12/18/2003 -- This week Citrix announced the official requirements to earn its upcoming Citrix Certified Internet Architect (CCIA) certification, as well as the availability of training for all the certification's exams.

As expected, the high-level credential it will feature a lab exam as well as two proctored exams. It will also require candidates to hold the company's Citrix Certified Administrator (CCA) and pass one of six approved Microsoft design exams.

The company originally announced the CCIA in February.

One of CCIA's proctored exams, Citrix Core Technologies and Architecture (# 610), is now live and available at Prometric testing centers worldwide. Karl Liebman, director or Citrix Corporate Education and Consulting, told CertCities.com Tuesday that the other proctored exam -- Citrix Design, Integration and Methodology (#611) -- is currently in beta and should debut within the first two months of 2004.

According to Liebman, the lab exam, Citrix Certified Integration Architect Lab (#612), is also in beta and will debut by the end of March. Liebman explained that the exam is more of a practicum than a strict lab -- it will feature essay-style questions as well as the hands-on assignments. When live, the lab will debut in U.S.-based Citrix offices, but worldwide availability is planned. Leibman said the price will be $1,000 (U.S.), although regional discounts may apply.

Liebman also commented that because CCIA already integrates coverage of Citrix's MetaFrame Access Suite, the additional requirements recently announced for Citrix's other certifications will not apply to this title.

More information on earning the CCIA can be found here. -Becky Nagel