New Microsoft Certifications for 2008

As you may know, Microsoft has revamped its certifications this year. These changes bring up a lot of questions about past and present certifications, so I'm writing this to hopefully clear up some confusion.

First, the MCP, MCSA, and MCSE certifications are not being continued with the 2008 product line. However, these certifications are not being removed -- if you're an MCSE on 2000/2003, you're still an MCSE. The MCSE 2003 exams will not be retired until mainstream support for Windows 2003 ends. Considering most of the work I’ll do over the next couple of years will involve 2003 servers and migrations, it's still very relevant that to have an MCSE 2003 certification in addition to the new 2008 certifications.

The new certifications favor specialization -- depth, not breadth. These are the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certs. In the past, if you passed any Microsoft exam you became a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP). Microsoft heard from hiring managers that they couldn't tell if an MCP had the skills they were looking for, so they decided to create certifications based on specific abilities and technologies. For example, you can become an MCTS: Windows Vista Configuration or MCTS: Managing Projects with Microsoft Office Project 2007.

The MCSA/MCSE certifications are being replaced with the Microsoft Certified Information Technology Professional (MCITP) certs. These are based more on job role than specialized in a particular technology (although you need to have MCTS certifications to get your MCITP). MCSA maps to the new MCITP: Server Administrator and MCSE maps to the new MCITP: Enterprise Administrator. There are also some specialty MCITPs, such as MCITP: Messaging Administrator, Database Administrator, Database Developer, etc. If you're interested in upgrading your MCSE to the new 2008 certifications, the MCITP: Enterprise Administrator is the premier certification you should work toward.

The following exams are required to earn an MCITP: Enterprise Administrator:

• 70-640: TS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuring


• 70-642: TS: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuring


• 70-643: TS: Windows Server 2008 Applications, Configuring


• 70-620: TS: Windows Vista, Configuring -or- 70-624: TS: Deploying and Maintaining Windows Vista Client and 2007 Microsoft Office System Desktops


• 70-647: PRO: Windows Server 2008, Enterprise Administrator

If you have a current MCSE 2003 certification you're eligible to take an upgrade exam, 70-649: TS: Upgrading Your MCSE on Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008, Technology Specialist. This single exam takes the place of 70-640, 70-642 and 70-643. Then, to get your MCITP certification you must take 70-620 or 70-624, and the 70-647 PRO: Enterprise Administrator exams.

If you’re still working toward your MCSE 2003 from MCSE 2000, be aware that the MCSE 2003 upgrade exams, 70-292 and 70-296, are being retired on March 31, 2008.

Note: The 70-647: PRO: Windows Server 2008, Enterprise Administrator exam has not been released yet. It's still in beta through the end of January and will hopefully be released around March 2008. I'm taking the beta exam today, but won't know if I passed for up to 12 weeks(!)

Other notes about the exams and certifications:

• All exams are administered by Prometric. It's pretty easy to schedule, reschedule or cancel an exam from their website.


• You will know the results immediately after taking the exam. Passing score is 700 out of 1000.


• Exams are between 55-65 questions and you are given about 2.5 hours, depending on the exam


• Most questions are multiple choice or pick the two correct answers. Usually there's a couple of drag and drop or click the right area questions.


• The MCSE certification is no longer being used in future certifications. The term "Engineer" is a protected term used by several nations and states. Microsoft was sued in 12 countries and admonished in several states for use of this designation.


• MCSE certifications are not being retired and will remain on your transcript indefinitely


• MCTS/MCITP certifications expire and are removed from your transcript when the technology is no longer generally supported by Microsoft


• MCITP certifications must be renewed every three years


• Exams can be taken in any order, but Microsoft recommends taking the required MCTS exams before the MCITP exam

Microsoft has several resources on the web that describe the certifications beyond what I've covered here, and provide an overview of the knowledge you should have to take the exams.

• Microsoft Certifications Overview


• Preparation Guide for Exam 70-649


• Number of Microsoft Certified Professionals Worldwide


• Get a second chance to pass your Microsoft Certification exam—free offer!

What are your thoughts on the new certification framework? Leave your comments below!

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Installing Exchange 2007 SP1: Notes from the field

NOTE: These upgrade notes are for Exchange SP1 Beta 2. Many readers have found this useful in their RTM upgrades. Also please see my latest post that discusses the installation of SP1 RTM. - Jeff

The following are my notes for installing Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 Beta 2. As with most beta software, upgrades may not go as smoothly as they will in the final product. I came across some problems and solutions, which I'll share with you and will hopefully make your upgrade smoother.

I'm not going into a lot of detail on each of these steps, so if you want more info please post your question and I'll do my best to answer.

My setup is a single x64 dual-core host with 4GB RAM. It functions as my Microsoft Exchange 2007 Edge server and runs VMware Workstation 6.01. It runs two VMs, one Windows Server 2003 SP2 x64 Domain Controller and one Exchange 2007 x64 Hub Transport, CAS, Mailbox server running E2K7 Update 4. The Edge server is running Microsoft Forefront Security for Exchange RTM.

The Exchange 2007 SP1 release notes say to update your Edge, Hub Transport and CAS servers before your mailbox servers. It also says that Forefront Security for Exchange RTM is incompatible with Exchange 2007 SP1. You have to use Microsoft Forefront Security
for Exchange Server with Service Pack 1 Beta 2 (FSES SP1 Beta 2). You can download it here.

Note: I was told by Microsoft, "Exchange SP1 Beta 2 requires FSES SP1 Beta 2 (installed before you install the Exchange Service Pack 1 Beta 2)."

So, without further ado, here are my upgrade notes:



BEFORE BEGINNING

• Took snapshots of DC and EX01 VMs


• Make a backup of host/Edge server

EDGE SERVER

• Install ForeFront SP1 Beta 2


• Follow http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=929080 to disable ForeFront before installing Exchange 2007 SP1


• Restart and stop all Exchange services, except ADAM


• Install. Be patient. Configuring common transport polices took 10 minutes by itself.


• Install completed successfully


• Re-enabled Forefront as per KB929080, above


• Restarted the server, checked event logs, tested email inbound/outbound successfully

HUB TRANSPORT/CAS/MAILBOX SERVER

• Begin installation


• Installation failed about halfway through


• Tried to run again, but got the error, "This installation is forbidden by system policy." Solved using the Local Security Settings tip from Tim Chad at the bottom of this page


• Restarted installation, but got the error, "The Exchange files are not installed, but the backup settings registry key is present. Only build to build upgrade mode is available."


• Ran Setup.com /mode:upgrade from the command line to perform an unattended upgrade setup


• Got the following output:

Welcome to Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Unattended Setup

Preparing Exchange Setup

The following server roles will be upgraded
Hub Transport Role
Client Access Role
Mailbox Role

Performing Microsoft Exchange Server Prerequisite Check

Hub Transport Role Checks ......................... FAILED
Setup cannot continue with upgrade because 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\bin\ExchHelp.chm' is open. Close the file and restart setup.

Client Access Role Checks ......................... FAILED
Unable to read data from the Metabase. Ensure that Microsoft Internet Information Services is installed.

The World Wide Web (W3SVC) service is either disabled or not installed on this computer. You must exit Setup, install the required component, then restart the Setup process.

Setup cannot continue with upgrade because 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\bin\ExchHelp.chm' is open. Close the file and restart setup.

Mailbox Role Checks ......................... FAILED
Unable to read data from the Metabase. Ensure that Microsoft Internet Information Services is installed.

The World Wide Web (W3SVC) service is either disabled or not installed on this computer. You must exit Setup, install the required component, then restart the Setup process.

Setup cannot continue with upgrade because 'C:\Program
Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\bin\ExchHelp.chm' is open. Close the file and restart setup.

The Exchange Server setup operation did not complete.
Visit http://support.microsoft.com and enter the Error ID to find more
information.

Exchange Server setup encountered an error.

• Set the World Wide Web Publishing Service, IIS Admin Service, and HTTP SSL service to automatic and started (they were disabled)


• Copy file ExchHelp.chm from \setup\serverroles\common of the setup media into the \Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\Bin directory


• Re-run Setup.com /mode:upgrade


• Success! Restart all servers. Test OWA and Outlook inbound/outbound successfully

Good luck with your own upgrade. Now to test the new SP1 features!

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