12/4/2002 -- MCPMag.com reported Tuesday that Microsoft has decided to restructure its certification offerings for Windows .NET Server 2003. The changes encompass upgrade exams and a retooling of the way that the MCSE and MCSA credentials tie together.

Microsoft has decided to back away from the mix-and-match strategy it first announced in January (see "Windows .NET Exams in Pipeline"). At that time, the company said candidates could take both Windows 2000 and .NET exams toward the MCSE or MCSA titles. Now, the certification group has decided to eliminate that and simply offer upgrade exams for those holding Win2K credentials.

Dan Truax, Director of Microsoft Certification Business & Product Strategy, told MCPMag.com: "Now, if you're an MCSA on Windows 2000, when we release the .NET track, you'll likely take one exam, assuming your elective carries over. For MCSE, again assuming your electives carry over and still count, you will probably take one or two exams at most."

Truax said that unlike 70-240, the four-hour accelerated exam for moving to the Win2K MCSE, these tests will be about the same length as the regular exams. "Our plan right now is to make them as close to a normal exam time as possible, which is why you need to be at that credential level on Win2K — because they build on that knowledge." At the same time, he said, "The reason we're able to do the upgrade exams is because there's still a lot of similarities [between Win2K and .NET]."

The new MCSA title will be available in the summer timeframe, Truax predicted. He expected beta exams to begin in springtime. The MCSE title will be available in the fall. This follows the schedule first announced in June (see "Windows .NET Server Exams: Spring or Summer 2003?" ). The .NET product line itself is expected to be widely available in April.

For more details, click here to read the full story on MCPMag.com. -D.S.