Serious question. My manager wants me to get certified and I've been looking at the MCP path, but every time I search for it I find forum posts from 2019 saying the whole program is deprecated. Is anyone actually sitting for this in 2026, and does it carry any real weight with employers?
For context: I'm a systems admin with about four years of experience, mostly Windows Server environments with some Azure mixed in. My goal is to move into a senior role at a larger company within the next 18 months. The hiring manager at the company I'm targeting specifically mentioned "Microsoft certifications" in the job description.
I've been using the MCP practice tests to gauge where I'm at knowledge-wise, and honestly the material covers things I use every day. But "covers real-world skills" and "valued on a resume" aren't always the same thing. Anyone have recent hiring experience on either side of this?
The legacy MCP program retired in 2021, but the underlying certifications (AZ-104, MS-900, etc.) are all still very much active and respected. If a job posting says "Microsoft certifications," they almost certainly mean the role-based ones. What specific technologies are you working with?
Four years Windows Server + Azure is a solid base for AZ-104. That's the one that maps most directly to senior sysadmin roles and it shows up constantly in job descriptions. I'd skip trying to figure out MCP legacy and go straight there.
I'm a hiring manager at a mid-size MSP and I see both on resumes. The old MCP designation means almost nothing to me at this point. The newer role-based certs (especially anything Azure) absolutely do. Invest your study time in the current lineup.
Same situation last year. Did AZ-104 instead of chasing MCP legacy and got a $18k salary bump when I moved jobs three months after passing. The certification market has moved on.
The practice test material is still useful even if you're targeting AZ-104 — there's significant overlap in the Windows Server and Active Directory concepts. Not wasted prep time, just aim your actual exam at the current path.
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