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MCSA/MCSE Upgrade Exams Head Out to Pasture

Microsoft Learning retires Windows 2000-to-Windows 2003 MCSE upgrade exams next year.

In keeping with an exam retirement policy that has been in place since Oct, the Microsoft Learning Solutions group has announced retirement of two exams for Windows 2000 next year. Those announcements were unveiled during a Certification Live Meeting that took place online this week.

The Two exams placed on that retirement list are 70-292, Managing and Maintaining Windows Server 2003 for an MCSA-Windows 2000, and 70-296, Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining Windows Server 2003 for an MCSE-Windows 2000.

With the announcement being made this year, the official retirement of those exams will happen March 30, 2008. Availability of the exams will be limited worldwide in the months preceding the official retirement, however, as the exam approaches official retirement. Microsoft encourages candidates to take the exams soon if a candidate needs them to fulfill their certification upgrade requirements. With that in mind, the company is also offering an incentive for those who take the upgrade, with 40 percent off Windows 2003-to-"Longhorn" upgrade exams for those who pass the soon-to-be-retired exams.

MCSEs who took 70-292 or 70-296 to fulfill their credentials need to do nothing; Microsoft no longer retires certifications and doesn't require recertification to maintain certification status.

Microsoft will have more information on its MCP site (information hasn't been updated as of this writing).

About the Author

Michael Domingo has held several positions at 1105 Media, and is currently the editor in chief of Visual Studio Magazine.