Category Archives: Certifications

You know? I have taken up quite a few certifications as well

Free ASP.NET training from Microsoft eLearning

If you are looking for some ASP.NET training or course, then there is some good news for you. Microsoft eLearning is offering 17 hours of hands-on ASP.NET training for free. (yes)

Here is the quote from the website

Are you looking to learn to create ASP.NET Web applications with Visual Studio.NET? If so now is your chance to get 17 hours of hands-on ASP.NET training for free from Microsoft Learning.

For a limited time only, Microsoft Learning is offering Developing Microsoft ASP.NET Web Applications with Visual Studio.NET, a 17-hour self-paced online training course, for free ($349.00 value).

I think the offer is valid for a short time only. So if you are interested then hurry up.

To Yuvi: Are you reading this..?

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New MCP exam 70-089 for MCSE

Microsoft is releasing a new MCP exam for Systems Management Server 2003. The exam name is Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 and the exam no is (70-089).

The objective guide for this exam shows that Microsoft has designed two courses for this exam. They are

  • 2596: Managing Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003
  • 2597: Planning and Deploying Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003

70-089 will fulfill an elective requirement for the MCSE on Windows 2003 title. It will also count toward Technology Specialist fulfillment under the “new-generation” MCP program.

Currently the exam is in beta and the beta ends on Aug – 22. Exam 70-089 is an update to the older 70-086, Systems Management Server 2.0. Those who passed that exam do not need to recertify, as certifications never retire.

Since I am not into the MCSE track, I am not going to take it and so can guys into MCSE throw some light about this exam and also about Systems Management Server?

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MCP Program takes new path

Microsoft is changing its certification pattern with the release of the next version of Visual Studio. NET and SQL Server. They are introducing a new framework for certification that will pair up a credential with a skill-identifying certification based on a tiered approach consisting of three credentials:

  • Tier 1: Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist
  • Tier 2: Microsoft Certified IT Professional or Professional Developer
  • Tier 3: Microsoft Certified Architect

Out of which the last exam Microsoft Certified Architect is supposed to be very rigorous, board-level certification. Microsoft released information about this exam somewhere in last April.

The following is the update path for the current exams

MCDBA + 2 exams – Microsoft Certified IT Professional

MCSD + 2 exams – Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (Enterprise Application Developer)

MCAD + 1 exam – Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (either Windows or Web Developer)

Microsoft is yet to give information regarding MCSE and MCSA. But those people who have already taken the current titles (MCP/MCSE/MCSA/MCDBA/MCAD/MCSD) will still have their certifications intact.

My current plan is to take that one exam for Web Developer and upgrade my MCAD title to Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (Web Developer). But who knows there is lot of time to decide though 😉

So guys share with me how your upgrade path is going to be.

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Arfa – Youngest MCAD

Till now I was quite proud that I got MCAD and even posted my certificate. But I felt very bad about it when I found that a girl named Arfa Karim Randhawa in Pakisthan has finished her MCAD at the age of 9. Ya even I didn’t believe it at first (I read it twice before believing). Here is the link.

To recognize her talents and encourage her Microsoft has invited her to its Redmond campus and also arranged for an interview with Bill Gates.

What impressed me most was how she was described.

She made an impression through a combination of charm, flattery and boldness uncommon for someone her age. For example, during Arfa’s meeting with Gates, she presented him with a poem she wrote that celebrated his life story. But she also questioned him about what she perceived to be the relatively small proportion of women on the campus.”It should be balanced — an equal amount of men and an equal amount of women,” she explained afterward.

Here are some more excerpts

Later in the afternoon, she sat outside with S. “Soma” Somasegar, a Microsoft corporate vice president, and described her vision for a self-navigating car. He listened to her ideas and told her about some of Microsoft’s existing software for cars.

To be sure, despite her question to Gates about employing people her age, Microsoft wasn’t about to offer a job to someone so young. But Somasegar talked about the possibility of an internship in a few years.

“The thing that’s exciting to me is her passion for technology at this age,” said Somasegar, who decided to invite Arfa to Redmond after reading a story about her in MicroNews, an internal company newsletter.

I think it is a big success for Microsoft and also a real booster for both Microsoft and also the developers who use Microsoft technologies.

It looks strange how Robert Scoble missed it. Come on Scoble stop comparing Technorati and Bloglines and blog about this too. She promises to be a better evangelist than you for Microsoft 😉

Update: Some one in the comments said that this is news is a fraud. Here is the official news from Microsoft site itself.

BTW Scoble I am still waiting for your answer. Take some time to comment on this apart from comparing different blog searching engines. 😉

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My Certificates


At last I have scanned and uploaded my Microsoft Certificates as promised. I have also created a photo set in Flickr.

Sorry for the delay guys.

Oops, I have forgotten my MCAD Certificate 🙁

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Bought Sun Exam Voucher

Work has become hectic again and believe it or not I came to office even last Sunday too. So no time to update the blog 🙁

Sorry people for keeping you waiting.

Last week I brought the voucher from Sun Microsystem at 25% discount for my SCJP. It’s valid till July 2006. But I have put my preparation on hold due to the work pressure.

Oops my boss is calling me, will get back to you soon.

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SCJP Next

I have taken a really looong break after my last exam. So its time that I start studying again for exams and after much thought I have finally decided my next exam. It’s going to be SCJP (CX-310-035).

The reason for choosing SCJP is that, for the next year or two I have to work mostly in java and will not be able to use much of .NET (at least at work).

Currently Sun is giving a discount of 25% for the exam till 30th of June. But I don’t think I can take up the exam with 9 days. I have kept the third week of July as my target for this exam. Hope I meet it.

BTW I am planning to use the book Sun Certified Programmer and Developer for Java 2 Study Guide (Exams 310-035 and 310-027) by OSBORNE. Does any one have a better suggestion..?

PS: Probably my friend Ram could help me, as he has already completed SCJP 😉

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Received my MCAD Welcome Kit

I just received my MCAD Welcome Kit from Microsoft. It was nice to see my name printed in it as it was signed by Bill Gates.

But this time there only the usual contents (like tie pin, MCP card etc..) were there and no discount or special offer coupons as with my MCDBA Welcome kit 😉

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Sun Microsystem’s Offer for Java Certification Exams

Sun Microsystems is celebrating Java Technologies 10th Birthday by giving a 25% discount on Java Technology Certification Exams. This offer is for a limited period from May 23, 2005 to June 30, 2005 and is available worldwide. More information about the offer can be found here.

That’s a very good news for guys like me who want to take these exams as they are costly when compared with Microsoft Certification exams.

Also Sun is introducing a new beta exam named SCJA (Sun Certified Java Associate). This exam targets Entry level java programmers with at least 6 months of experience. Even this exam is offered worldwide. For more details check out this page.

In my previous post I mentioned that Microsoft’s offer is favoring my decision towards MCSD, but after seeing this offer will it shift to SCJP ?

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Microsoft Second-Shot offer extended

Microsoft’s Second-Shot exam offer, which was supposed to end by May 31st has been extended for another 3 months. The new deadline is August 31st. Exam retakes must be completed by September 30, 2005.

The offer is available worldwide, but it can’t be combined with any other exam offer that requires a promotional code, including the MCP 2-for-1 exam offer or special offers in India. More details can be found at the details page.

This offer is surely going to have a huge impact on my decision whether it is MCSD or SCJP, next

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