Microsoft is reorganizing its developer certifications around its new development suite, Visual Studio .NET (VS.NET), and its new C# development language, and is adding a new certification that reflects the real-world requirements of many developers. But the changes mean that developer certifications will slow as certification candidates wait for the new exams to be released. In fact, new Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) certifications have been halted until 2003. However, candidates can use the time to familiarize themselves with .NET technologies and the VS.NET development environment so that they can pass the exams when they become available.

Delay for VS.NET and Windows .NET Server

The reason for the delay is that the company could not begin exam development until VS.NET was released in Feb. 2002. In addition, one exam required for the MCSD certification will not be released until after Windows .NET Server ships in late 2002.

The delay also reflects Microsoft’s new system of "versioned" certifications. Rather than expiring certifications that were earned on platforms no longer available (e.g., a MCSD certification based on Visual Studio 5), Microsoft now identifies certifications by the platform on which they were earned. Thus, the new premium developer certification is Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) for .NET, and all the required exams for this certification involve Visual Studio .NET. Most of the elective exams cover .NET Enterprise Server products, such as SQL Server and BizTalk Server. (For more information about certification versions, see "Microsoft Certification Broadened, Extended" on page 28 of the Dec. 2001 Update.)

Another significant change is that Microsoft’s new development language, C#, has replaced C++ in developer certification exams. Previous versions of the MCSD certification allowed developers to opt for either a Visual Basic or a C++ track; the new certifications offer tracks in Visual Basic .NET and Visual C#. Microsoft will announce later in 2002 how it will incorporate Visual C++ .NET into the developer exams.

MCAD Focuses on Real-World Skills

The new Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD) for .NET certification is a subset of the MCSD certification aimed at application developers who build departmental applications, components, client software or back-end data services, or who work as part of a team on enterprise applications.

The primary difference between the two developer .NET certifications is that the MCSD for .NET requires passing five exams (previous MCSD certifications required four) and includes a required examination on application design and architecture. The MCAD certification requires only three exams and excludes the design and architecture exam, which tests advanced design skills that only a small number of developers employ in their daily work.

Although the syllabi for the exams are not complete, preparation guides for many of the exams have been posted. To compare requirements for the MCSD and MCAD certifications and view the preparation guides, visit www.microsoft.com/traincert/mcp/mcsd/requirementsdotnet.asp and click on an exam name.