SQLSimon.com

Bill Gates has donned his black dress and has nearly finished singing to the demise of SQL Server 2000, so what are the certification options now? It really depends on where you have got to in your studying and what you have access to.

Part-qualified

SQL Server 2000

You really need to get your skates on as the last exams are in March 2009. If you've got more than one exam left to take, then start looking at it again from the angle of being new to certification.

SQL Server 2005

If you've already got the MCTS, then continue on to get MCITP for 2005. There is an upgrade exam from MCITP 2005 to 2008. If you're currently studying for the MCTS though, you may want to consider the 2008 exams as there are two: administration and development.

New to SQL Server certification

The options are really 2005 or 2008. If you are already in a job, chances are that your organisation is using or plans to be migrating to 2005 as 2008 was only released in August. Assuming you're not interested in Business Intelligence, then the basic certification for 2005 is a single certification: MCTS Implementation and Maintenance (Exam 70-431). This exam covers all aspects of 2005, so the sheer breadth of topics is breath-taking. For that reason, and that SQL Server 2008 is jokingly referred to as the biggest service pack imaginable, it is worth considering the 2008 exams, where there is an MCTS administrators exam (70-432) and an MCTS developers exam(70-433).

Studying for 2008

2008 is evolutionary rather than revolutionary, so a lot of the textbooks that are available for 2005 are equally applicable to 2008. Articles on SQL Server Central and Simple Talk will give insights to the new capabilities. Personally, I'm waiting for the new MCTS 2008 books which are due in January (administration) and March (development). If I happen to come across heavily discounted 2005 books, they may end up on my shelf. A free 180 day evaluation copy of 2008 is also available from Microsoft.