Certification upgrade time

I’ve had my MCDBA (SQL 7 & 2000) for about 6 years now. According to this site:

You are not required to upgrade.
Your MCDBA credential will continue to be recognized and valued by employers and decision makers who use SQL Server 2000. Microsoft will not retire the MCDBA.

Still, I need to go ahead and upgrade. My employer isn’t requiring it but they are going to help pay for some training. I don’t really want any classroom training because I don’t need that much help. I might just get the self-study box set as seen here.

One thing that bugs me is the fact that Microsoft changed the name of the certification. It is no longer MCDBA. Now, you are a Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Database Administrator. MCITPDA? That’s too many letters for a certification. Of course, I could just take one upgrade exam instead of two and become a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: SQL 2005 but that feels like a half step up. It’s almost like saying I was a DBA but now I’m just a user that knows how to write queries. That just won’t do.

I’m going to pickup the study kit later today. The individual books, as well as the kit, got decent reviews on Amazon. I have no idea how long it will take to study for this test. I do remember that the SQL test were the hardest ones I took out of all the MCSE/MCDBA test.

Immorality: The morality of those who are having a better time. – H.L. Mencken

17.Apr.07 Certifications, Microsoft SQL