6/27/2001 -- Is it the economy? Is it the heat? Is it the kind hearts of certification program managers? Whatever the reason, Summer 2001 is bringing training and exam discounts from a variety of vendors.

As previously reported, Microsoft is offering a 25 percent discount on most MCSE exams. To get the discount, candidates must use promotion code W2KSEW. The offer is good through Aug. 30.

During the month of July, Red Hat is offering $200 off its four and five-day Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) training courses.

From July 1 through Sept. 30, Sun's Java Education program is offering both free exam vouchers and discounted training. To receive a free exam voucher, candidates must take a certification training course and use code JAV21DR when registering. Those who sign up for a second training course during that time period will receive a 20 percent discount off the price of the second class.

There are other discounts out there that aren't necessarily Summer-related, but we'll mention them anyhow:

• Oracle is currently offering a 20 percent discount on its certification exams to those who sign up for its OCP Starter Kit.
• At its Solutions 2001 conference in August, IBM will be offering many of its exams -- normally priced at $125 to $175 -- for $50. IBM is also offering a free DB2 certification exam through Sept. 30. To apply for a voucher for this exam, candidates must pass an online assessment found here.

For more information on any of these discounts, click on the highlighted links above. -B.N