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Exam Updates

More than a year after Microsoft began releasing its first batch of Windows 2000 exams, the company has begun sharing details about the number of Win2K exams it has issued.

At the same time, Microsoft began offering a roadmap for the MCSE and MCSD certifications that will allow candidates to mix and match tests.

In a talk given at its July partner conference, Anne Marie McSweeney, director of Microsoft's certification and skills assessment group, said that about 110,000 people had passed 70-210, the Win2K Professional exam. Another 80,000 candidates had passed 70-215; 50,000 had passed 70-216; and 40,000 had passed 70-217.

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These four exams are currently the most popular among certification candidates. (The exam slate started over at the beginning of the company's fiscal year, July 1, 2001, which means NT 4.0 exams no longer show up in the tally.) According to an Aug. 2 count, these are the top 11 Microsoft tests:

  • 70-210 Windows 2000 Professional
  • 70-215 Windows 2000 Server
  • 70-216 Windows 2000 Network Infrastructure
  • 70-217 Windows 2000 Directory Services Infrastructure
  • 70-219 Designing a Windows 2000 Directory Services Infrastructure
  • 70-029 Designing and Implementing Databases with SQL Server 7.0
  • 70-221 Designing a Windows 2000 Network Infrastructure
  • 70-028 Administering SQL Server 7.0
  • 70-220 Designing Security for a Windows 2000 Network
  • 70-176 Visual Basic 6.0 Desktop Applications
  • 70-240 Accelerated Exam

At the same Fusion presentation, McSweeney laid out plans for MCSE certification under .NET Server. Once the full suite of tests is available, candidates will be able to take either the Win2K or .NET Server version of a particular exam. As in the current program, candidates will need to pass four core tests, one design exam and two electives.

McSweeney also laid out Microsoft's plans for a new iteration of its MCSD credential, which offers candidates the chance to mix and match exams between older versions of tests and newer ones. Whereas the last generation of MCSD core tests distinguished between desktop and distributed applications, the new generation will offer tests that focus specifically on Windows and Web application development.

Also, in its new set of tests, Microsoft will do away with versions for Visual FoxPro developers. The Web Applications exams will only come in Visual Basic.NET and C# flavors.

Exam objective guides for the new exams weren't available as of this writing, with the exception of 70-270. The Windows XP Professional exam was expected to go into beta testing in Sept. 27.

About the Author

Dian L. Schaffhauser is a freelance writer based in Northern California.

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