If you currently hold a Windows Server 2003 MCSA certification the next step in your certification path should be to upgrade to a MCITP Windows 2008 certification. Upgrading to a MCITP on Windows Server 2008 will bring your technical knowledge and skills up to par with the latest certifications on offer from Microsoft. Having the latest certifications looks great on your resume and will give you the upper hand at job interviews.
Luckily upgrading your Windows 2003 MCSA upgrade to MCITP is a straight forward process which requires as little as only 2 exams. You have 2 options to upgrade your MCSA to an equivalent or greater MCITP certification. All options require you to do at least one MCTS exam and one MCITP exam. Here are your MCSA upgrade to MCITP options:
MCSA Upgrade to MCITP: Enterprise Administrator
(4 Exams)
70-648 MCTS: Upgrading from Windows Server 2003 MCSA to, Windows Server 2008, Technology Specializations
70-643 MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Applications Infrastructure, Configuring
70-680 MCTS: Windows 7, Configuring
70-647 MCITP: Windows Server 2008, Enterprise Administrator
MCSA Upgrade to MCITP: Server Administrator
(2 Exams)
70-648 MCTS: Upgrading from Windows Server 2003 MCSA to, Windows Server 2008, Technology Specializations
70-646 MCITP: Windows Server 2008, Server Administrator
As you can see, both choices require you to sit the MCTS 70-648 exam. This exam is a composite of both 70-640 and 70-642 exams cut down into one exam. Because of this, you can infact use study material for both of these exams for your 70-648 study.
MCSA 2000 Upgrade to MCITP
Unfortunately the technology gap between a MCSA 2000 and MCITP 2008 Server is too large for there to be an upgrade path. People in this position must follow the full certification path for either MCITP Server Administrator or MCITP Enterprise Administrator.
Whats the first step to upgrading MCSA to MCITP?
The first step to upgrading your MCSA to MCITP is to sit the MCTS 70-648 exam. Below is the official Microsoft Self-Paced Training Kit
If you currently hold an MCSE 2003 check out our post on the MCSE to MCITP upgrade path.