The Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) is the newest certification track offered by Microsoft. Designed to replace the MCSA and MCSE certifications, it is the only certification available on Windows 2008 Server.
There are twelve different MCITP certifications. They are:
The number of tests required for each certification varies. Each certification requires some number of Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) tests, as well as one or more Microsoft Professional Series tests.
The MCITP: Enterprise Administrator and MCITP: Server Administrator certifications are the new replacements for the MCSE and MCSA respectively. Those candidates who have already earned their MCSA or MCSE on Windows 2003 can take a shorter sequence of exams to recieve the new MCITP certification. For example, the MCITP: Server Administrator certification normally consists of 3 tests: 70-640 Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, 70-642 Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, and 70-646 Pro:Windows Server 2008,Server Administration. A candidate who has already earned an MCSA or MCSE on Windows 2003 Server only needs to pass two exams, 70-649 Upgrading your MCSE to Windows Server 2008 (for MCSA holders the exam number is 70-648), and 70-646, the professional series test listed above.
The MCITP: Enterprise Administrator requires five exams for those starting at ground zero. In addition to the TS tests above for the Server Administrator certification, candidates must also pass 70-643 Windows Server 2008 Applications Infrastructure, and their choice of 70-620 Windows Vista or 70-624 Deploying and Maintaining Vista Client and MS Office 2007. Then the candidate must take 70-647 PRO:Windows Server 2008, Enterprise Administrator.
If you already have an MCSE 2003 cerification, then you need only take three exams: The upgrade exam 70-649, a Windows Vista exam (same two choices above) and the professional exam.
The major differences between the new MCITP track and the old MCSA/MCSE track is that under the old system, you earned certifications on the way - i.e. your first test got you a MCP certification, then you get your MCSA, and finally you earn your MCSE. You could not earn your MCSE without completing the requirements for the MCSA. Now they have their own separate tests. Microsoft states that the reasoning behind this is to show that the certifications are meant for different jobs - a server administrator focuses on operations and management while an enterprise administrator should be more of the architect and designer of the entire shebang.