Who is the face of the IT Pro world? (Part Two)

Who is the face of the IT Pro world to the corporate environment (or the ever growing consumer support side – think of the various large electronics stores with their own IT staff to perform installations repairs etc)? Is it the network administrator or the Exchange Administrator? Or is it one of the developers or DBA types? Or is it one of the helpdesk people – those poor folks who has to go out and fix a computer or assist a user with a problem for the 12th time – whatever the situation, it is one of the helpdesk people who generally assists with a problem first. In my last blog I talked about the MCDST (Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician now I will discuss the new Vista certifications. As before, there is still a need for a help desk or support technician certification. The original MCDST certification is still valid according to Microsoft “The MCDST credential will not retire with the release of Windows Vista certifications; it will continue to be supported by Microsoft and valued by employers and decision makers who use Microsoft Windows XP”. What has changed is the type of and number of certifications available for Vista. The Vista certifications follow the same pattern as the rest of the new releases with the MCTS and MCITP certification tracks. There are actually three certifications available for Vista: MCTS: Windows Vista, Configuration; MCITP: Consumer Support Technician and MCITP: Enterprise Support Technician with four separate exams. There is also an upgrade path available for those who hold the MCDST certification by simply taking the 70-621 Exam: PRO: Upgrading Your MCDST Certification to MCITP Enterprise Support. If you are not upgrading from the MCDST, then to earn your MCITP: Enterprise Support Technician, then you need to take the 70-620 Exam: TS: Windows Vista, Configuring (which, incidentally, also earns you the MCTS: Windows Vista – Configuration certification as well) and the 70-622 Exam: PRO: Supporting and Troubleshooting Applications on a Windows Vista Client for Enterprise Support Technicians. The MCITP: Consumer Support Technician is an interesting certification in that it falls outside the usual realm of what we would consider for Microsoft certifications. The Consumer Technician “certification is the right option for you if your interest lies in home user support or consumer retail support” as stated from the Microsoft Learning web site. But given how much automation has increased in the average home (think Media Center), this seems only natural. If you want to earn this certification, you need to pass the 70-620 exam mentioned earlier as well as 70-623: PRO: Supporting and Troubleshooting Applications on a Windows Vista Client for Consumer Support Technicians. Now all that is needed is a MCTS: Softskills certification for working with the end-users.