If you haven't already heard, Microsoft is upping the ante in the certification arena by introducing a new line of certs called the Microsoft Certified Master Program. The gist of it is that these are certifications (currently only for SQL Server 2008, Exchange Server 2007, and Windows Server 2008) that represent the highest skill level in building solutions based on the specific product. A much more detailed blog post from the program owner HERE.It's a lengthy post, be sure you have a minute to digest all of that information.

Here's the rub: many people already feel that certifications, particularly MS certs, aren't all that valuable in the real world, because the certs can be obtained by anyone patient enough to read the study materials and take the test, without having any actual, useable, real world experience. And on top of that, with the changes in recent certifications from MS, many managers and HR reps don't even know what the certs represent. So, how can adding a higher level cert be helpful in any way?

Well, personally speaking, I think they've got a good deal with this one, with one caveat I'll speak to in a minute. This particular certification, much like the Microsoft Certified Architect, requires (as in MANDATORY) classroom training. For the SQL Server Masters Cert, they are going to require that you already hold the MCTS:2005 cert, as well as both the MCITP (Microsoft Certified IT Pro) SQL Server certs for DBA and Developer. And, they will need an application, as well as a resume to see if they will accept you into the program in the first place. All of which seems to, in my opinion, make the cert a little more "weighty" than it's predecessors. Primarily because this will make it hard for the cert to become watered-down by literally hundreds of thousands of people holding it. Plus,once accepted to the program, you have to pass 3 written exams AND a lab based exam (similar to the Cisco CCIE).Again, I think that's a huge plus. The idea behind all of this is that if you encounter someone that holds the MCM for a given product, you should be able to reasonably assume that they know, very well, what they are talking about. This increases their value to a company, as well as value in their career.

 However.

The blog post says (and it may be an early report, but I don't imagine it's too far off), that the program fee, IF you are accepted, will be in the neighborhood of $18,500USD. This includes the mandatory 3 WEEK course and ONE round of exams. If you fail any exam, retakes are extra: $250 for written tests and $1500 for the lab exam. In other words, this is not likely to be a cert you can afford on your own. In fact, just to meet the pre-requisites, you or your company has already forked over at least $225-$250 in exam fees for the earlier exams, not to mention training. Not only would an individual find this expensive, even a small or medium business might find this to be too much to fork over. The argument, of course, is that a business that employs someone that holds a cert of this level has not only a strong technical resource, but a good marketing tool (particularly those companies that are MS Partners). So the question is not only "Am I good enough?", but "Who's going to pay for this?".

I would love to acheive this cert. I currently have the MCITP:DBA, but never pushed on for the Dev MCITP (or any others) because I felt like it was pointless. I really felt that if you've spent more than 6 months with SQL Server, you could probably pass the test(s). And if you've already built up a healthy resume of experience, the MCITP cert doesn't really impress anyone as much as your background and references will. However, I think the MCM would be a much more difficult certification to earn, not only requiring you to demonstrate expertise but probably deepen it during the training courses.

If nothing else, think of it this way: Many experts in our field (think Kalen Delaney, Kimberly Tripp, Itzik Ben-Gan) have made careers out of sharing their deep knowledge, and don't generally advertise or glorify certifications (I don't know if they do or don't hold any MS certs, but they certainly don't advertise it if they do). Their body of work shows what they know. But, for those of use somewhere in between "Senior DBA at XYZ Corp." and "SQL Server Community Guru", a cert like this might help us get that slightly higher paying job or even help us branch out on our own as consultants, authors, and trainers.

I'm curious to hear if anyone else out there has any thoughts. Please feel free to respond, thanks for stopping by!

--Josh

Hi! My name's Josh Jones, and I'm a new blogger here at SQL Server Central. Steve Jones graciously let me start blogging here, so I figured the first thing I ought to do is introduce myself. But before anyone asks, Steve and I are not related. We just share one of the most common surnames around.

I've been working in IT for about 8 years now, with the last 6 years focused on SQL Server. Prior to life as a DBA, I ran the gamut of the networking side of the house; everything from Help Desk to Server Support to networking and telephony infrastructure & support. Since being a DBA, I've been lucky enough to work with (learn from) and meet some very talented folks such as Paul Nielsen, Bill Wunder, Eric Johnson and of course Steve Jones (all past or present SQL Server MVPs). Now I'm trying to share my experiences as well as learn from the community; I am one of the VP's of the Colorado Springs SQL Server Users Groups, and a regular speaker at both the Colorado PASS Camps and a number of other online conference and informational outlets. Plus, (warning: shameless plug coming) Eric Johnson and I just published our first book, "A Developers Guide to Data Modeling for SQL Server" from Addison-Wesley. So if you're interested in a practical take on Data Modeling with an eye towards deploying on SQL Server, make sure to check it out (if you're in Colorado, attend the Boulder, Denver, or Colorado Springs SQL Server Users Group and you might win a copy for free!). One more plug: I am also a co-host of an IT Professional focused podcast at www.cstechcast.com. It's a 30 minute show, where we talk about news and trends, bring a weekly tech tip, and feature interviews with authors and experts on a broad variety of topics (everything from SQL Server to Cloud Computing to IT Compliance). Check us out if you have the time.

But that's enough about me. I plan on using this blog to post thoughts and experiences on day to day, practical usage of SQL Server. I also tend to be somewhat of a new tech geek, so I'll try to post interesting and (hopefully) thought provoking entries on the new features of SQL Server, as well as some industry trends that I think DBAs should pay attention to. So hopefully you'll find this blog useful, and please, PLEASE leave me feedback and comments as you see fit. Thanks, and see you all online!