Thoughts on the discontinuation of Microsoft's MCM/MCSM program

It's old news, I know, but Microsoft killed the MCM/MCSM program, announcing it just before the Labor Day holiday weekend. There isn't much I can say that hasn't already been said. Every SQL blogger out there seems to have weighed in already. Among them was a very popular Connect item calling for the program's reinstatement that contained a HUGE outpouring of support for the program and some thoughtful responses from Microsoft. Oddly, that Connect item seems to have disappeared.

Personally, I feel this was a mistake on Microsoft's part. Killing off the one certification program they have that truly means something for what appears to be financial reasons was a short-sighted move. If, on the other-hand, as Tim Sneath would like I to believe, the program was killed for lack of interest and participation, then I believe this was still a mistake. Doing so before having something to take its place, to solve the participation problem, still seems shortsighted. In either case, I hope they reconsider and implement a new program in its place. One that maintains the integrity of the program, and continues to really mean something.

If they had a plan by making the announcement just before a holiday weekend, the plan worked. I was out camping that weekend and backpacking the following week such that I didn't get the news until nearly two weeks after the fact. Initially, I was kinda crushed. I passed the SQL MCM knowledge exam last November at the PASS Summit and took the lab exam in late December. I narrowly failed, my report saying that I received 82% of the required score. I've been preparing most of the year for a retake and had penciled in a late October re-take. Then this news.

I wondered if I should even bother retaking the exam, now, with the program effectively dead on 10/1 or if I should go head and bump up my timetable for a retake and give it one more shot. In the end, I decided to retake the exam, which I did today, having just finished about an hour ago.

Why?

• In the hope that the program will reboot in some meaningful way and my hoped for 2008 MCM certification will grandfather me in, in some way.
• Because if bothered me that I didn't pass the first time
• Because I think the certification will still be meaningful, even if the program is dead.

One interesting tidbit. The exam proctor, Ralph something or other, wish I'd remembered to write down his last name, mentioned that they've extended the program through the end of the year and waived the 90 day waiting period for exam retakes. Which means if I fail again, I'll have one more shot if I can come up with the exam fee, It's odd, though, that I've seen no announcements of this extension, other than a blurb on the MCM Advanced Certification page that states: "If you have outstanding Masters or Architect exams to complete, please contact our Advanced Certification team at advcert@microsoft.com to arrange to take your exams before December 31, 2013." 

In any event, I'll see where my chips fell here in 4-6 weeks. I feel like I did better than I did last time, but don't feel like I aced it. It's going to be close.