This day’s I spoke with on of our Junior Engineers about Microsoft certifiations an certification paths.
He wasn’t sure which way he wanna go and where he wanna get the senior status.

Microsoft changed in the end of the year 2016 the certification paths’s. Now it os more easy to find the own way to go.

As example there is a MCSE certification called “Productivity”. This includes the old cert path’s of MCSE Messaging, MCSE Communication and MCSE SharePoint.
Since we know that all this Products work fantastic as collaburation Platform, Microsoft created a Main category “Productivity” wher all this comes together.

Don’t worry, that dosn’t mean that an Exchange engineer need to become a SharePoint engineer with the same skills like in exchange. The exams are still devided in Sharepoint, Exchage or Skype for Business.

Since the end of 2016 we have the following MCSE categories:

  • MCSE Mobility
  • MCSE Cloud Platform & Infrastructure
  • MCSE Productivity
  • MCSE Data Mgmt & Analytics
  • MCSD App Builder

 

To earn each of these credentials, you must first earn a qualifying Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) certification and, then, pass a single additional exam from a list of electives associated with the corresponding Center of Excellence.

 

 

So far so good, but how to get the right path for the own way?
For this question I present you the following picture of all path’s:

Please Note: The way to the MCSA certification is fix given. To get a MCSE certification you don’t need to make all of the exams which are showed on the picture, except at the Productivity MCSE in the other way’s you will need to pass just one of all the exams. If you wanna make the MCSE Productivity certification, you can use the new exams of Exchange 2016 or SharePoint 2016, than you need just one of it. Following the Skype for Business way, Exchange 2013 you will have to make two Exams.

You can download this Picture for free here.

 

 

 

Details on the exams required to earn each of the new MCSE and MCSD certifications can be found here.

 

Transitioning to the New MCSE/MCSD Certifications

The new MCSE and MCSD certifications will be released and your MCP transcripts will be reevaluated. To recognize your efforts in keeping your existing certifications up-to-date, those individuals who currently hold active MCSE or MCSD certifications from the following list will earn the corresponding new MCSE or MCSD certifications for 2016 without having to take any additional exams.

MCSE: Server Infrastructure
MCSE: Private Cloud
MCSE: Data Platform
MCSE: Business Intelligence
MCSE: Enterprise Devices and Apps
MCSE: SharePoint
MCSE: Communication
MCSE: Messaging
MCSD: Universal Windows Platform
MCSD: Web Applications
MCSD: SharePoint Applications

In addition, all individuals who have passed a qualifying elective exam since January 1, 2016 will be granted the corresponding new MCSE or MCSD certifications for 2016 without the need to take additional exams, if they have met all exam requirements.