To Dev or not to Dev

Before I am allowed to stand in front of a classroom I need to complete my Microsoft Certified Training qualification. To achieve this I need to complete a set of Microsoft courses. Having been in the industry for 13 years now I was busy reviewing the Microsoft courses and decided to compile a list of business relevant exams that will most likely be the exams I would complete for my MCT. However any developer wanting to get certified would most likely find themselves much more prepared and in demand by completing these exams as well.

Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD)

These courses are all based on .Net Framework 1.1. I believe it would be a much better option to investigate the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist track which covers .Net Framework 2.0 upwards. However a few companies I deal with still use 1.1 and these are the exams I would recommend. To complete your MCAD you need to write 2 core and 1 elective exam. Personally I would recommend completing all of them to get the broadest possible exposure.

Please note: I have explicitly listed the C# courses. The VB courses are listed in brackets when available

The complete list of MCAD core and elective courses can be found here. The above list addresses the majority of industry request I receive.

Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD)

These courses are also based on .Net Framework 1.1. MCAD is a prerequisite for this set of exams with 4 core and 1 elective exam required to complete the certification. The core exams include the first 3 from the MCAD with one additional core exam. The electives are the same as for the MCAD certification.

The complete list of MCSD core and elective courses can be found here.

Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS)

The MSTS courses are more focused courses. With the wide array of Microsoft Products, the MCTS exams allows specialisation in a particular technology rather then adding more acronyms to the end of your name. These products include .Net, SharePoint, BizTalk, Office, Vista and Server 2008. This track replaces a lot of the previous MCSD, MCSE and MCDST tracks, although these exams are still available.

I will be looking at the developer specific MCTS tracks. I have again based this on the request and requirements I find in the industry working everyday offering the most complete set of skills for success.

MCTS: .Net Framework 2.0 Web Applications

For developers focusing solely on Web Development this is the required track to complete. It covers all the required web technologies. It consists of 2 exams covering ASP.Net and C# or VB.Net.

MCTS: .Net Framework 2.0 Windows Applications

For developers focusing solely on Windows Development this is the required track to complete. It again consists of 2 exams covering C# or VB.Net and the .Net 2.0 Framework.

MCTS: .Net Framework 2.0 Distributed Applications

For developers focussing on

A complete list of MCTS tracks are available here. For further development I would highly recommend the following MCTS tracks apart from the must do tracks listed above for any developer:

• MCTS: SQL Server 2005
• MCTS: BizTalk Server 2006
• All MCTS SharePoint Tracks (Configuration, Application Development)
• All MCTS Windows Mobile Tracks (Applications, Implementing and Managing)

Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD)

Once you have completed one of the MCTS: Web, MCTS: Windows or MCTS: Distributed Applications you can become a MCPD by completing the following set of exams:

Exam 70-549 requires developers to complete all the MCTS tracks for the .Net 2.0 Framework and provides the MCPD: Enterprise Application Developer certification. This is the same as the MCSD however covers a broader range of platforms and applications. By adding any of the recommended MCTS tracks mentioned earlier in this entry, a complete set of skills can be build to become a successful developer.

Microsoft Certified Trainer

To become a Microsoft Certified Trainer the process is a little more complex. There is three basic steps to becoming a MCT which allows for training of selected Microsoft Products.

1. Acquire a valid MS Certification. Complete list available here.
2. Demonstrate instructional skills.
3. Complete the MCT Application.

Hopefully this list will help others trying to determine which qualification is the right one to follow.