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Interested in computer certifications to change to a computer career?

.NET MCSD Certification / Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer for Not Yet Techies

"Computer Careers: Microsoft Languages, Platforms and Technologies to Develop Software Program Applications"

by Richard Stooker, President Info Ring Press and author of Secrets of Changing to a Computer Career

.NET MCSD certification / Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer from:

The MCSD certification (Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer certification) has long been their certification for software programmers and developers. With the advent of their extensive .NET program, replacing the traditional Microsoft technologies called DNA, they have now changed the MCSD certification to fit in with .NET.

Type of .NET MCSD certification / Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer for computer careers:

Vendor

.NET MCSD certification / Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer worth it?

Standard disclaimer:

Whether or not any certification is "worth it" is an individual decision. You alone must decide what your career goals and needs are.

Look at certifications from a cost/benefit or Return On Investment (ROI) basis. If they help you get a better paying job or make more money at your current job, they are obviously "worth it."

The problem is, there is no real way of measuring how much you can expect your income to go up as a result of any given certification. It also depends on non-related job search skills such as how well you network.

.NET MCSD certification / Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer background:

Obviously, you must now learn the applicable new .NET technologies to get the new MCSD certification / Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer. They have also added a new developer certification.

The .NET MCSD certification / Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer is considered most appropriate for those who "analyze and design" software rather than put in the grunt work of actually coding it. If your job is high level design of information flow and applications design, you want this one.

If you are still a (relative) peon, you want the Microsoft Certified Applications Developer (MCAD). If you do not have either one yet and you plan to reach the .NET MCSD certification / Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer level, you start with the MCAD.

That is because the tests you must take and pass to get you an MCAD will also count toward the .NET MCSD certification / Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer.

So get your MCAD and you're part of the way toward the .NET MCSD certification / Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer.

Full .NET MCSD certification requirements are:

You must pass 4 exams, one from each Core area. You can pick which of the exams in each Core area you want to take and pass, but you must pick and pass one from each Core area.

According to MS, "The core exams provide a valid and reliable measure of technical proficiency and expertise in developing and maintaining enterprise applications that are based on Microsoft development tools, technologies, and platforms."

They also say you should have at least two years' experience developing and maintaining solutions and applications.

#1 .NET MCSD certification / Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer Core area: Web Application Development:

1. Exam 70–305: Developing and Implementing Web Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic® .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio® .NET

2. Exam 70–315: Developing and Implementing Web Applications with Microsoft Visual C#™ .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET

#2 .NET MCSD certification / Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer Core area: Windows Application Development:

1. Exam 70–306: Developing and Implementing Windows-based Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET

2. Exam 70–316: Developing and Implementing Windows-based Applications with Microsoft Visual C# .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET

#3. .NET MCSD certification/ Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer XML Web Services and Server Components Development:

1. Exam 70–310: Developing XML Web Services and Server Components with Microsoft Visual Basic .NET and the Microsoft .NET Framework

2. Exam 70–320: Developing XML Web Services and Server Components with Microsoft Visual C# and the Microsoft .NET Framework

#4 .NET MCSD certification / Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer Core area: Solution Architecture:

1. Exam 70–300: Analyzing Requirements and Defining .NET Solution Architectures

You must also pass one elective exams:

1. Exam 70–229: Designing and Implementing Databases with Microsoft SQL Server™ 2000 Enterprise Edition

2. Exam 70–230: Designing and Implementing Solutions with Microsoft BizTalk® Server 2000 Enterprise Edition

3. Exam 70–234: Designing and Implementing Solutions with Microsoft Commerce Server 2000

Taking and passing these will get you the .NET MCSD certification Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer.

Next: PeopleSoft Certified Consultant

Use Your New Computer Career as a Stepping Stone to Even Greater Success

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The 7 most important skills to even greater business achievement -- not to mention wealth and (maybe) fame
Why techies are expendable in bad times and how to protect yourself from them
Why the world's richest computer programmer has not written any code in ages
How one ex-engineer now makes $500,000 a year
The abilities most techies don't even realize they don't have -- which confines their success to their technical abilities
Why techies are expendable in bad times and how to protect yourself from them

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