Did you know that Microsoft role-based and specialty certifications expire every year unless they’re renewed?
I got the question to renew my certification at no cost without having to schedule or pass a full exam and keep my skills current and my certification active for another year. (For details, read Renew your Microsoft Certification).
This is not the first time I get this email. Last year, I got the same question and had to take the exam regarding Azure Digital Twins.
Here is some background information about this year’s renewal (without any spoilers).
If this is new to you, here is the fine print regarding the renewal:
- Passing the renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn is the only way to renew your certification. You cannot renew your certification by passing an exam.
- This short, unproctored assessment measures the skills you need to remain up to date in your job role.
- To prepare, review the free learning modules on the certification renewal page. (To access the page, select Renew your certification at the end of this email.)
- The first time you access a renewal assessment, you must connect your certification profile to your Microsoft Learn profile. If your certification profile uses a different Microsoft account than your Learn profile, follow the instructions at Aligning accounts between certification profile and Learn profile. Some connections might require assistance from Microsoft Certification Support, so plan ahead to allow for additional time.
- If you need to, you can take the assessment multiple times before the certification expiration date. There’s a 24-hour waiting period after the first attempt, but there’s no waiting period for any subsequent attempts.
- After you pass the assessment, your certification is automatically extended by one year from its current expiration date.
- If you don’t pass the renewal assessment before your certification expires, you must earn the certification again by passing the required exam(s).
So, I had to renew for a new year.
These are the skill measured in my renewal assessment:
- Manage devices in Azure IoT Central
- Configure business integration
- Examine the Azure IoT Edge environment
- Examine IoT Edge device deployment
- Examine IoT Edge gateway device configuration
- Examine IoT Edge module development
- Examine offline and local storage capabilities
- Examine security fundamentals for IoT
- Examine Microsoft Defender for Cloud and Microsoft Defender for IoT
So basically, it’s a complete refresh of all almost previous topics and with this extra Microsoft Defender topic.
Note: depending on the situation, your renewal can differ from this one because topics are added or changed throughout the year.
In my exam, I got indeed a lot of Azure IoT Central and Azure IoT Edge (transparent) gateway architecture questions.
Just follow the renewal exam link in the email you get. The MS Learn portal also gives you direct access to the renewal once logged in with the same account (optionally the certification account can be joined to your MS Learn account).
At this moment, you only need a score of sixty percent to pass.
I was able to extend my specialty certification for another year.
So, I wish you success on your path to renewal!
Sander van de Velde 