Windows Certification Has Been Retired

This certification has been replaced by Microsoft with new certification(s).

Certification Details

Microsoft offers a wide range of certifications for specialists of different levels of expertise, such as beginners, intermediate, and advanced IT professionals. They help one learn more about the proper use and management of Microsoft technologies, products, and services and verify their competence. The accreditation program is divided into several categories that include the following types of certificates: Fundamentals, Role-based, MTA, MCSA, MCSE, Specialty, and others. They target diverse groups of candidates, and to earn any of them, there is a need to pass one or a series of exams.

Microsoft certifications focus on different areas of IT sphere and particular products, including Windows. The novices in the industry can go for MTA: Windows Server Administration Fundamentals or MTA: Windows Operating System Fundamentals. After, one can move towards the intermediate-level certificates that are MCSA: Windows Server 2012, MCSA: Windows Server 2016, and MCSA: Universal Windows Platform. The top level the applicant can achieve at this track is earning MCSE: Core Infrastructure.

One more accreditation that will be a good choice for those interested in Windows is Microsoft 365 Certified: Modern Desktop Administrator Associate. It requires one to clear two exams, one of which is MD-100. The second one is MD-101 (Managing Modern Desktops).

Microsoft MD-100 Exam

Microsoft MD-100 is an associate-level exam that is part of the requirements for getting the Microsoft 365 Certified: Modern Desktop Administrator Associate certification. It is all about Windows 10. MD-100 exam measures one’s ability to install, configure, and maintain Windows 10 and its various elements. It is the best option for IT professionals working with Microsoft software and products as well as related technologies and devices.

Intended Audience for MD-100

This exam targets administrators and experienced desktop support specialists that are basically interacting with Windows 10 and perform different tasks such as its installation, general support for devices, and management of security and connectivity across various devices for offices and digital corporations. MD-100 test validates one’s skillset required to run an enterprise Windows 10 environment. Also, even so there are no official prerequisites, the candidates should be knowledgeable in Microsoft 365 workloads, configuring and deploying Windows 10 as well as diverse technologies and devices that are non-Windows, and managing updates, apps, policies, access, and identity.

Important Features of MD-100 Test

The exact duration of the Microsoft MD-100 exam is 180 minutes, and there are a total of 40-60 questions to be answered within this time. The questions are presented in different formats such as multiple-choice, multi-response, and others. It is mandatory to receive about 700 marks from a total of thousand in general to pass the test. Also, there is a registration fee required that is $165.

Domains Covered in Exam MD-100

The content of Microsoft MD-100 includes four domains that assess specific skills. A general distribution in the form of percentage has been done to showcase part or section of the test that a particular domain will be covering. These relate to the following areas:

  • Deploy Windows (15-20%)

    In the tasks associated with this part of the syllabus, one’s skills in the installation and deployment of Windows 10 will be measured. These involve the configuration of language packs, clean installation, performing migration of user data as well as an in-place upgrade, choosing a proper edition of Windows, and troubleshooting the issues arising with activation. In addition, the candidates must demonstrate their skills in configuring the desktop for the user, setting up Edge and Internet Explorer, and configure the sign-in options as well as mobility settings. One should know about setting and preparing the Windows desktop for first use.

  • Manage devices and data (35-40%)

    This domain focuses on three main areas that are administering local users and groups along with devices, the configuration of data protection and data access, the use of local policies, and management of Windows security. These topics require one to be knowledgeable in shared permissions as well as NTFS permissions, the understanding of local policy and local registry, and the concepts of troubleshooting the problems within group policies on devices. The other subtopics covered require one to be able to configure UAC and Windows Defender Firewall, and provide the implementation of encryption. It will also be beneficial to know how to install drivers for different devices to communicate and work properly with Windows 10.

  • Configure connectivity (15-20%)

    In this section, the candidates need to show their knowledge of networking configuration and remote connectivity. To tackle all the tasks involved, one should be skilled in working with IP settings, VPN clients, Wi-Fi profiles, perform troubleshooting, and understand mobile networking. The other concepts include remote management, remote desktop access, and enabling PowerShell Remoting.

  • Maintain Windows (25-30%)

    This domain corresponds to having enough knowledge about Windows updates, data recovery options, and monitoring and managing Windows 10. In general, this section involves configuring the event logs as well as analyzing them, managing Windows 10 environment, testing, validating, and troubleshooting updates, choosing a suitable servicing channel, configuring update options, providing file recovery, and solving the issues arising with startup/boost process. Any criticality that involves changing Windows update and monitoring settings fall under this section.

    If there are some problems with the boot process of the Windows, such as it is not booting up or has corrupted, then you should also have enough knowledge to cover these items. Such as using Windows recovery to sort out errors or glitches that refrain the system from booting with Windows 10. In general, one should know all about various Windows errors, what they mean, and how to sort them out in real-time.

Career Opportunities for Modern Desktop Administrators

With the Microsoft 365 Certified: Modern Desktop Administrator Associate certification backing you up, you will be able to apply for the following amazing job roles:

  • Server administrator
  • Desktop administrator
  • Windows desktop administrator
  • Technology integration specialist
  • Windows system administrator

All of these are demanded job titles, and the hire rates are also immersive. Talking about the numbers, PayScale states that server administrators and desktop administrators earn about $38k–$69k annually while compensation for Windows desktop administrators is between $49k-100k. Also, according to Glassdoor, a technology integration specialist earns about $47k per year. These are pretty good numbers and should serve as a tempting voice to go for this specific certification.

What Comes Next?

Once completed the Microsoft MD-100 exam along with MD-101 and earned a corresponding certificate, one can move further in this direction and explore other options at the Microsoft 365 accreditation path. For example, one can opt for the Microsoft 365 Certified: Messaging Administrator Associate certificate, Microsoft 365 Certified: Security Administrator Associate, or Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Administrator Associate, among the rest. When it comes to the expert level, candidates can apply for the Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert accreditation. If the Microsoft 365 track gets even more interesting for the certification holder, there is an opportunity to broaden the competence area by earning the Microsoft 365 Certified: Developer Associate certificate.