7/16/2001 -- Ken Rosen, content strategist for Microsoft's Training and Certification Group, outlined the first in a line of exams and courses for Windows XP and Windows .NET Server at the Microsoft Fusion Conference in Anaheim, Calif., on Saturday.

He said the new exam, 70-270, Installing, Configuring and Administering Windows XP Professional, will be made available soon after the Oct. 25 release of Windows XP.

Details were sketchy as of the announcement, but it's expected that the exam objectives will follow those of 70-210, Windows 2000 Professional. It's also expected that Microsoft will make this exam a part of the Windows 2000 MCSE track, where candidates will be able to choose among a slew of WinXP/.NET exams as well as Windows 2000 exams to fulfill the core requirements, and not part of a "parallel" track.

Rosen also outlined the following preparation courses for the new 70-270 exam, which have already been released to manufacturing: 2520: Deploying Windows XP Professional; one day 2272: Supporting Windows XP Professional; five days 2290: Preinstalling Windows XP Professional for OEMs; five days Courses 2272 and 2290 will be available through CTECs later this month. Course 2520 is slated for availability in August.

Exam objectives for 70-270 were not available on the Microsoft Training and Certification Web site as of Saturday; Microsoft will post them in the next few weeks at http://www.microsoft.com/trainingandservices. -MCPMag.com