MCSA CERTIFICATION
Overview
MCSA (Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate) is a certification programme designed for individuals seeking entry-level positions in Information Technology (IT). It is required for advanced Microsoft certifications. The MCSA certification has taken the place of the now-defunct Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator certification.
The MCSA certifications are also prerequisites for many Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) certifications, geared toward more experienced IT professionals. If you want to obtain an expert-level certification from Microsoft, you must first pass one of these entry-level associate exams.
Training for MCSA Certification
There are two basic approaches to studying for MCSA certification exams. The first option is to study on your own. Those who prefer self-study have access to a wealth of resources. There are books, video courseware, and independent resources, such as YouTube videos, for example. Some companies provide practise exams.
Instructor-led training is another option. Microsoft-approved training centres provide live and online courses for the majority of the MCSA exams. These are Microsoft-approved courses that correspond directly to the exam material.
Cost of MCSA Certification
The cost of an MCSA certification varies depending on the certification. The majority of certification exams cost £116. The number of certification exams that must pass, on the other hand, varies from one certification to the next. Most MCSA certifications necessitate passing two or three exams. A two-exam certification would cost £232 at £116 per exam, and a three-exam certification would cost £348 at £116 per exam. These fees are only for taking the certification exams and do not include study expenses.
MCSA Certifications
Microsoft provides certifications that focus on your ability to design and build technological solutions. Microsoft Azure, SQL Server, Office 365, SharePoint Server, Skype for Business, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Exchange Server, and Windows Server are just a few of the proprietary products covered by certifications.
There are numerous MCSA certifications to choose from. Each requires you to pass up to three exams to be certified. Among these certifications and exams are:
MCSA: Business Intelligence Reporting
This certification covers data consumption and transformation, data modelling and visualization, and dashboard configuration with Excel and Power BI. To obtain this certification, you must pass two exams on data visualization.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Operations MCSA
There are no prerequisites for this certification, but you must pass three SQL and Dynamics 365 exams to obtain it. The certification is best suited for Microsoft Dynamics 365 developers, solution architects, and implementers.
MCSA: SQL 2016 Business Intelligence Development
Before embarking on this certification path, Microsoft recommends that you have foundational IT skills. The certification is intended for extract, transform, and load (ELT) and data warehouse developers who create business intelligence (BI) solutions. To obtain this certification, you must pass two exams on BI development and SQL implementation.