• Industry recognition of your expertise.
  
• The right to use the MCP logo on business collateral.
  
• A certificate, transcript, wallet card, and lapel pin to identify you as an MCP to colleagues and clients. (The first 5,000 charter MCSAs will receive certificates and wallet cards that distinguish early adoption of this new certification.)
  
• Access to technical and product information direct from Microsoft through a private MCP Web site.
  
• Discounts on products and services (such as Microsoft Developer Network).
  
• Invitations to Microsoft and MCP TechMentor conferences, technical training sessions, and special events.
  
• Access to all back issue content available on MCPmag.com for a greatly reduced fee as well as the opportunity to join the MCP peer-to-peer database.

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The Tests
Table 1 shows how exams fit under each version of the MCSA credential:

70-240 Exception
Some MCSA on Windows 2000 candidates may have taken Exam 70-240, the Windows 2000 Accelerated exam, when it was available (the exam was retired at the end of 2001). For those who passed it only need to pass Exam 70-218 to obtain that credential. Doing so also allows those who obtained the MCSA on Windows 2000 to bypass the elective requirement for the MCSA on Windows 2003.

The Specialization Tie-In
The history of specialist titles is somewhat murky, but the germination and development of the titles can be traced to an interview conducted by CertCities.com Editor Becky Nagel with Microsoft program managers, who revealed plans for creating vertical slices of the main titles. (See "Microsoft Considering Desktop, Security Certs" in the News Archive.) The first specialization, MCSA: Security on Windows 2000, was officially introduced in June 2003; that was followed by MCSA: Messaging in September. Versions for Windows 2003 also piggybacked those announcements.

Microsoft says it introduced the specializations based on MCP feedback and a job task analysis conducted in 2002 that indicated that MCPs were interested in further defining expertise via credentials. (See "Certifying Your Security Expertise" in the News archive for details.) Table 2 shows the exam requirements for each version of the title.

Retirement of Exams
While exams may retire, as of Oct. 10, 2001, Microsoft no longer "retires" certifications (click here for details). However, Microsoft now has versions of the certification. Even so, once you've obtained the MCSA title, you own it and can officially use the logo on business cards and forms of your resume or curriculum vitae. See the MCP Secure Web site for logo guidelines and other information. 

MCPmag.com Editor Michael Domingo has been tracking IT and software development trends since 1989 and, since 1997, witness to Microsoft's dominance in certification and training. Michael hosts MCP Radio and is a moderator of MCPmag's live chats and discussion forums. You can contact Michael about "MCSA" at mdomingo@101com.com.

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