IT pros working towards an MCSA on Windows Server 2012 or SQL Server 2012/2014 can qualify for a free upgrade exam for the latest versions (Server 2016 and SQL Server 2016), but you must act fast!

If you are preparing for a Windows Server 2012 MCSA or the SQL Server 2012/2014 MCSA, and can accelerate your exam schedule, you will qualify for a free upgrade exam to the latest and greatest versions: Windows Server 2016 (due out in July) and SQL Server 2016 (recently released). Short notice, I know, but worth doing if you can make it happen because of the huge savings.

It's a nice but evanescent offer from Microsoft. If you can somehow squeeze the exams for an MCSA: Windows Server 2012 or MCSA: SQL Server 2012/2014 in before the first of July, you can qualify for a free upgrade exam to bump that credential up to the latest and greatest versions for Windows Server (2016) and SQL Server (2016).

MORE: Microsoft Certification Guide
MORE: Best IT Certifications

MCSA: SQL Server 2016

For SQL Server 2016 qualification, this means first passing the older slate of three exams for MCSA: SQL Server 2012/2014:

• 70-461: Querying Microsoft SQL Server 2012/2014
• 70-462: Administering Microsoft SQL Server 2012/2014 Databases
• 70-463: Implementing a Data Warehouse with Microsoft SQL Server 2012/2014

Those who complete all three exams by the end of June (6/30/2016) automatically qualify for a free exam voucher for exam 70-762, which itself comes in three flavors:

• 70-762: Developing SQL Databases, which leads to MCSA: SQL Server 2016 (Database Development)
• 70-762: Provisioning SQL Databases, which leads to MCSA: SQL Server 2016 (Database Administration)
• 70-762: Developing SQL Data Models, which leads to MCSA: SQL Server 2016 (Business Intelligence Dev)

MCSA: Windows Server 2016

The same kind of deal applies to the MSCA: Windows Server 2016, where that three exam for MCSA: Windows Server 2012 include:

• 70-410: Installing and Configuring Windows Server 2012
• 70-411: Administering Windows Server 2012
• 70-412: Configuring Advanced Windows Server 2012 Services

Those who complete all of these by the end of this month (6/30/2016) automatically qualify to take the single applicable upgrade exam:

• 70-743: Upgrading Your Skills to MCSA: Windows Server 2016

While more details on the Windows Server 2016 and SQL Server 2016 exams still remain to be disclosed (at this time there are no links available to these exam pages), this is a great deal for those who are already working on completing these credentials.  

Check out the Born to Learn blog post from Tisha Hardester for more information: How to Upgrade to MCSA Windows Server or SQL Server 2016 for FREE. And we'll make sure to share more details on the certifications and accompanying exams as they become available.