Microsoft Certified Master (MCM)

The Microsoft Certified Master program has a prerequisite reading list – things you need to read before you start the training.  I’ve started an MCM reading list wiki on SQLServerPedia with summaries, sort of like a Cliff’s Notes guide in an effort to help guide studying efforts.  Early on in my studies, I was surprised…

As one of the bloggers behind The Master Blog, Joe Sack is a public face for the SQL MCM program.  Joe also blogs at MSDN, and he manages the SQL MCM prerequisite reading list.  The MCM program isn’t even his “day job” – he’s also a Senior Premier Field Engineer, which means he sees a…

A few weeks ago, I glowed about how much I thought the MCITP exams had improved since the old braindump days.  I had a really good experience with the 70-432 and 70-450 exams on SQL Server database administration, and I was happy that the exams focused on good decisions, not mindless memorization of syntax. Now,…

This week I’m focusing on the Microsoft Certified Master program.  I’m making a run at the MCM certification for SQL Server 2008, and from the outside, the whole thing looks pretty overwhelming. How do Microsoft certifications work? Microsoft exams are about $125, and people usually self-study for them if they’re knocking out exams one at…