Microsoft have announced that the next version of the MCTS Microsoft SQL Server Implementation and Maintenance exam will be 70-586. This exam contains subjects from the new SQL Server 2011 (v11).
The exam will closely follow the subject material for SQL 2008 with exception that it relates specifically to 2011. Any new changes in SQL 2011 will be included in the exam, so make sure you know them well! Microsoft typically recommend that students wanting to take this exam have 2 to 3 years experience of using SQL Server and have jobs where database administration is their main responsibility.
This includes:
- IT generalists who work in environments in which SQL Server 2011 is part of an overall solution
- IT professionals who manage systems that run SQL Server 2011
- IT professionals who work with third-party applications that are built on SQL Server 2011
- Developers who build applications that use SQL Server 2011
When you pass exam 70-586 you will complete the requirements for the MCTS SQL Server 2011 Implementation and Maintenance certification.
The 70-586 exam will contain questions relating to these aspects of SQL Server 2011:
- Installing and Configuring SQL Server 2011
- Maintaining SQL Server Instances
- Managing SQL Server Security
- Maintaining a SQL Server Database
- Performing Data Management Tasks
- Monitoring and Troubleshooting SQL Server
- Optimizing SQL Server Performance
- Implementing High Availability
Note: There has been no official word on the naming of the next version of SQL Server, but it is widely expected to be 2011.