5/14/2001 -- Hewlett-Packard recently announced via its Web site that it will be consolidating its HP OpenView certification with its OpenView Certified Consultant program.

Starting June 1, those with the HP OpenView certification will become OpenView Certified Consultants, with the full titles and privileges of the transferred title.

"By creating a single HP OpenView certification, we believe we can better meet your needs as an HP OpenView professional," the company said on its Web site.

According to the announcement, those who have passed any of the following exams:

• 3HO-251
• 3HO-212
• 3HO-222
• 3HO-232
• 3HO-271
• 3HO-271

will be automatically grandfathered into the Consultant title and receive credit for the corresponding 490 exam (e.g., 490-051). Within six weeks, participants will also receive a certificate of accomplishment, an HP OpenView Certified Consultant lapel pin and an HP Certified Consultant ID card.

HP suggests that candidates currently pursuing OpenView certification plan to take exams with a 490 prefix.

For more information on this change, including a FAQ provided by HP, click here.

In other HP news, the company has decided that despite an upgrade of HP-UX to version 11.i, it will not make major changes to its HP-UX 3H0-002 exam, which counts toward HP-UX 11.X certification. While the exam will be updated, "the difference between the two versions of the operating system is minor," so the company will instead release two versions of the exam and not force those certified in the earlier version to recertify at this time, its Web site states. For more information on this announcement, please click on the link provided above. -B.N.