Bookstores should make room on their shelves for Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) texts. They'll need it. The MCSA accreditation's popularity will surpass the MCSE's.
If operating systems are to be rolled out every 18 months, which appears to be Microsoft's goal, IT professionals will abandon the seven-exam MCSE track. It's not that they've lost interest in a comprehensive certification. The costs, measured in time and money, are simply too high.
Even with the announcement that Microsoft certification retirements are being rescinded, it's going to be hard to talk most network administrators, systems engineers, network technicians, and other IT professionals into taking the seven exams to earn an MCSE when they can prove themselves with an MCSA in four. Plus, if you've earned Network+ and A+ certification, or Server+ and A+, Microsoft will count that as your elective and you can earn an MCSA by passing only three exams.
Earning an MCSA will require that candidates prove a wide range of expertise on a platform. It'll also demonstrate that if MCSAs run into an issue they don't understand, they likely possess the wherewithal and knowledge to obtain and implement a solution. After all, you have to be self-motivated and trainable in order to pass four certification exams.
News source: TechRepublic
