Recently, I renewed five of my Microsoft certifications and encountered some intriguing aspects. First and foremost, I must commend Microsoft for its straightforward and efficient certification renewal process. Unlike scheduling with PearsonVue, the renewal process is streamlined, with a limited number of questions allowing for the renewal of multiple certificates within an hour, as it should be.

In the industry, there are two approaches to renewal or recertification. Some organizations opt for infrequent recertifications, perhaps once every three years, as seen with ISC2, VMware, and AWS. Conversely, others, like Microsoft, require annual recertification. For the latter, the renewal process must be more straightforward and time-efficient due to its frequency.

Personally, I prefer the approach that necessitates frequent certification renewals. Consider this perspective: if you haven’t engaged with a particular technology for three years, can you genuinely claim that your certification reflects current expertise? Just a thought, no offense intended.

Now, let’s delve into the Microsoft approach. Annual recertification undoubtedly ensures the freshness of one’s knowledge, which is commendable. As previously mentioned, Microsoft has simplified the renewal process, making it convenient and quick. Firstly, it’s not online proctored, allowing flexibility in timing without the need for a designated meeting room or quiet space. Secondly, the process involves fewer questions (just 24, all multiple-choice) compared to the actual certification exam, which is beneficial for individuals with numerous certifications like myself. Thirdly, you’re permitted to use external tools like Google to assist in answering questions, leading to the amusing idea of relying on a generative AI assistant for answers (note! this is not allowed – see the end of post).

Despite these positives, I encountered some peculiarities during the renewal process. The scope of the questions seemed unrelated at times, making it challenging to discern their relevance to the certification area being renewed. For instance, while renewing my Cybersecurity Architect Expert certification, I encountered questions that appeared more operational than architectural in nature. This discrepancy was puzzling, especially considering the certification’s focus on architectural cybersecurity concepts.

To illustrate, one scenario questioned whether “Admin1” should create Bastion and Container, just Bastion, just Container, or VM, Bastion, and Container. This raised concerns about the assessment’s alignment with the intended skills for a cybersecurity architect. While the question was manageable for someone with an administrative background and Azure experience, it seemed irrelevant for those solely focused on cybersecurity architecture.

In conclusion, I found that the quality and relevance of actual certification exam questions surpass those encountered during recertification. There seems to be a discrepancy in the alignment of renewal questions with the certification’s subject matter, which warrants attention and refinement from Microsoft.

Just an additional note. The terms or certification renewal agreement from Microsoft: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/microsoft-certification-renewal-agreement