Big change in SharePoint Certification Options

 

New Certification Path for SharePoint 2013 Administrators

In the past to get the SharePoint 2013 admin certification you had to be Windows Server 2012 certified (a big step). Now the two exams associated with course 20346 (70-346 and 70-347) can be used in place of the Server 2012 certs.

For comparison:

• The Server 2012 certification, MCSA: Windows Server 2012 - Solutions Associate, requires three exams: 70-410, 70-411 and 70-412.
• The Office 365 certification, MCSA: Office 365 - Solutions Associate, only requires two exams:
• Exam 70-346 - Managing Office 365 Identities and Requirements
• Exam 70-347 - Enabling Office 365 Services

Certifications:

Passing 70-346 and 70-347 will get you the "MCSA: Office 365 - Solutions Associate" certification. Those two exams plus the SharePoint admin exams, 70-331 and 70-332, will now get you the "MCSE: SharePoint - Solutions Expert" certification.

Classes?

The Server 2012 classes total three weeks while the 70-346 class is only one week. Unless you already have strong DNS, AD and Exchange skills, you will need extra study on those topics.

Which path?

If you are supporting SharePoint 2013 on-premise then you probably would follow the Windows Server 2012 path. If you are moving to the cloud with Office 365, then follow the Office 365 / MCSA: Office 365 - Solutions Associate path.

Links:

• MCSA Office 365: Now an optional path to three MCSE tracks
  http://borntolearn.mslearn.net/btl/b/weblog/archive/2014/08/14/mcsa-office-365-now-an-optional-path-to-three-mcse-tracks.aspx
• MCSE: SharePoint - Solutions Expert:
  https://www.microsoft.com/learning/en-us/mcse-sharepoint-certification.aspx
• MCSA: Windows Server 2012 - Solutions Associate
  https://www.microsoft.com/learning/en-us/mcsa-windows-server-certification.aspx
• MCSA: Office 365 - Solutions Associate
  https://www.microsoft.com/learning/en-us/mcsa-office365-certification.aspx

Classes (from MAX of course!):

• MA-MCSESP - SharePoint MCSE Certification Package
  All of the classes for the Server 2012 path plus practice exams and exam vouchers!
  http://www.maxtrain.com/Classes/ClassInfo.aspx?Id=109075
• MS-20346 - Managing Office 365 Identities and Services
  http://www.maxtrain.com/Classes/ClassInfo.aspx?Id=119383
• MS-20331 - Core Solutions of Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013
  http://www.maxtrain.com/Classes/ClassInfo.aspx?Id=68933
• MS-20332 - Advanced Solutions of Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013
  http://www.maxtrain.com/Classes/ClassInfo.aspx?Id=71294
• MS-20410 - Installing and Configuring Windows Server 2012 R2
  http://www.maxtrain.com/Classes/ClassInfo.aspx?Id=43964
• MS-20411 - Administering Windows Server 2012 R2
  http://www.maxtrain.com/Classes/ClassInfo.aspx?Id=43965
• MS-20412 - Configuring Advanced Windows Server 2012 R2 Services
  http://www.maxtrain.com/Classes/ClassInfo.aspx?Id=43966

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