First and foremost a reminder that exams 271 and 272 will be retiring at the end of the month and these exams award the Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) certification. If you are in progress to achieve this certification, you must take and pass both exams before June 30, 2011.
The following is a list of exams that will be retired over the next year:
Date of Change
Exam Number
Exam Name
Type of Change
Early June 2011
Exam MB6-827
AX 2009 Payroll
Being Retired
End of Sept. 2011
Exam 70-403
TS: System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008, Configuring
End of June 2011
Exam 70-555
TS: Microsoft Office Groove 2007, Configuring
Exam 70-556
TS: Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007, Applications
Exam 70-557
TS: Microsoft Forefront Client and Server, Configuring
Superseded by exam 162
Exam 70-654
TS: Windows Essential Business Server 2008, Configuring
Exam 70-655
TS: Windows Vista and Server operating systems, Pre-Installing for OEMs
Exam 74-675
Microsoft Response Point, Configuring
Exam 70-235
TS: Developing Business Process and Integration Solutions by Using Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006
Exam 70-241
TS: Developing Business Process and Integration Solutions by Using Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 R2
Exam 70-271
Supporting Users and Troubleshooting a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System
Exam 70-272
Supporting Users and Troubleshooting Desktop Applications on a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System
Exam 70-431
TS: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 ‒ Implementation and Maintenance
Exam 70-441
PRO: Designing Database Solutions by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005
Exam 70-442
PRO: Designing and Optimizing Data Access by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005
Exam 70-443
PRO: Designing a Database Server Infrastructure by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005
Exam 70-444
PRO: Optimizing and Maintaining a Database Administration Solution by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005
Exam 70-445
TS: Microsoft SQL Server 2005, Business Intelligence ‒ Development and Maintenance
Exam 70-446
PRO: Designing a Business Intelligence Solution by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005
Exam 70-447
UPGRADE: MCDBA Skills to MCITP Database Administrator by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005
Exam 70-526
TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 – Windows-Based Client Development
Exam 70-528
TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 – Web-Based Client Development
Exam 70-529
TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 – Distributed Application Development
Exam 70-541
TS: Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 – Application Development
Exam 70-547
PRO: Designing and Developing Web-Based Applications by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework
Exam 70-548
PRO: Designing and Developing Windows-Based Applications by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework
Exam 70-549
PRO: Designing and Developing Enterprise Applications by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework
Exam 70-551
UPGRADE: MCAD Skills to MCPD Web Developer by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework
Exam 70-552
UPGRADE: MCAD Skills to MCPD Windows Developer by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework
Exam 70-553
UPGRADE: MCSD Microsoft .NET Skills to MCPD Enterprise Application Developer by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework: Part 1
Exam 70-554
UPGRADE: MCSD Microsoft .NET Skills to MCPD Enterprise Application Developer by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework: Part 2
Exam 70-558
UPGRADE: MCAD Skills to MCTS Windows Applications by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework
Exam 70-559
UPGRADE: MCAD Skills to MCTS Web Applications by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework
Exam 70-626
Consumer Sales Specialist
Exam 70-282
Designing, Deploying, and Managing a Network Solution for a Small and Medium-Sized Business
End of Dec. 2011
Exam 70-652
TS: Windows Server Virtualization, Configuring
Superseded by exam 659
End of Oct. 2011
Exam 74-924
Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 – U.C. Voice Specialization
Exam 74-544 and Exam 70-544
TS: Bing Maps Platform, Application Development
May 2012
Exam 74-404
Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 – U.C. Voice Specialization
June 2012
Exam 70-579
TS: Windows Mobile 6.5, Configuring
Exam 70-580
TS: Windows Mobile 6.5, Application Development
Additionally, you will begin to notice that certifications will begin to retire as well. What this means is that you will not be able to earn the certification. If you have already earned the certification, it will remain in the appropriate section on your transcript.
Be sure to take your exams before the retirement dates!
Happy Testing!
Just a few days ago I was looking at the exam retirements webpage, and the list for June 2011 *definitely* didn't include some of these that are now on this list for June 2011 (70-403, 70-555, 70-556, 70-654, 70-655, 74-675), and none of the ones beyond that (September and October 2011 being of concern) were listed either. These don't affect me personally, but that doesn't seem right... all retirements should be announced and posted on the retirements webpage at least 6 months in advance. And when I looked a few days ago there were already at least two additions for June 2011 that I'm confident weren't there 6 months ago, too (70-626, and 70-625 which I see isn't on this list?).
It would be nice to know what this means from all points of view include what it means to MS Partner status. What supersedes each exam, for example exam 70-403 is one of the required exams for SC partner status (Silver / Gold) but there is nothing replacing it, so….. What are partners to do? Heck the end of life (Mainstream Support End Date) for the product is 4/8/2014, support.microsoft.com/.../search should the exam end of life also be that same date?
You should check both lists of exams that are being retired. Just glancing through exams you listed above I noticed 70-403, 70-654, 70-655, 70-675 weren't listed on www.microsoft.com/.../exam-dev.aspx page, and that list was published long ago.
Today is June 18th and exam retirement should not be announced 12 days before the actual retirement date.
Is there an upgrade path from 70-652 to any exam? 70-659 perhaps?
www.microsoft.com/.../exam-dev.aspx 70-555 is not listed on the "Microsoft Certification Exam Development" as being retired on the 30th of June, nor does the details page for 70-555 list its retirement.
What is the official place for looking this type of information up on and how long is the lead time for retiring an exam?
@Cypherbit: Upgrade path for 70-652 (Windows Server Virtualization)? Just take the 70-659 (Windows Server 2008 R2 Server Virtualization). It's the next version of the exam, and also incorporates content from the 70-403.
I see 74-544 listed above, but not 70-544. When I go to the page for 74-544, it says it is a rebranded version of 70-544. Neither of the 2 are listed on the discontinued exam page, and only 1 is listed above. Does that mean that 70-544 also retires at the end of this month? I was planning on taking 70-544 later this year, but it looks like I won't be able to.
I was confused about 70-647 exam but I found a very clear guide line from Pass-Guaranteed dot com
Braindumpers must be getting very bold or very desperate if they're posting comment spam on the Microsoft Learning Blog.
so is there a comparable cert to the MCDST, now that they are retiring both the 271 & 272? And upgrading to exam's 621 &/or 682 from a MCDST implies that you already are MCDST certified then?
Fran,
for the non-upgrade path you can take the 620 & 622 to get the MCITP Enterprise Support Technician on Vista or the 680 & 685 Enterprise Desktop Support Technician on Windows 7.
Hi All!
As an FYI, you are correct, not all the exams are showing on the exam retirement page yet. The missing exams are:
282
403
404
544
555
556
557
579
580
652
654
655
675
All the other exams have been showing on the website for a minimum of 3 months (many of the exams are added over time, so hard to tell you exactly when each was added)
We have the updates to the website in progress and should be avialable, unfortunately not until the end of the month. Typically we provide 6 months lead time to exam retirements.
We have decided to extend the retirement date of exam 403 to September 30, 2011.
The remainder of the exams are still due to retire as indicated above.
My apologies for not haivng the exams listed above on the website earlier.
I will be responding to some of the other questions shortly.
Thanks!
Good catch on 70-544 and 74-544. This has been updated now to reflect both exams will retire. Thanks!
All the content in exam 403 is now covered in the Server Virtualization exam. For partner specific requirements, I believe exam 70-659 would be the alternative exam that would qualify you and in fact in some cases I have seen that if you take exam 403 you also need to take exam 652, but if you take 659 that is the only exam you need to take.
I hope that helps!
For those looking for a replacement for the Windows XP Desktop Support Technician certification, I recommend the MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician. You can find information on how to achieve this or how to upgrade from your MCDST here - www.microsoft.com/.../cert-windowsclient.aspx