If you’re preparing to take an exam on a technology that has recently been updated through a service pack or revision (e.g., Windows Server 2008 R2 or the upcoming Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack), you may be wondering if the new features and functionality will be covered by the exam. Well, the short answer is ‘yes’ if that new functionality is related to the exam’s content domain (provided in the prep guide). After all, the purpose of an exam is to certify that candidates possess real world and relevant skills related to a specific technology; if those skills are tied to new functionality, it is reasonable to expect that candidates can perform those tasks using the most recent release of a product. In other words, odds are good that if new functionality is added through a service pack or revision, and it relates directly to the skills being assessed on the exam, you will be asked questions about that functionality when that release is available. This process ensures the validity and relevance of your certification.
Of course, the long answer is more complicated than that. Here are the answers to some common questions that we’ve been getting around this topic lately.
How does Microsoft incorporate service packs and revisions into exam content?
When a product update is released that changes functionality, we review the changes against the objective domain and items in the pool, and determine if any content areas and/or items have become technically inaccurate because of the changes. If items become technically inaccurate, they are removed from the exam. If the change adds functionality that maps to an existing objective, then that functionality is fair game for any new items written for the exam. During this review process, we ask external subject matter experts to indicate if the functionality introduced as part of the update significantly changes the content domain or meaning of the certification; if these changes have a significant impact, we create a new certification rather than incorporating those changes into the current version of the exam. This ensures that everyone who holds the credential have demonstrated competency in the same content area.
Will training kits be revised when the exam content is updated?
Training kits may or may not get revised, depending on the scope of changes, and these updates may or may not align to the timing of when the updates are incorporated into the exam. Remember that Microsoft exams are not intended as post-tests of any preparation or training product created by Microsoft or any other third party provider. Our certifications are designed to measure experience-based skills without bias in regard to the manner in which candidates obtain these skills.
How long does it take to incorporate any required updates into exam content?
We strive to incorporate technology revisions and service packs into our exam content as soon as we possibly can after their release to ensure that the content covers the available functionality in the technology. While we understand that this may create challenges when preparing for an exam, if a revision or service pack is available currently or will be around the same time that you plan to take the exam, I strongly recommend you take some time to study the differences between the previous and current version of the product before sitting the exam. Worst case scenario is that you know more about the functionality than was needed to pass the exam. How can too much knowledge be bad? Wouldn’t this knowledge strengthen your skill set and make you more marketable and valued within your organization?
What else should you know?
I’ll leave you with two other pieces of information and bits of wisdom.
1) We update the prep guide around the same time that updates are made to the exam content. So, it’s always a good idea to double check the prep guide as your testing date approaches if a service pack or revision have recently been released.
2) For items where the answer would be different depending on the service pack or revision, we specify the service pack/revision in the question. If we don’t specify a revision or service pack, then the correct answer is based on the version of the technology referred to in the title of the exam.
What else do you want to know?
Same rules apply as always. You may ask some questions that I cannot answer, but I’ll answer those that I can. If you have questions about exam time, I will address them in an upcoming blog.
Thanks for the official clarification Liberty.
This is something that students ask about pretty much every course.
I recently took the 70-643 and all of the questions referenced Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 so I know from experience that this is a smokescreen as far as statement 1) above.
That's good to know, would be good if the prep guide could include some kind of badge to show if the content has been revised for a specific service pack.
It would be helpfull if you (the exam designers) make it a rule that it is always made clear in the question which version of the product the question is about. If seen questions on exams where this was not the case, and it became a gamble wether the question was about windows 2008 or windows 2008 +Sp2 and there was a correct answer for each version for example. (This is just a example not referencing a actual exam question)
Hi Liberty. I think this is ill thought out. What happened to a consultation process or a pilot?
For example we currently have Windows 2008 virtualisation exams and also W2008 r2 exams.
You are saying that instead of this you are going to simply revise the w2008 exams to contain r2 questions but the training that many students consume as preparation "may or may not" include r2 content. Students will get confused and that will lead to failed exams.
Is this simply a case of changing the goal posts after the game has started? Is MSL trying to save money at the expense of the exam taker by only have one exam rather than 2 like the above virtualisation exam?
I think this is a bad move.
I don't think they really care whether or not you pass the exam - it's their job to make the test confusing enough to fail at least once. How else do the bills get paid?