As they are still quite popular, some of the original Microsoft certifications are applicable to today’s IT professionals.You will need to pay attention to when these certifications are scheduled to be discontinued so you can complete all the requirements before then.

Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) used to be the entry point to the Microsoft certification program. Basically, pass any single exam on any Microsoft product and you would obtain MCP certification. This no longer applies and has been effectively replaced by the MCTS designation described earlier.

Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) - for individuals who provide support to end users of Windows XP. There are two exams required, one that focuses on the operating system itself and a second that covers troubleshooting applications that run on it.

Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) - intended as a stepping stone to the MCSE, requires passing four exams which overlap the MCSE exams.

Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) -perhaps the best known certification. It is intended to certify a high skill level in designing and implementing Windows operating system solutions. It can only be earned following a seven exam Windows 2003 track. Exams for earlier tracks, such as Windows 2000, are no longer available.

 
Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD)  - a stepping stone to MCSD, for developers who work with Microsoft .NET Framework 1.0 or 1.1. Requires passing three exams which overlap  the MCSD. Some of these exams are scheduled to retire March 2009.

Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) - application development using Microsoft .NET Framework 1.0 or 1.1. The core exams are scheduled to retire March 2009, however, the actual MCSD title will never expire, so if you have it already, you get to keep it.

Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA) - is for administrators of Microsoft SQL Server 2000. Most of the exams on this track have already retired or will retire in March 2009.

If you’re thinking about becoming certified in one of the  Microsoft programs, you may have noticed that there are quite a few to choose from.  Microsoft has redesigned its certification programs and each certification comes with many variations. In addition to the new certs, many of the older certifications are still available, and relevant to IT professionals today. All of this makes your choices a bit confusing.

If you are working with the latest Microsoft technologies, most likely you will want to become certified with the latest generation of certifications, which consist of:

 
MCTS - Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist  - highlights your job role, featuring your specific area of expertise, so you can easily distinguish yourself as an expert in Windows, ASP.NET, ADO.NET, or Windows Communication Foundation application development.

MCITP - Microsoft Certified IT Professional - builds on the MCTS certification and is designed for IT professionals who want to demonstrate their expertise in database administration, database development, or business intelligence.

MCPD -Microsoft Certified Professional Developer  - for application developers who work with Microsoft Visual Studio and Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.  There are three MCPD paths: Windows Developer, ASP.NET Developer, or Enterprise Application Developer. EAD candidates must first earn the three Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) credentials for Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0.

The MCTS, MCITP, or MCPD certifications will retire when Microsoft discontinues mainstream support for the related technology. Typically, mainstream support is discontinued 7 to 10 years after the initial product release. When support ends, your related certification will retire.