CertCities.com | News: Microsoft Considering Desktop, Security Certs

Judith Morel, Strategic Certification Programs, Microsoft's Training and Certification Group, said during an interview yesterday at CompTIA's 2002 Strategies conference in Chicago that Microsoft is researching a separate desktop support title that would focus on XP technologies. According to Morel, the impetus for the research was the result of a worldwide Job Task Analysis survey of MCPs worldwide. "What we learned is that MCSAs and MCSEs don't function too much on the desktop," she said.

Morel explained that by desktop she's referring to exam 70-270, which focuses on Windows XP, as opposed to the rest of the MCSE and MCSA .NET track exams, which cover .NET Server technologies. "We need to do further analysis around how much of the desktop information really needs to be in here [the MCSA and MCSE titles]," she continued, "or does that need to be communicated to a different audience that we're not currently serving?"

Morel said the survey also showed immense interest in security, and that the program is now considering a security-specific certification, the possibility of which the program denied back in January. "We're still formulating plans...we definitely have proposals in the works to create more MOC security courseware, [now] we need to determine how we're going to respond to that courseware in terms of exam activity."

A Microsoft security title could be tied to CompTIA's upcoming entry-level Security+ certification. According to both Microsoft and CompTIA, Microsoft announced at a pre-conference session Tuesday that it will be mapping its above-mentioned courseware to build on the topics covered in the Security+ objectives. -- Becky Nagel, CertCities.com

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Current user Comments for "Microsoft Considering Desktop, Security Certs"
5/9/02 - Ya Right from USA says:	Microsoft is just trying to make more money with their bogus certs....$125 piece of paper that doesn't mean anything to most employers!
5/10/02 - Mike from VA says:	I would like to see a security specific cert, I am glad Microsoft is reconsidering, seems like a desktop cert would be at least somewhat useful to those who work on a help desk. I also wish Microsoft would consider creating a Exchange specific certification.
5/10/02 - Shidoshi says:	I think a Desktop cert with basic security is a good plan for all empleyees that work for the company (Including the blond secretary that keeps downloading the I Love You bug!!). Its something that all managers would like to see. Trained employees with security awareness could give the IT deparment less headaches and security nightmeres
5/10/02 - Pashka says:	Why don't CompTia and Microsoft just combine their exams into one category and call it CompSoft Certified Professional instead of confusing people. [email protected]
5/10/02 - BIll Langston from TN says:	We'll see a colony on Mars before we see Microsoft combine certs with anyone else. I think the desktop cert would be excellent. It would be a good portable cert for higher-end office employees and lower-end technicians.
5/10/02 - Message to: Ya Right says:	If you in fact feel that way that employers do not even consider looking at certifications, why are you at this site. Of course employers look at certification papers, silly thing to say "that certifications are not applicable"!
5/10/02 - markj4000 from NH says:	I think that Microsoft should make a security test part of the MCSA and MCSE certification. Security is far to important and it would be wise for all of us today to stay on top of this as I beleive that it will be mandatory in the near future!
5/10/02 - Becky Nagel from Web Editor, CertCities.com says:	CORRECTIONS: In the original version of the above story, there were two typos. On the first, MOC was changed to "mock" accidently. Also, the exam number she referred should have read 70-270. We apologize for these errors and any confusuion they may have caused.
5/12/02 - bryyen from NH says:	yes, it does make sense that MS needs to implement a Security Certification built on top of CompTia Security Cert(4th-Q-2002). certifications work well and bring the standards of measuring a person's skillset to a higher level. MS Security should not be included in mcsa or mcse. MS needs a seperate certification, because security is really a very broad area which needs to be narrowed down to its core elements and structure.
5/12/02 - Anonymous from USA says:	Seperate Desktop Certification sounds nice there are a lot of us who work help desk issues where something like mcse is worth nothing, because it can only be minimally applied to the help desk job role. A Desktop Certification would be much more resourceful. As for the person who complained about MS and certs? Personally i like the MS & CompTia certs because they are a challenge. What the certs also do is build a barrier between a person who just has OTJ and a person who has formal education & his/her certifications. Hey, if i busted my ass i do not want to be labeled as Joe-Shmo who is a do-it-yourself pc dude.
5/15/02 - Anonymous says:	yeah ok
5/15/02 - V from St. Louis says:	I have been looking at Security certifications, and I think this would be a very good addition to my Microsoft certs.
5/17/02 - silent noise from USA says:	That is a funny one and a oxymoron too Microsoft Security(laughing real loud) Certification. How can you secure something that has as much holes as a chain link fence.
5/17/02 - Message to Ya Right says:	How many MS cert exams have you passed?
5/17/02 - Message to Bill Langston from TN says:	Re: MS combining certs with some one else... isn't that happening now, - with CompTia, in the MCSA track?
5/17/02 - Tony says:	MS should reference the Security+. If they offer a security cert, my opinion is that Security+ should be a pre-req for it.
5/19/02 - Anonymous says:	here MS go again !!
5/24/02 - anonymous from pakistan says:	So what
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