Windows Vista might be getting dinged in the press lately, but it's not stopping anyone from seeking the MCTS: Vista Configuration certification. In fact, the title appear to be one of the hottest of the new-generation Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) exams.
According to numbers posted on the Microsoft MCP Web site early this month, 18,869 IT pros worldwide passed an exam to obtain the MCTS: Windows Vista -- Configuration. The next big gainer? The MCTS: .NET Framework 2.0 Web Applications certification, at 266 fewer holders than the Vista title.
The MCTS: Vista -- Configuration title has been available since January 2007, which is when Microsoft released the 70-620 TS: Vista -- Configuration exam. The MCTS: .NET Web Apps title had a headstart, becoming a valid credential when one of the two required exams finally saw daylight back in March 2006 (in this case, Exam 70-536 TS: .NET Framework 2.0 -- Application Development Foundation; the other exam that makes up the title is 70-528 TS: .NET Framework 2.0 -- Web-Based Client Development, which was released two months earlier).
Topping the list of new-generation titles is MCTS: SQL Server 2005, with 27,526 holders, but it was among the first of the new-generation MCP titles to be released.
The MCTS credentials for Windows Server 2008, which were just released a few weeks ago, have already been issued to around 6,000 and 7,000 MCPs worldwide for the three credentials. The MCTS: SharePoint Server -- Configuration title comes in at 5,687.
According to the posting, 2.25 million MCPs around the world have earned at least a basic Microsoft certification. Click here to view the list.
