Wherever you go you will notice that most computers running with Microsoft products. From desktop or personal to business or corporate use, from the low end user up to high end users. This is possible simply because Microsoft dominates the IT World. Maybe because their software are more convenient to use than others, or shall we say because they are commonly used by most business organization.

The high increase in the production of computers is a clear evident of a high increase in software usage like Microsoft. Most of the network infrastructure-from the design, implementation and maintenance are using Microsoft products. This is why Microsoft comes up with the idea of having certification.

What is MCP?

Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) is a term that represents all certifications of Microsoft. These are offered for most Microsoft technologies and skilled professionals from an ordinary IT professional, developers, designers, trainers, and system architects.

What is the purpose of Microsoft certification?

MCP aims to help you to be up to date, lead you to more fulfilling career, and offer valuable benefits.

Why you should take a Microsoft certification?

If you are planning to launch a job that uses Microsoft products like Windows 7 or Microsoft Office Application, I suggest that you think about earning Microsoft certification. This is will be your edge against other applicants and it will represent your skills and knowledge about a certain products.

What are the existing Microsoft Certifications?

Microsoft certifications are categorized based on its technical series and products or technology.

In this article I will try to give you an overview of the existing Microsoft certification based on its technical series. Most of It professionals are aware that Microsoft Technical Certifications are cluster to map job responsibility. For those who are new to technology, you can start with the Specialist Series certification. Experienced IT professionals including the developers can think about Professional or Master Series certifications.

What is Specialist, Professional, Master and Architecture Series certifications?

Alright let me explain it further.

Specialist Series. It refers to MCTS or Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist certification. It was designed to show thorough knowledge and to certify your capacity to employ, construct and troubleshoot Microsoft products or technology. For example, .Net Framework, Microsoft SQL, etc.

To take this certification you must pass one to two exams and have at least one year of experience related to this.

Professional Series. The Professional Series certifications includes the MCITP or Microsoft Certified IT Professional and MCPD or Microsoft Certified Professional Developer certifications aims to assists you certify an ample set of job-related skills like project and operations management, system design, and planning. It can help you reveal your concentration on the job to provide a consistent job performance.
This certification requires you pass one or two exams and gained at least one year related job experience.

Master Series. The MCM or Microsoft Certified Master certifications are designed to assist you in demonstrating effective design and employ resolutions that resolve multifaceted challenges.

This certification requires professional level training, laboratory drills based on real customer scenes, and exams. You can choose from any of the following technologies for your certification: Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007, Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, Windows Server 2008 - Directory, and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007.

Architect Series. The MCA or Microsoft Certified Architect certification is designed to authorize your skills as a competent expert in IT architecture.
Typically professionals who accomplish this certification have at least five or more years of comprehensive experience and established technical expertise and leadership.

To get this certification, one must establish proficiency of technology and business expertise throughout a Review Board interview.

To know more about Microsoft certification you can visit their official web site.

Let us continue improving ourselves as an IT professionals by having different certification on our field of specialization.