Hi everybody,
I'm so bummed out. I'm looking into taking exam 70-764 in the near future and am learning that the exam and the MCSA certification which it and 70-765 consists of will no longer be available after Jan. 31, 2021.
There's no way I'll be ready to take those two tests in time. Does anyone know what SQL Server Administration certification of equal or similar discipline is or will be available/supported after Jan 31. 2021? An alternate?
I'd suggest skipping those exams and that certification, save your money if you haven't spent it yet. Also remember that it would have expired after 3 years unless you recertify, so there's no point in getting it now.
MS creates and drops certifications paths pretty frequently now, I'd say this is at least the third complete reorg of the program in the past 10 years. They have also split certification paths for data, it's no longer just about SQL Server. And Azure impacts everything as well.
There's lots of opinion on whether certification is actually useful for a career. I do feel that going through a certification process can improve your skills, and that is justification for doing it if you can afford it. But there are certainly other ways/resources that can accomplish the same goal.
I've let my certifications lapse, I've seen no professional benefit from them. I've gotten a lot more out of public speaking and community interaction. Unless you're actively seeking a new job at the moment, and every single available job requires a cert (truth: they don't), I don't think you have to pursue it right away.
Best thing to do is review the paths they list here:
Keep in mind that they will probably change again within 5 years or less, and that you need to retake tests to keep your certs current.
Thanks Robert_Volk