Introducing the Microsoft Certified IT Professional

Since the inception of its certification program, Microsoft has certified millions of people. Over the years, Microsoft has learned what it takes to help people show their skills through certification.

Based on that experience, Microsoft has introduced a new generation of certifications:

• Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS)

• Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP)

• Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD)

• Microsoft Certified Architect (MCA)

The MCITP certification program is designed to test your knowledge as an IT professional on a broader scale than that of the MCTS certification program. MCTS is an initial certification designed to test your skills and knowledge in a basic fashion on one product. To become an MCITP, you must first obtain an MCTS in your particular skill area.

The MCITP: Database Administrator program has three certifications: database developer, database administrator, and business intelligence developer. Each of these examinations focuses on a different aspect of SQL Server 2005, in recognition that the jobs requiring SQL Server 2005 skills are diverse and have varying needs that often don’t overlap. For example, a database developer might never need to know how to back up a database or configure the memory used by SQL Server. Those skills are more appropriate for a database administrator and aren’t tested as heavily. Instead, the focus for this certification is on using the development tools and structuring queries.