Major shift in Microsoft Certification is coming

To cater to the millenials, Microsoft has come up with the strategy of offering Microsoft Badges to recognize the competency level. Presently limited to Windows Server technology it may be introduced for the other areas. The badges will appear in the transcripts that the candidates can use to demonstrate their skills.

These badges are not replacments for the MCSE, MCSA and other Microsoft certification tracks but run alongside.

Microsoft is also rolling out online proctoring that will make it easy for examination takers and perhaps take away business from Prometric or other specialized testing centers. Microsoft proctoring is already available in 53 countries.

Read more here:
https://redmondmag.com/blogs/the-schwartz-report/2015/08/ms-planned-badges.aspx
 

Evaluated a Sample exam preparation kit from uCertify

I have taken a lot of Microsoft Certification exams mostly in the System Engineers track and as Microsoft changes the software so frequently I found it a loosing battle to keep up with their schedule. My BS is not retired (will never retire) but my MCT [Microsoft Certified Trainer] had a short life of 2 years. However in order to pass these exams it is not sufficient to know the subject but know enough to cover all the stated objectives.

I downloaded the uCerify Exam Preparation evaluation Kit, M70-526-VB [Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Client development] from their web site and took it for a test drive. Here are some of my impressions.

The 15 diagnostic questions will test your initial level of expertise as well as gives you a flavor of the contents of this kit. Then you have over 260 questions supported by extensive notes when you buy this product.

* It has a lot of state of the art learning tools like flash cards, articles, tips etc.

*The interactive exams are intuitive and unambiguously configured

* The ability to track your progress, and the readiness report you can access will greatly assist you and gives you enough confidence to take the exams. Your results of the tests are sliced and diced to provide you with the fine details to show where and how you went wrong.

*Exam results would depend on objectives of the exam rather than having a broad knowledge base. It helps those that take the exam to really focus on all that is relevant to the training. The Exam Objectives and Objectives with Notes menu items cover this exceedingly well.

*The explanations given for each question is well researched as well as presented in a summarized fashion and agrees well with the Books on line.

In addition to any exam preparation product you must also make it a habit to refer to Microsoft's Books On-line which usually has the last word.

I found resizable windows hides information as there is no text wrapping in windows, but on the larger screens used in recent times this should not be a problem.

I recommend anyone who is planning to take a Microsoft Certification Examination to seriously check out the uCertify web site for their needs.