Microsoft Certification Programs – When Should You Start One? By James Copper At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Certifications specific to Microsoft products allow those who carry those credentials to service the most widely-used software products in the world. The certifications range from very basic training in networking and applications to the extremely advanced MCITP-Microsoft Certified IT Professional-certification that denotes the certified individual as an expert in the workings of the company's most complex applications, at any level of use.

The Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist may be the least advanced of the certification programs offered by the company, but those who take the certification courses are usually light years ahead of their colleagues in technical knowledge regarding the products for which they've studied. This certification is offered for most of Microsoft's products, from Office products such as Word and Access to advanced server technologies. These certifications are not only valuable for IT specialists. Office managers are often the first people called when employees experience technical difficulties. Office managers who carry an MCTS certification in the products which the company uses the most will be well-qualified to answer most basic questions an employee may have, and a good number of the advanced questions, as well. There is a certification available for support desk personnel, as well, that can be of great help for those employees and the people they seek to aid.

The MCSA-Microsoft Certified Server Administrator-certification is appropriate for those individuals responsible for managing the day to day operations of Windows Server technologies. These certifications allow for specialization in either security or messaging, the two tasks other than general administration with which server administrators are most often tasked by the companies for which they worked. If a company is fortunate enough to have two administrators, having one specialize in each field can save a great deal of money in support calls to outside contractors. These certifications require the individual who bears them to pass very difficult tests and are assurance that the individual is well-qualified for their position.

The highest level of certification Microsoft currently offers is the MSCITP-Microsoft Certified IT Professional-certification. This certification takes place of the Microsoft Certified System Engineer certification of the past and means the individual holding it can boast the highest possible competency where Windows Server 2008 is concerned. These individuals are well-qualified to handle the network architecture, planning, implementation, maintenance and repair tasks associated with Windows 2008 for any company, large or small. Many individuals with this certification will have updated an MCSE certification to obtain it. These individuals are usually only on the staffs of very large companies as they can command very high wages for their abilities. More often than not, this certification will be carried by the best technical contractors for Microsoft products. These individuals are generally aware of the latest threats and fixes for Microsoft software, can troubleshoot and fix most problems and serve as the go-to people when problems cannot be fixed in-house.

Microsoft certifications should be obtained from companies who are "partners" with Microsoft to ensure the authenticity of the certification program.

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