsoft's cloud-based Azure environment and for software lifecycle management
as well.
Microsoft Business Applications certifications aim at those involved with back-office, line of
business systems and applications built around Microsoft Dynamics 365 (including the "for
operations" version of that platform). This credential aims at those who upgrade, configure, and
customize such systems as well as those who develop custom applications for specific, proprietary
uses in-house or on behalf of clients. Such professionals also support customized configurations for
various organizational units, including sales, field service, retail operations, finance, distribution and
trade and more.
Trainers (MCTs) and educators (MCEs) also play a vital role in the Microsoft ecosystem as well.
MCTs populate the front lines of key training for IT professionals across all of its platforms, tools and
technologies with an emphasis on cultivating workplace readiness and imparting skills and
knowledge suitable for on-the-job deployment. Arguably, MCEs are even more important, by helping
students at all levels of education – primary, secondary and beyond – to understand and make the
most of Microsoft tools, technologies, platforms, and development environments.

Training and certification preparation materials

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Microsoft offers training to candidates directly, both in the classroom and

online. The company's Microsoft Virtual Academy (MVA) is a great place to start
poking around: it offers a huge range of free training courses, many of them at
least relevant to various certification topics if not directly focused on such
topics.

There's also a huge aftermarket for Microsoft training, self-study and

certification preparation. Pearson operates Microsoft Press on Microsoft's behalf,
where you can find self-study guides for all the popular Microsoft cert exams
(and many of the not-so-popular exams as well). Pearson's IT Certification
imprint (online at PearsonITCertification.com) also offers study guides, exam
crams (a series I invented), practice tests, video training materials and much
more for Microsoft certification candidates. Wiley/Sybex and Osborne/McGraw-
Hill also offer certification focused imprints, book series and generally provide
good coverage of major cert topics as well, also including most popular
Microsoft certifications and related exams. Pearson's mindhub online store also
offers "official" practice tests approved by Microsoft.

There's a wealth of excellent material available to help candidates prepare. Look

to online and peer reviews, study groups and rating sites to separate the wheat
from the chaff.

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