So I am now an MCITP Database Developer for SQL 2008. This is a big milestone for me. A few years ago I was terrified to take any of the exams. They are expensive, and I just knew there was no way I was going to pass. It would be a huge waste of time and money. Why bother. I’m sure I could come up with a few more excuses if I tried. The sad thing is that I had wanted to get certified for years. So I finally plucked up enough courage and took my first exam. I had been studying on and off for years to get the MCTS for Implementation and Maintenance for SQL 2005 and in the end it was easy. I passed with no problems. Of course I was sick with nerves for hours afterwards and to be honest I still get sick after every exam. A form of stage fright I guess.

So having passed my first exam I was ready to do the next. Unfortunately I discovered that I had waited too long to take any more exams for 2005. They expired shortly after I took that first exam. So I started prepping for the 2008 exams. I set myself a goal of getting MCITPs in both Development and Administration. And now after close to two years I have finally finished that goal! Just under the wire since the exams for 2008 will no longer be given after June.

So what am I going to do now? Well I’ve already started to research what study materials I want to use for the first of the 2012 MCSA exams. My current goal is to get the MCSA this year and the MCSE:Data Platform next year.

So why am I getting all of these certifications? Well if I ever have to look for a job again (and let’s hope if I do it’s a long time from now) they will look good on my resume, but that certainly isn’t a primary reason. Primarily I’m getting them for two reasons. First because it gives me an excellent format to study SQL Server. There are lots of things I want to learn that aren’t on the exams, and I work on those between exams. For example I’m reading Grant Fritchey’s book on execution plans right now. But the skills required on the exams cover subjects I hadn’t even realized existed in some cases, such as Change Data Capture, or just hadn’t had an opportunity to work with recently, such as replication and full text indexes. Second because it provides me with a sense of accomplishment. It’s a way of keeping score with myself. One of these days I may even start studying for the MCM for the same reasons. Once I have “caught up” with the current technology that is.